Mrs. Lola Rivera has been the Cantorial Soloist for Temple Bet Emet a U.R.J. Reform Jewish temple in Las Vegas since 2006. Serving the Las Vegas Jewish Community since 1992.

She retired from her position in July 2024 to devote more time to her husband, Rudolph of more than 40 years, her four children, and grandchildren.

Lola trained with Cantor Sharlin of blessed memory and was mentored by Rabbi Stephen Einstein.  After completing her bachelor’s degree in Human Services and Business Management, she continued her education attaining a Master’s degree in education-curriculum and programming. Her Master’s degree thesis focused on the retention of Post B’nai Mitzvah students achieving a 98% retention rate which she affectively utilized throughout her many years of service. Having a passion to help others, she recently retired after working 23 plus years with the Clark County Department of Family Services where she devoted her talents to helping at risk children and families in Foster Care.   Throuhout she has maintained helping those less fortunate than herself and those in need within our community through working with several agencies to provide furniture, food, and clothing.  As a Jewish educator and administrator since 1992, she has attained a continuing list of additional accomplishments, training and inspiring students in Judaism, Hebrew, Torah Trope, Ethics, Jewish history, Liturgy, those preparing for Bat and Bar Mitzvahs and Post B’nai studies. Along with guiding and officiating for families through life cycle events.

While caring for her own large family, her love for children led Mrs. Rivera early on to work as a Jewish Community Youth Camp Director for the Jewish Community Center and for temple’s in Las Vegas.  She created summer and winter programming providing our community with a wide array of youth and post-teen programs while also directing many religious schools, youth and adult choirs, adult ensembles, and family and youth programs. She is also the founder of “Pajama Time”, an interactive program for pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten aged children in Las Vegas in addition to a series of Family Track classes for all ages. She established a Reform Jewish Prison support group providing prisoners Jewish connections, books and support for Jewish holidays along with services. She continues to have a love of teaching, facilitating, and creating bridges within the community and after graduating from the Hadassah Leadership Academy, she remains a lifetime member of Hadassah.

As a very talented vocalist shared with Temple Bet Emet for more than two decades, she recorded “Sharing Shabbat”, a CD for Shabbat and “Chanukah in Song”. She founded and directed Jewish Jammin’, a local band which has performed for innumerable community events over the past 30 years throughout Las Vegas and wrote and presented her “Life in Song” story of her life.  She has acted as the temples Spiritual Leader when needed and continues to be an integral part of our Temple family.

She plans to continue as Temple Bet Emet’s Cantorial Soloist Emerita and an active member of Temple Bet Emet. We look forward to the times she is able to share her music, song, and inspirational messages with us in the future.