Menorah contest win

CYNTHIA RAMSAY

The first-ever Chanukah Menorah Design Competition was spearheaded by Eran Roubini, president of Burquest Jewish Community Association. And, at Port Coquitlam’s Leigh Square Community Arts Village on Dec. 2, there were 13 works of art – all beautiful chanukiyot – from which to choose “the best.”

As one of the two judges in the contest, I know exactly how hard the decision was to make. However, with Peter Meingast of West Vancouver’s Torat Hayim Community Centre for Jewish Learning, we selected Nancy Walker’s “Light in the Dark” as the winner. Her design evoked the past, specifically, shtetl (village) life, as well as modernity, with its simplicity and all-white sheen.

Walker entered three chanukiyot in the competition, while Sheked Kaplan and Zahava Lambert each entered two; the other artists were Sarah Rozanski, Rachel Rozanski, Orly Ashkenazy, Jackie Alcock, Juana Sleizer and Dorit Shelef.

Celebration of Light also included paintings interpreting the importance of light in the winter, which were created by ArtistCircle artists. At the opening reception, Leigh Square’s Yvonne Chui and ArtsConnect’s Helen Daniels addressed the 50-plus people in attendance, as did Roubini, after which Jacky Mak from J & W Piano Studio and his students performed classical and jazz pieces.

Other supporters of the exhibit are Port Coquitlam Parks and Recreation and the Coquitlam Foundation. The chanukiyot and the other artwork will be on display until Jan. 16.

^TOP