A Memorable Shabbat in Las Vegas

I bumped into my friend David Smith recently and was reminded why it’s always a good idea to travel, especially if you cannot be home over Shabbat. I know it sounds weird, but sometimes your house can be your own worst enemy when it comes to life experiences.

Years ago, I was performing in Las Vegas for a week at the Improv at Harrah’s, one of my favorite places to do shows. It has unfortunately closed, and while some of my favorite memories are what a great showroom it was, a particular Shabbat experience I had there that still stands out.

After shows at the Improv we used to have to go outside and sign autographs, T-Shirts, etc. and generally just say hello to the crowd. It was also the week of the Computer Electronics Show (CES), one of the biggest events in Vegas. Almost every room in the city is sold out and while you’d think that would be a great week to be booked at the Improv, it’s one of the slowest comedy weeks there is.

Because so many huge companies are represented, they have massive parties at night, and why would you go to the Improv when, for example, YouTube has flown in Jay Leno to perform? Nonetheless, the shows at the Improv are still good, even when not packed.

When I’m anywhere over Shabbat, part of the fun (for me at least) is trying to figure out what I’m going to do as far as meals, and where I’m going to walk around on Saturday. Vegas is easy. There’s a big Jewish community and my friend Shoshana Siegelstein is the local caterer there.  Once you place an order, she drops off a box with enough food to last you three days. She even has cholent, and you keep the crock-pot! I have a stack of them sitting on top of my fridge back here in L.A. and, over the years, I’ve given many away. Since I’m too far from a synagogue I just do the service in my room and that’s that. Plenty to walk around and see in Vegas also, so no issues there.

One night after one of the shows I was outside signing things and saying hi to the audience as they exited and up walked my friend David. He was in town for another convention. We both go to the same synagogue in L.A. and while it was nice to see a familiar face, it was what he told me that made the weekend turn into a memorable one. CES has a few electronic companies that have a high percentage of Orthodox Jews who work there. David said that since CES ended late Thursday and that many of them could not fly back Friday and get back to the east coast before Shabbat started, they were staying through the weekend. “They are having services Friday night and Saturday morning at the Bellagio,” David told me. “Meals are there also. Just show up.” Apparently, a wealthy owner of one of the larger companies was sponsoring the whole thing. I told David I didn’t really have appropriate attire for a synagogue atmosphere but he said not to worry about it.

It was wintertime and Shabbat started about 4:30 PM. The service was early and I had plenty of time to attend and even go to dinner before I had to go back and do two shows, one at 8:30 and one at 10:30. While in a perfect world I’d obviously rather not do shows on Friday night, it never really bothered me that much. As far as Shabbat stuff, I’d do as much as I could, hold the mic slightly differently (there is a concept called “shinui” where you do things in a different way to make a distinction that it’s the Sabbath) and once I was offstage, I never lost sight that it was Shabbat. I even checked with a buddy of mine who is a strict, observant Jew and asked if I was doing anything wrong as far as the mic (it’s very technical as far as electrical output, etc.) and I remember him telling me, “Probably not. Not with today’s sound systems.” Would an ultra Orthodox guy do it? Highly unlikely, but to each his own.

I showed up Friday night and what amazed me was just how different everyone was. I fit right in, because no one really did. There were people well dressed, some in jeans; some religious, some not so much, ultra-Orthodox, Askenazi, Sephardi, Americans, Israelis, you name it. Chabad was hosting the event and following the service, which was a mashup of Ashkenazi and Sephardi, we were all invited into the large banquet room next door for a lavish dinner. It was open seating and Jews with payot hanging on the side of their heads were sitting next to Israelis in jeans and everyone was having what seemed to be a great time. When I told some of the people at the table I actually had to get back because I had a show to do, there was zero judgment from the more religious guys. Only, “Can we come tomorrow night?” I immediately said of course and told them I’d put them on the guest list.

Right before I left, though, the Rabbi stood up and thanked everyone for coming. He even implored everyone there to come back the next day saying they not only had a large Kiddush, but a big lunch as well. He told us to tell friends to come also and that the sponsor had flown in the babka and herring he liked from Brooklyn.  No messing around as far as the food went!

The next morning I showed up and the service was being led by a Sephardi guy and I remember making eye contact with another Ashkenazi guy. We were both totally lost and gave the “I have no idea what’s going on” shoulder shrug as the beginning of the service sounds quite different.

Once the Sephardi guy leading got to the second part starting with Barchu, he simply turned around and went, “Ashekenazim!,” then motioned his head like it was our turn to take over. He was sharing and wanted to make sure we knew what was going on. They took part one, and we would handle part two. We all looked around seeing if anyone wanted to continue leading the service and eventually a Hasidic guy jumped up with some pleasant nudging from a few people.

The Torah reading was also divided up on the fly between Sephardim, ultra-Orthodox Satmar Hasidim, and some modern Orthodox guys. It was like a Jewish United Nations gathering without the Israel bashing … even from the Satmar guys!

When the service ended it was a little too early for lunch so on one of the balconies there was a huge Kiddush set up with the herring and babka that was flown in and plenty of other stuff. Since we were at the Bellagio, it felt like we were in a fancy neighborhood in Italy overlooking a mountain village outside of Tuscany. Various staff were walking around recording and taking pictures with their phones.

After a period of schmoozing we were all invited into one of the banquet rooms for lunch. The food was great, and the atmosphere could not have been friendlier. Here I was, a modern Orthodox hard core Zionist, sitting with Satmar Hasidic Jews who were the farthest thing from Zionist, and, instead of focusing on our differences, we did the opposite. It was a bunch of Jews enjoying Shabbat, just that simple.

By the time the meal ended, a bunch of guys said they would see me at the show that night, and they all showed up. I was put on the WhatsApp group for the Jews that came to CES every year and continued to receive their messages pretty much up until COVID.

When people ask about meaningful Shabbats they have had, I’m sure there are some in Jerusalem, family reunions, and many other obvious ones that pop up. But every now and then, if you let it happen, some of the best religious experiences can come when you least expect it. Especially when you’re out of town, with a bunch of Jews from all over the world, in Sin City, in the heart of a casino.

You never know.