Fewer than 0.5 percent of Alaskans self-identify as Jewish, according to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, but that number still works out to be a few thousand people, most of them in Anchorage, who may be in the market for dreidels, menorah candles and other Hanukkah merchandise. Options are pretty limited. I took a spin around Anchorage over Thanksgiving weekend to see what's available.
Downtown
At the Kobuk Coffee Co. in Town Square Park, one corner near the china display cases is dedicated to Hanukkah-themed items -- cards, a few menorahs, some sticker books and kids' items. There are also Hanukkah crackers (the kind you pull, not the kind you eat), $29.95 for eight; white chocolate-dipped Oreos adorned with sugar Stars of David, $2.50 each; and, for those who swing both ways, a sparkling hand-blown glass ornament in the shape of a dreidel, $37.95. (I bought one for my half-Jewish sister-in-law last Christmas.)
There are a few Hanukkah items tucked into the Christmas display at Classic Toys.
Midtown
Stop by the shopping center at 341 E. Benson Blvd., home to Classic Toys, Flypaper and 2 Friends Gallery. Classic Toys has a few Hanukkah items tucked among the Christmas swag near the front door, including a cute peel-and-stick felt banner kit, $13.99, and a pop-up book based on the dreidel song, $7.99. Next door at Flypaper, they've got menorah candles, some chocolate bars, and a few Hanukkah cards.
The real Hanukkah shopping destination, however, is a few doors down at 2 Friends Gallery, where you can find an impressive selection (by Anchorage standards) of menorahs. They don't come cheap -- most are made in Israel, not China, and prices run from $99 to $325 -- but there's something for every taste. Owners Jacqui Ertischek and Georgia Blue rushed to show off an aluminum travel menorah that comes packed flat in a CD case. Two twisting, graceful menorahs come with built-in dreidels; others are made from blocks of glass or adorned with multicolored beads. There's one Ertischek is particularly fond of that's a row of dancing Hasidim.
Two Friends also carries menorah candles, and you can find mezusahs and Seder plates there year-round. Ertischek, who is Jewish, says the available selection of Judaica in Anchorage is sparse. Last year, after the gallery opened, she did a brisk business in menorahs, selling out by the first night of Hanukkah.
Chain stores
If you're willing to settle for a made-in-China Hanukkah, Fred Meyer generally carries a small selection of menorah candles and gelt -- look for a display among the Christmas aisles. Anchorage Target stores have a few items displayed on the end cap of a party supplies aisle (near the paper plates and napkins), and Michaels locations have the biggest selection of inexpensive plastic Judaica I've seen around town -- two displays near the holiday bargain aisles (across from the yarn).
Contact Maia Nolan at maia(at)alaskadispatch.com.