The David L. Simon Foundation and The Center For Autism and Developmental Disabilities at Touro University Nevada

Jewish Camps and Israel Scholarships

Social Action Tikkun Olam Projects

Opening of the David L. Simon Center for Education and Tikkun Olam

In 2016 the David L. Simon       Foundation began a          partnership with       Touro University Nevada to help fund a therapist position         at the newly renovated      Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities.  

For the foundation's kindness,   Touro named a therapy room      after the foundation.  

  As 2016 came to a close the       foundation was honored by       Touro University Nevada                    with the                  Touro Luminary Award.

 DLFS is proud to be part of such a special program at Touro University.

David L. Simon 
Center for Education & Tikkun Olam

     In 2007, the David L. Simon Foundation gave a gift of over $1.1 million to Midbar Kodesh Temple to build an educational wing for the synagogue and the community.  Connie Pectol, then administrator of the David L. Simon Foundation, had a great affection for the children and families at Midbar Kodesh Temple that began years ago when she had read about the accomplishment of Midbar's children.

     Connie had been trying to find the right project that would benefit the families of Midbar Kodesh Temple in a way that would be important to the synagogue and to the foundation.  When she attended the 2007 sanctuary groundbreaking and heard that Midbar needed a new school building, she felt that she had found the perfect project.  The donation was given in honor of the children of Midbar Kodesh Temple and in memory of David L. Simon.

                     Richard Simon                               Grandson of David L. Simon and an              original Junior Board member joined                             2016 board members                       Barry Fieldman, Jordan Doctors,                          Howard Baron, Amy Fieldman,                         Marcy Welt and Gerald Welt                                           at the                             Season of Lights Soiree 2016

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Other Donations

     The David L. Simon Foundation has made donations to other organizations over the years.  The Jewish Federation of Las Vegas has been a major recipient of gifts that include the "Bridge of Peace Award" and scholarships for students who travel to Israel or attend sleep away resident Jewish Camps.                         

​     An annual donation recognizes young adult leadership sending the recipient to the General Assembly of the Jewish Federation of North America. In 2015 the Foundation provided startup funding for programming to Vegas Moishe House, a program to help young adults connect with Judaism in a relevant way. 

     At Midbar Kodesh Temple the David L. Simon Foundation has brought Continuing Education to Las Vegas Jewish classroom teachers with seminars on Technology and Differentiated Instruction and provides funds for additional teacher instruction in music and the arts. They have sponsored a Shabbaton family retreat in Utah; sent Midbar's 6th and 7th graders, accompanied by a parent, on overnight L.A. Museum trips to the Skirball Cultural Center and the Museum of Tolerance; hosted Midbar's Passover Dinners; underwritten Shabbat Family Dinners; and made donations to each B'nei Mitzvah student's mitzvah project. 

     The foundation provides scholarship for USY Regional Convention and underwrites Midbar Kodesh Temple's USY's annual Tikkun Olam project which supports students who age out of the Clark County Foster Care program.  DLSF funds MKT USY's Brown Bag Project, allowing the students to prepare and serve over 300 dinners at a local shelter.  In 2015 the foundation began giving a $1000.00 scholarship to every child of Midbar Kodesh Temple members to attend Jewish resident camp or travel to Israel in their post b'nei mitzvah year if the families were members by December 2016.  Almost 100 children will benefit from this gift in the years ahead.
 
     The David L. Simon Foundation also does community outreach.  In 2013 and 2014 they helped underwrite the Henderson High School Leadership Program and in 2014, 2015 and 2016 made gifts to the Las Vegas Clark County Library District Foundation's Early Literacy Program.  In 2015 and 2016 they supported homeless families identified by the Clark County School District's Project HOPE with gift certificates to provide Thanksgiving meals.  In May 2016 two Project HOPE students received computers,  as  against all odds, they made their way to college.