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Nov. 24, 2006
Shop for the holiday
Ethical kippot among new items available.
VERONIKA STEWART
As the shopping season for Chanukah approaches, accompanied by
gale force winds and rainstorms, we at the Jewish Independent
have taken it upon ourselves to offer some suggestions to make readers'
lives a little easier.
To narrow down that endless line-up of shops and malls to browse,
we've chosen some local and online gift shops that may have just
what you're looking for. And if you hate bumping elbows with other
shoppers during the peak of the shopping season, all the better.
Plenty of businesses are taking their wares online, making it easy
to shop from the comfort of home.
However, for those of you still willing to trek out into the wilderness
for a great gift, often you need look no further than the local
synagogue gift shop. Here are some options – others will follow
next week.
•The gift shop at Temple Sholom offers plenty of ideas.
From the more expensive glassware chanukiyot and dreidels to Judaica-themed
oven mitts and potholders, consumers have a wide variety of choices.
If there's a party in the making, there is much Judaica-themed party
ware on display, both for children and adults. According to the
gift store's Bente Nathan-Thomsen, decorations are currently among
the more popular items.
"For this time of year, it's all the decorations, cards and
small gifts for kids," Nathan-Thomsen said.
The gift shop is open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sundays
from 9:30 a.m. to noon.
And for those who don't wish to leave their home before viewing
for themselves what Temple Sholom's gift shop has to offer, a link
to the gift shop's website is on the synagogue's main page at www.templesholom.ca.
For more information, call 604-266-7190.
•The Beth Israel Judaica shop is also open for business,
although under new hours, so it may be prudent to call ahead first
to ensure the store is open before you head down. This year, as
well as the usual Chanukah merchandise, the shop offers free trade
kippot.
Handcrafted in Guatemala by Mayan women, the kippot featured at
Beth Israel's shop are very colorful and reflect the heritage of
the Mayan dress in the region. The kippot are made by Mayaworks,
a nonprofit company, and the proceeds go towards helping people
still suffering the effects of the civil war and military rule.
If you are looking for someone who does not happen to wear a kippah,
however, there are also beautiful pieces of Judaica available from
the Gary Rosenthal Collection – and, for the busy-body in the
kitchen, Judaica-themed cookie-cutters. The Beth Israel Judaica
shop is located at 4350 Oak St. and you can call ahead to 604-731-4161
to check the new hours of operation.
•For the reader in your family, www.metegbooks.com
offers a wide variety of books featuring Jewish themes. For those
who like to giggle, currently featured is a book called Jewish as
a Second Language, written by a woman who discusses the cultural
differences between herself and her gentile husband. There is also
a link on metegbook's homepage to an extensive gallery of
Jewish artists for online shoppers to peruse, as well as links to
every genre of book imaginable. To order, go to www.metegbooks.com.
•To personalize your gift, look online to Krayna's Kreations.
Former Beth Israel rebbetzin Krayna Feinberg, now based in Washington,
D.C., works with her customers to customize a unique gift for their
special someone. She handcrafts bibs, towels, placemats, comfort
blankets, pillows, challah covers and jewelry boxes. Prices range
from $18 for a bib or placemat to handmade challah covers for $72.
Her website is located at www.kraynaskreations.com.
•If you're looking to please an art connoiseur on your list,
LindaLando art gallery at 2001 West 41st Ave. offers a spectrum
of art. You can choose from the vibrant landscapes of Tim Schumm
or the colorful compositions of Caroline James and a wide array
of other Canadian artists. To view some the art beforehand and learn
about the artists, visit www.lindalandofineart.com.
•For those people on your list looking for something directly
from Israel this Chanukah, Gans online Israeli Judaica shop
may be the answer. Located in the heart of Jerusalem since 1939,
a gift from this store has a certain historical significance as
well. Prices range from $4 for a personalized gift magnet to more
than $900 for a silver chanukiyah, with many items falling in between.
If the selection is a little overwhelming, there are also gift certificates
available on the site, to let that person on your list have the
excitement of picking a gift for themselves. If the person you're
buying for happens to be a child, there is also a selection of handcrafted
children's dreidels and chanukiyot to choose from.
Veronika Stewart is a Vancouver freelance writer.
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