My first car was a 1974 yellow Valiant that I bought for $500 cash. I was very proud of this purchase, although the car had a small hole in the floor and was questionable if it could make a long haul drive. I bought the car for a new job as a small-town weekly newspaper reporter in northern Alberta. It served me well except one time when I slid off the highway into a ditch and had to be towed out.   

While I worked at this newspaper, I did not shy away that I was Jewish. As a native Montrealer, I was used to being surrounded by a Jewish community. This was my first time being isolated and the lone Jew in a city or town. Everyone who I met in this town welcomed me and asked questions about Judaism. I joined the town choir and even taught them a Chanukah song to perform during the holidays.   

I was working at this newspaper for about a year and a half when I opened that week’s edition to see a photo of my Valiant with fake graffiti drawn all over it. To my shock and horror, one drawing was of a Star of David. I found out that a colleague had done this as a joke and my editor and publisher approved. I immediately pointed out that labelling me as a Jew this way was very wrong and started looking for a new job. Even almost 25 years later, it still hits me hard.   

When we heard that Jewish Federations of North America were raising awareness about antisemitism and offering a grant for special projects, I immediately thought that Jewish Federation of Edmonton should take part. I’ve seen how mosaic art pieces can be powerful— tiny tiles with messages that form a complete picture. Our entire community could shine a light on how antisemitism has affected them or how it makes them feel through an art project.   

Once we were approved for a $10,000 Shine a Light on Antisemitism project, I had to find a local artist who specialized in quickly turning around a mosaic art piece. My goal was to have Jewish organizations and community members paint a tile about antisemitism during the week of Chanukah, with the artist facilitating this project. St. Albert artist Lewis Lavoie, who has been creating stunning pieces for the past 30 years, agreed to come onboard and create a mosaic of a menorah. Lewis created his first mural mosaic in 1997 for a retaining wall next to an art gallery in St. Albert. He can include multiple participants, styles, voices, subject matters that all come together in to one unified, cohesive beautiful masterpiece image. Lewis has created hundreds of mosaics with different organizations, school and communities.   

This is your chance to Shine a Light on Antisemitism and make this mosaic a reality. We have all of Talmud Torah School taking part, but we want different perspectives from all ages and Jewish backgrounds involved. We are inviting you to participate on Sunday, December 5 and paint your own tile between 2 and 5 p.m. at the Westridge Community League Hall. You don’t have to have a flair for art - you can paint a meaningful word on the tile to send a message about antisemitism. All safety protocols for COVID-19 will be in place and we ask that everyone remain masked.

I may have been alone 25 years ago in that small Alberta town when I spoke up about antisemitism. These tiles for the menorah art mosaic will unite all the messages into one voice to Shine a Light on Antisemitism and be on display at Edmonton City Hall in January for the entire city to see.   

Shabbat Shalom and Happy Chanukah,   

Tammy