Tefillah Geshem on Shemini Atzeret

TEFILLAH GESHEM

Children artwork of raindrops on autumn leaves glued on paper

Shemini Atzeret, meaning "the eighth day of assembly," is a Biblical Jewish holiday that follows the Jewish festival of Sukkot. It is written: "On the eighth day you should hold a solemn gathering; you shall not work at your occupation".
Shemini Atzeret marks the beginning of the rainy season following the harvest in Israel.
The prayer for rain, Tefilat Geshem, is the only ritual that is unique to Shemini Atzeret. In ancient times, an offering was brought to the Temple in Jerusalem on Shemini Atzeret. But once the Temple was destroyed, the only Shemini Atzeret ritual that remained was the liturgy requesting rain for a plentiful year.
After the prayer for rain is recited on Shemini Atzeret, the phrase Masheev HaRuach U-Moreed HaGeshem (He causes the wind to blow and the rain to fall) is inserted into the Amidah prayer until Passover.

Simchat Torah

Homemade Flags and Torah Scrolls

Sukkah decoration - Lanterns

Sukkah Jars Lanterns

Sukkah decoration - Ushpizin

The USHPIZIN board

Ushpizin is an Aramaic word that means “guests.” Translated into English, the word loses some of its mystery and otherworldliness. Yet these “guests” are indeed quite mysterious (at least until we learn more about them) and otherworldly (at least until we make them part of ours). We use the Aramaic term because our source of information about these mystical guests is from the Zohar, the fundamental Kabbalistic work written in that mystical language. There are seven supernal guests who come to visit us in the sukkah one for each of the seven days of the festival.
As we fill our sukkah with earthly guests, we merit to host seven supernal guests, the seven “founding fathers” of the Jewish people: Avraham, Yitzack, Yaacov, Moshè, Aaron, Yossef and David. While all seven ushpizin visit our sukkah on each of the seven nights and days of Sukkot, each supernal “guest” is specifically associated with one of the festival’s seven days, and is the “leading” or dominant ushpiza for that night and day.

Chag Sameach!

SUKKOT SAMEACH TO YOU ALL

Sukkot challah cover

7 species Challah cover

Challah cover for Sukkot , cross stitch decorated with the seven species for which Israel is praised (wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates)

Sukkah decorations

Handpainted banners

Children handpainted banners as Sukkah decorations. Painted on jute with acrylic colours.

Tashlich box

Tashlich comes from the Hebrew word meaning "to cast," referring to the intent to cast away our sins via this meaningful and ancient Jewish custom.
Tashlich is usually performed on the first day of Rosh Hashanah. If the first day of Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat, Tashlich is done on the second day of Rosh Hashanah. It may be performed up until Hoshanah Rabba (the last day of Sukkot), as some communities are anyway accustomed, except on Shabbat.
We commemorate the self-sacrifice of Abraham by going to a river bank.
Special verses are recited next to a body of water, such as a sea, river, stream, lake or pond, preferably one that has fish
Though Tashlich is not mentioned in the Talmud, its earliest reference appears to be in the book of the Prophet Nehemiah (8:1) which states, "All the Jews gathered as one in the street that is in front of the gate of water." This gathering is known to have taken place on Rosh Hashanah.

Tashlich in a box 

 

Tashlich craft for children with a covered cardboard box and inside paper fishes and waves of water

Lekhayim

http://lekhayim.blogspot.it/

Shanà Tova board

The festival of Rosh Hashanah,the name means “Head of the Year”, is observed for two days beginning on 1 Tishrei, the first day of the Jewish year. It is the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, and their first actions toward the realization of mankind’s role in G‑d’s world. Rosh Hashanah thus emphasizes the special relationship between G‑d and humanity: our dependence upon G‑d as our creator and sustainer, and G‑d’s dependence upon us as the ones who make His presence known and felt in His world.

Shanà Tovà

The children door decorated with a big pomegrenate board whishing Shanà Tovà and felt apples

honey jar

Rosh HaShanà beehive jar

Beehive Jar for Rosh Hashanah. Decorate a glass jar with felt imitating the design of a beehive. Useit  as a jar for honey or as a decorated lantern.

Rosh HaShanà apples banner

Apples Banner

Banner with apples printed on natural jute to decorate the house for Rosh HaShanà. Use half apple for the prints and acrylic colors.

Bee bracelet

BEE BRACELET GIFT FOR ROSH HASHANA'

Bracelet with bee made ​​of wood (wooden beads hand painted with felt wings)  and felt colored balls for Rosh Hashanah.

parashat Vayelch

Moshè summoned Yeoshua and told him to be strong and courageous, for G‑d will be going before him and will not forsake him. Moshè then wrote the entire Torah and gave it to the Kohnaim and the Israelite elders. Moshè gives the commandment of Hakhel (assembly), whereby every seven years, during the holiday of Sukkot which follows the Sabbatical year, all men, women, and children assemble and the king publicly reads sections of the Torah.

Sefer Torah parts bullletin board 

cut and paste collage style boards with the various parts of Sefer Torah .

lekhayim

 

http://lekhayim.blogspot.it/