What’s Happening in Henderson - A Slice of Life from the Vegas Wild West

The summer we moved to Henderson from LA there was a whole group of LA refugees that came along with us - fleeing the traffic, housing market, politics, etc. etc. Four years later we’re still here, and many of us still feel wistful about our LA connection, so I started this column as a way to chronicle life in the desert and remind people that we still exist. 

What’s different about life here in the Vegas Wild West? The lack of crime, for one thing. Instead of reflexively locking our doors and suffering Amazon packages being stolen every second (plus the constant noise of helicopters and police sirens), here we live in fear of the Homeowners Association (HOA). I can leave my kids’ scooters outside, no problem; they won’t get stolen. However they will get photographed and sent to us alongside a menacing message from the HOA stating that the offending item must be tucked away within 10 days, or fines will commence. Similar to the KGB of old Russia, the Henderson HOA hires human surveillance teams to prowl the streets, photograph sensitive areas and send ominous letters of warning. Slight peeling in the stucco, bushes drying out or even a Walmart order left at the door are all reasons to get citations from the HOA which, if left unaddressed, can result in a fine or even a lien on your house. Oh, and they charge us once a month for the privilege of having them serve us. Fun!

The lack of kosher eateries is another struggle for us LA expats. We (some more than others) still long for a good bakery, Shabbos takeout, you name it. It has produced a nice market for the entrepreneurial, however. Two teen brothers started a catering business and now they cater most of the kiddushes and bar mitzvahs in town. A dad taught himself to make sushi by watching YouTube videos, and now he’s on par with the best of Pico, dare I say it. Some of the young women here also fill the void by making desserts, dips or Mexican dinners, and all of us cough up the cash - we’re desperate for anything that doesn’t come out of our own kitchens. 

A real tragedy that recently befell us here in Henderson was the loss of the first kosher Dunkin’ Donuts out west. When it opened here in January, the countdown to this monumental event was astounding. Members of our community woke up at 4am to be the first at the drive-thru, and morning after morning, day after day we would order donuts, bagels, drinks and more. You would think with all the love we were showing them they would be happy to stay kosher, but no - whenever we ordered a bacon and cheese croissant the cashiers would shamefully explain that it was made with vegetarian bacon, and were we okay with that. Well, of course we were, but apparently enough people weren’t, so they chose to go to the dark (non-kosher) side. The loss of Dunkin’s Donuts has left a black hole that we still haven’t recovered from - driving by it in the car all my kids’ shoulders slump, as they recall the glory that was.

If you really want a reason to come visit Henderson though, you don’t need Dunkin’ Donuts. There’s the plethora of National Parks nearby, if you want to do the bein hazmanim pilgrimage to Zion/Death Valley/Grand Canyon like the dozens of bachurim who flew out here in August, rented cars, and tried to crash for shabbos. I also highly recommend visiting us if you’re a traveling rabbi or a speaker.  When an LA rabbi spent shabbos here last summer (on a trip back from Yellowstone), he spoke at a women’s shalosh seudos and virtually every woman in the community showed up. It was standing room only! If you’re a speaker with the need to assuage your self-esteem or try out new material, definitely spend Shabbos here - we'll get an audience for you and you’ll feel invigorated!

I could go on and on about the joys and adventures of living in Henderson, but that’s why this is a column! Hopefully they'll invite me back. 

Until next time (if the HOA lets us keep our house),

Rachel Wizenfeld

Rachel Wizenfeld was the first and original writer for the Jewish Home of LA, and has since moved to Henderson, NV (right near Las Vegas) with her family, where she works a day job and writes by night.