(Let me say this first: All houses of worship are special and unique … particularly for the people who worship in them and/or have contributed to its creation and role in the community, and rightly so.)

After years living in this area, finally, last week I visited Beth Sholom Congregation.

Taking the opportunity of a day off to spend with mom while she visited our family, we decided to stay close to home for our day trip.

It was a great day. Weather was awesome, spending the day with mom was awesome and Beth Sholom is outstanding.

I like to visit houses of worship. There is something mystical about them.  They convey so many stories in so many ways. And, I am a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright's work.

Beth Sholom Congregation is located at 8231 Old York Road in Elkins Park. It’s about 30 to 40 minutes away from Lansdale. 

Beth Sholom’s sanctuary was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and has been designated a  National Historic Landmark

Tours are offered to visitors. For a schedule, click here.
On the day of our visit we were the only visitors at that time of day so we got a personalized tour and to top it off with a Spanish-speaking tour guide, which was great for mom. Our tour guide spent plenty of time with us and answered all our questions.
There is a fee for the tours -- $12 for adults, $10 for students, seniors. Children under 10 are admitted free. In addition to touring the main sanctuary, there is a visitor center that traces the history of Beth Sholom.
For more information including the history of the congregation, development of its current building and a virtual visit, check here http://www.bethsholompreservation.org/visitorCenter.aspx.

SIDE VIEW OF BETH SHOLOM

DETAIL OF THE FRONT OF BETH SHOLOM

I just feel like drawing this week ....
Don't you feel like sometimes you just want to be a "Fly On the Wall"?
(Click on the image to see a bigger version.)

As of late I’ve become quite interested in children’s books. With two little ones in the family, it is fun to get books for them. I especially like checking thrift stores. I am no expert by any means, but I get pretty happy when I make a great find with a great price attached to it , say – 50 or 75 cents, $1.  Very nice indeed.  Not only do I get a deal, a community organization gets a little help. Also as important, the little ones are learning to appreciate books and to enjoy reading.

Being a Spanish speaker, it’s nice to find bilingual books (English/Spanish).  In “my book” another language is a window into another world. And, I want the little ones to get used to Spanish and one day being able to speak it, read it, use it. It all starts with getting the books in their hands and reading to them.  I am sure you also read and share stories and books with the young ones in your family.

This week, I received a copy of Pennsylvania’s One Book, Every Young Child Early Literacy Initiative.

In its eighth year, the program highlights the importance of early literacy development in preschoolers ages 3 to 6.

This year’s book is “The Bus for Us” by writer Suzanne Bloom.  And, it is a bilingual book. The story is also told in Spanish. It is very colorful and fun.

You could win the copy I received …. Just follow the instructions below. But read this first:

As part of the program, authors visit libraries across the state. Bloom will be in the area on the following dates and places on April 15:

11:30 a.m. at North Wales Area Library, 233 S. Swartley St., North Wales. Check www.northwaleslibrary.org or call (215) 699-5410.

9:45 a.m. at Upper Dublin Public Library, 805 Loch Alsh Ave., Fort Washington.

6:30 p.m. Lower Providence Community Library, 50 Parklane Drive, Eagleville. Call (610) 666-6640 or check http://lpc.mclinc.org.

 You could win the book.

Visit my Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/AixaTorregrosaReporter?ref=hl

and post your answer to the following.   Which two characters are featured in Suzanne Bloom’s book “A Splendid Friend, Indeed”?  (Hint: one is furry, one is feathery.) A winner will be selected at random from among the correct answers.

Good luck and keep reading to the little ones. And, if you find a place with great bargains, let me know.

I just like to watch how the rest of the world views our nation. This election year is a prime example. Here's a Storify compiling a selection of news outlets around the world.

The Community Media Lab at The Reporter is hosting its first public Interfaith Community Panel on Tuesday, Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1000 W. Main Street, Lansdale. All are welcome to attend and participate in the conversation. The Interfaith Community Panel  is comprised of several religious leaders from throughout our community representing different faiths. The Interfaith Community Panel will gather regularly to share views and engage the community in a healthy and open discussion of topics of interest and of issues affecting the community. On Oct. 16 the topic of discussion will be “Religion vs Free Speech: Blasphemy in the Public Square.” Doors will open at 6:45 p.m. and the  open forum discussion will take place from 7 to 8 p.m. If you have a suggested question in regards to this topic, please contact apiccirilli@thereporteronline.com or atorregrosa@thereporteronline.com.

SUBMITTED BY NASA

Smokey Bear to Celebrate 68th Birthday at Mission Control

 

 

HOUSTON -- NASA, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), the Texas Forest Service and Smokey Bear are teaming up to celebrate Smokey's 68th birthday Aug. 9 at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. The popular mascot will tour the center and record a promotional announcement for NASA Television that will air later this month.

Smokey Bear is the USFS symbol for wildland fire prevention and represents the Advertising Council Inc.’s longest-running public service announcement campaign.

On May 14, Smokey went where no bear had gone before. NASA astronaut Joe Acaba and the Expedition 31 crew chose a plush Smokey doll to be the team's launch mascot, celebrating their trip to the International Space Station. During his tour about 250 miles above Earth, Smokey will turn 68 years old, sparking the celebrations back on the ground Thursday.

NASA's collaboration with the USFS began in 1971 when Stuart Roosa, an Apollo 14 astronaut and former Forest Service smokejumper, orbited the moon with a pack of seeds as part of a joint NASA/USFS project. Those "moon trees" were planted around the country (many for the nation's bicentennial in 1976) and around the world. Today, the trees stand as a tribute to Roosa and the Apollo program.

This year, NASA and the USFS signed a Space Act Agreement that unites the two agencies in raising awareness about the importance of fire prevention and fire safety. For more about the International Space Station and the NASA-USFS connection, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

Our area is experience a dry spell ... as reported here: http://bit.ly/NsYeiH

If you are keeping track of rainfall, here's a great website to check: http://www.cocorahs.org
 
Here's how much rain fell in our area in a 24-hour period: http://bit.ly/NsXutQ

You can even become a volunteer weather watcher. Check this out: