In the interior of British Columbia, nestled amidst the Selkirk Mountains and straddling Kootenay Lake, is one of North America’s most charming and picturesque towns. More European than North American, Nelson is the jewel of the Kootenay area and its idyllic setting, breathtaking scenery, clean air and laid-back atmosphere attract visitors from all over the world (including Steve Martin, who filmed the movie “Roxanne” in Nelson). Visitors are also attracted to Nelson because of its thriving arts scene (recently rated the fifth best arts town among small towns in North America), turn-of-the-century architecture and its plethora of funky restaurants, cafes, pubs and shops.
Outdoor enthusiasts are attracted by the many recreational opportunities available in Nelson and the surrounding area. Summertime features hiking, camping, canoeing, kayaking and mountain biking. In the winter, world-class snowboarding and downhill skiing on some of the best fresh powder in North America can be found at nearby Whitewater Mountain.
Nelson is the type of place where total strangers regularly exchange pleasantries on the street, contributing to its captivating charm. Populated by an eclectic mix of ex-hippies, reiki healers, mystics, bohemians, ski bums, Rastas and ordinary folks, Nelson also has a sizable contingent of ex-Californians, many of whom made their way to Nelson and the Kootenay region (particularly the Slocan Valley) in the 1960s to avoid serving in the Vietnam War. Musician David Feldman is one of them.
Prior to moving to Nelson, Feldman, a native of Berkeley, performed in a Victoria klezmer band. He formed a short-lived Kootenay band in Nelson called the Klezmaniacs with several other musicians (including Jewish clarinetist Bobbi Feldman). After one successful gig, the group was forced to disband when the visas of two of its members expired and they had to return to England. Feldman hopes that they will return to Nelson “so that they can continue to expose people to Jewish culture in Nelson.”
Photographer Fred Rosenberg, originally from Redondo Beach, was motivated to move to Canada because of the Vietnam War, even though he wasn’t drafted. He eventually made his way to Nelson because of a romantic involvement, but also “fell in love with Nelson.” Rosenberg’s exhibits have been displayed in California, Vancouver, Australia and most recently at the award-winning Dancing Bear Inn as part of Nelson’s annual summer art walk exhibit. Rosenberg likes to photograph “states of being” and his primary subjects are people as opposed to places.
“I’m hanging on the fringes of the Jewish community in Nelson,” says Rosenberg. A secular Jew, like the majority of Jews in Nelson, Rosenberg was actively involved with the Kootenay Jewish Community Association (KJCA) in the 1980s because he “felt a kinship with other Jews” and “enjoyed the camaraderie.”
Dan Sorkowitz, a self-proclaimed “Silicon Valley refugee,” came to settle in the Kootenay region on the advice of a friend. Today, Sorkowitz owns land in the Slocan Valley and is a computer science instructor in Castlegar, a Kootenay town located close to Nelson. Sorkowitz is also an active and enthusiastic member of the KJCA.
With no synagogue, KJCA provides Jews in the area with the opportunity to meet, socialize and Jewish cultural experiences together. The group, which includes Jews from Canada, the U.S. and Israel, meets each month for Shabbat potluck dinners as well as for holidays like Passover and Rosh Hashanah. One of its members, Joseph Mark Cohen, is a practicing kabbalist who conducts kabbalah workshops locally and across North America. Cohen hopes that his stunning new home in the woods will serve as a center of Jewish mediation in the region.
For more information about Nelson, call Hello B.C. at (800) 663-6000 (/www.hellobc.com). For inexpensive accommodations in Nelson, call the Dancing Bear Inn at (250) 352-7573 (www.dancingbearinn.com) or Emory House B & B at (250) 352-7007.
For upscale accommodations, call the Best Western Baker Street Inn at (250) 352-3525 or (888) 255-3525, or The Prestige Lakeside Resort at (250) 352-7222 or (877) 737-8443 (PrestigeInn.com).
