Decorated fall leaves with raindrops

Cheshvan is the second month of the Jewish calendar counting from Rosh Hashanah. Cheshvan is the only month that does not have any holidays or special mitzvot. We are taught that it is “reserved” for the time of Moshiach, who will inaugurate the Third Temple in the month of Cheshvan.
The great flood in the days of Noach began in this month, and it was a year later, also in the month of Cheshvan, that Noach left the ark.
Cheshvan is called the month of bool (בּוּל) a name that stems from the word for “flood” (מַבּוּל). The flood began on the 17th of Cheshvan, and ended the following year on the 27th of Cheshvan. On the following day, the 28th of Cheshvan, Noach brought his sacrifice to God and God swore never again to bring a flood upon the earth to destroy all mankind, and then revealed the sign of His covenant with the world, the rainbow.

Collect the first autumn leaves, decorate them (the children will really like it) with brushes or permanent markers. Laminate the leaves in a single composition. On a sheet of glossy transparent drawn with the marker some raindrops. Make it rain on the leaves by joining the two sheets.

 

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.

Autumn leaves for the month of Cheshvan

rosh chodesh Cheshvan - Mar Cheshvan

 children reproduction of Rachel Imeinu burial site

 

11 Cheshvan - Rachel Imeinu passes away on the eleventh of Cheshvan, while giving birth to her 2nd son, Binyamin, Rachel, the beloved wife of Ya'akov, died, and was buried on the road to Bethlehem.
The site of her burial in Bethlehem, south of Jerusalem, known to us by tradition, is covered by a stone edifice.

For millennia, Jews have come to this site to pour forth their hearts in prayer, and to awaken her merit in any time of travail, for the community as well as for the individual.
Our mother Rachel was not buried in the tile cave of Machpelah in Hevron together with the other Matriarchs and Patriarchs of our people. Instead, she was buried on the road to Jerusalem, exactly where she died, while coming back to Jerusalem from the House of Lavan with Ya'akov.