Several weeks ago, I was privileged to bring my students from the Masa (religious school) program at the Beacon Hebrew Alliance to the Beacon Historical Society to visit an exhibition celebrating 100 years of the history of our synagogue.

I would like to express my gratitude to BHS President Diane Lapis, who was an incredible guide and educator, initiating our students, aged 8 to 10, into the magic of local history with warmth, humor and enthusiasm.

The children were fascinated to see photographs of their sanctuary through years past and to discover that a time capsule is buried behind the stones they see every week. Diane told us stories, showed us artifacts and took us upstairs to the archive room to see what the process of local history is really about. We looked at photographs, learned about the history of the city and left with a stronger sense of knowing who we are and where we are.

I am deeply grateful to Diane, not only for the visit, but for working tirelessly with our centennial committee, in particular local history writer Anna Marcus, to preserve our story and share it with others.

I’d like to recommend all educators, families and children’s programmers consider a visit to the Beacon Historical Society. The place is a treasure trove waiting to be explored, and the children are a natural fount of questions and curiosity that makes it a delight to see it through their eyes.

Rishe Groner, Beacon

Groner is the director of education at the Beacon Hebrew Alliance.

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