MYLASVEGASRABBI.COM
Rabbi Sanford Akselrad
Concierge, Destination Jewish Rabbi
“Find yourself a Rabbi, make yourself a friend.”
– Pirkei Avot
SHALOM
Since ancient times, people have sought out Rabbis for their wisdom and support… Rabbi Sanford Akselrad is a Concierge, Destination Rabbi dedicated to supporting individuals and families at every stage of their Jewish journey in Las Vegas and abroad – whether deepening an existing connection to Judaism or rediscovering spiritual and emotional meaning within it. His goal is to make Judaism accessible, joyful, and relevant through customized Jewish experiences, including weddings, lifecycle events, personal spiritual coaching, private study, and interfaith guidance.
If you’re a local or a visitor who chooses Las Vegas as your wedding destination, Rabbi Akselrad would like to meet with you virtually or in person to get to know you, your story, your values, and your family, and discover what this sacred moment means to you. He will create a meaningful and beautifully tailored ceremony that will reflect your unique love story with a deeply personal touch.
Rabbi Akselrad works with individuals (Jewish, interfaith, curious, skeptical, returning), families, and couples of every background and configuration, and will preside over customized events in your home, at a venue, outdoors, online, or wherever your story leads…
Trusted for his guidance and appreciated for his warm and welcoming ceremonies, Rabbi Akselrad has celebrated with people during their most joyous times and has shepherded them through their most challenging times with sage empathy. He continues to find fulfillment in being a source of support in people’s lives, offering sincerity, wisdom, humor, and a genuine heart.
Having served as a Congregational Rabbi for more than 40 years, Rabbi Akselrad is excited to begin a new chapter in his service to the community as a Concierge, Destination Rabbi. He realizes that not everyone fits inside the organized Jewish community. And that’s okay. Some people are unaffiliated. Some are new to Judaism. Some feel disconnected after a difficult experience. Many are searching for something real, but don’t know where to begin.
Everyone needs a Rabbi.
I would be honored to be yours.
SERVICES
• Baby Namings
• Bar/ Bat Mitzvahs
• Weddings
• Wedding Renewals
• Interfaith Weddings
• LGBTQ+ Weddings
• Memorials
• Funerals
• Conversion
• Creative Rituals For Life Events
• Pastoral Counseling And Personalized Study
• Spiritual Growth, Interfaith Guidance
• Strategic Life Advice
• Lunch With The Rabbi
Grief is the price of loving a soul who walked beside us on four legs and left paw prints on our hearts forever.
• Pet Bereavement
• Pet Cremation
• Pet Memorials
Pets are members of our families. This became abundantly clear to Rabbi Akselrad, who has gone through his own bereavement when his pups passed away over time. In addition to private ceremonies, Rabbi Akselrad has led community bereavement ceremonies where people of all faiths were welcome.
Contact
SCHEDULE A CALL,
ZOOM APPOINTMENT,
SEND INQUIRY
Book a complimentary consultation
to share what you’re hoping for,
ask questions, and discover why Rabbi Akselrad
is the right fit for your journey.
(702) 768-6292
vegasrabbi@gmail.com
Las Vegas, NV
VENMO @Sanford-Akselrad
ABOUT
RABBI AKSELRAD
Rabbi Sanford Akselrad has spent his career building community, nurturing Jewish identity, and supporting families through every chapter of life. After serving as the spiritual leader of Congregation Ner Tamid in Las Vegas, Nevada, since 1988, he transitioned in 2025 from Congregational leadership to a new chapter as a Concierge, Destination Rabbi – dedicating his time to helping Jews of all backgrounds, especially the unaffiliated, reconnect to meaningful, personalized expressions of Judaism.
During his 37 years at Congregation Ner Tamid, Rabbi Akselrad guided the community from 60 families to more than 600, transforming it into the largest Reform synagogue in Nevada. He helped shape the Jewish landscape of Southern Nevada through leadership roles on numerous boards, including Jewish Nevada, Jewish Family Services, the Humana Hospital Pastoral Advisory Board, and the National Conference for Community and Justice. He is a founding member and past President of the Clark County Board of Rabbis and has been deeply involved in interfaith work, serving as a founding leader of the Interfaith Council and co-founding the annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service.
A passionate builder of communal resources, he spearheaded initiatives such as Family Promise (formerly the Interfaith Hospitality Network), bringing shelter and dignity to homeless families, and Project Ezra, which helped more than 600 job-seekers of all faiths during the Great Recession. He has also served on the Anti-Defamation League of Las Vegas board and the Union for Reform Judaism’s Commission on Jewish Living, Worship, and Music.
Rabbi Akselrad was ordained at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 1984, where his thesis explored the moral implications of Holocaust education. As a result, he helped establish the Governor’s Council on Holocaust Education, serving for more than twenty-five years. In 2009, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity in recognition of 25 years of service to the Jewish people.
Personal Touch
“Rabbi Akselrad helped us feel seen. Not just as Jews, but as a family. Our wedding ceremony was the most personal experience we could have imagined.”
— L. & J., Las Vegas
Inclusion
“I always thought Judaism was out of reach for someone like me. Rabbi Akselrad made it feel possible. More than that – welcome.”
— T., Henderson
Great Memories
“If was as if Rabbi Akselrad became part of our family. From our first Zoom meeting to our destination Las Vegas wedding, Rabbi A made our big day so special. We were so lucky to find him!”
— P., Cleveland
RABBI’S BOOK
In March 2020, the world as we knew it changed. Businesses, schools, and places of worship were forced to close their doors because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the uncertainty, Members of Congregation Ner Tamid, the largest Reform Jewish Synagogue in Nevada, turned their fear into faith with guidance from their Rabbi, who wrote weekly messages to them focusing on calm, courage, resiliency, and strength, reminding them that CNT, located in Henderson, NV, is “a special place to belong.”
Love in the Time of Corona was the title of Rabbi Sanford Akselrad’s first essay, and it’s the title of his new book. The collection of meaningful COVID-era essays was lovingly edited and compiled to share comfort and hope and the singular statement that we are stronger together, not only in the time of Corona but always and forever.
: The Art of Connection
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