On Bowen Island, a community rallies against Holocaust denial—behind a giant driftwood menorah

After an unsettling encounter with a Holocaust denier in 2021, the small, energetic Jewish community of Bowen Island, BC, decided they needed to become more visible. That meant, among other things, showcasing their culture and traditions to the rest of the island.

Matthew van der Giessen had an idea. Though he isn't an artist—he's a massage therapist—he began collecting pieces of driftwood off the beach to create a six-foot-tall hanukkiah. The makeshift menorah, completed in 2021, now stands among the island's annual display of Christmas trees and has received a lot of media coverage.

This week, despite needing a few touch-ups, the sculpture is back—and van der Giessen joins The CJN Daily to describe his creative process, his own journey to Judaism and how his piece speaks volumes about the unique spirit of his tight-knit island's community.

What we talked about:

• Hear more about Jewish life on Bowen Island on Yehupetzville (Dec 2021)
• Read more about the driftwood menorah at Neighbourhood Small Grants

Credits

The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Zachary Kauffman is the producer. Michael Fraiman is the executive producer. Our theme music is by Dov Beck-Levine. Our title sponsor is Metropia. We're a member of The CJN Podcast Network. To learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.