Lag B'Omer

Lag B’Omer is a minor holiday that occurs on the 33rd day of the Omer, the 49-day period between Passover and Shavuot. Lag B’Omer include holding Jewish weddings (it’s the one day during the Omer when Jewish law permits them), lighting bonfires and getting haircuts.
The Talmud tells us that during this season a plague killed thousands of Rabbi Akiva‘s students because they did not treat one another respectfully.
According to a medieval tradition, the plague ceased on Lag Ba’Omer, the 33rd day of the Omer. (The Hebrew letters lamed and gimel which make up the acronym “Lag” have the combined numerical value of 33.) As a result, Lag Ba’Omer became a happy day.
The outstanding sage Rabbi Akiva became an ardent supporter of Simeon bar Koseva, known as Bar Kochba, who in 132 C.E. led a ferocious but unsuccessful revolt against Roman rule in Judea. Akiva not only pinned his hopes on a political victory over Rome but believed Bar Kochba to be the long-awaited Messiah. Many of his students joined him in backing the revolt and were killed along with thousands of Judeans when it failed. The Talmudic rabbis, still suffering under Roman rule and cautious about referring openly to past rebellions, may have been hinting at those deaths when they spoke of a plague among Akiva’s students. Possibly, also, Lag B’Omer marked a respite from battle, or a momentary victory.

All over the world, it is customary to spend the day outside, enjoying the natural beauty of G‑d’s world. During these outings, it is customary to play with bows and arrows. Read about the reason for the bow and arrow here.

Lag B'Omer picnic bags

Mini DIY Bow and Arrow 

Make a stick bow and arrow with a twig & some yarn 

Lag b'Omer, homemade simbolic crafts.

Lag B’Omer is a minor holiday that occurs on the 33rd day of the Omer, the 49-day period between Passover and Shavuot. A break from the semi-mourning of the Omer, key aspects of Lag B’Omer include holding Jewish weddings (it’s the one day during the Omer when Jewish law permits them), lighting bonfires and getting haircuts.

Rabbi Akiva and the Bar Kochba Rebellion
The Talmudic explanation makes most sense when put into historical context. The outstanding sage Rabbi Akiva became an ardent supporter of Simeon bar Koseva, known as Bar Kochba, who in 132 C.E. led a ferocious but unsuccessful revolt against Roman rule in Judea. Akiva not only pinned his hopes on a political victory over Rome but believed Bar Kochba to be the long-awaited Messiah. Many of his students joined him in backing the revolt and were killed along with thousands of Judeans when it failed. The Talmudic rabbis, still suffering under Roman rule and cautious about referring openly to past rebellions, may have been hinting at those deaths when they spoke of a plague among Akiva’s students. Possibly, also, Lag B’Omer marked a respite from battle, or a momentary victory.
A completely different reason for the holiday concerns one of Rabbi Akiva’s few disciples who survived the Bar Kochba revolt, Rabbi Simeon bar Yohai. He is said to have died on Lag Ba’Omer.

Lag B’Omer Customs
Unrelated to Rabbi Simeon, the kabbalists also give a mystical interpretation to the Omer period as a time of spiritual cleansing and preparation for receiving the Torah on Shavuot. The days and weeks of counting, they say, represent various combinations of the sefirot, the divine emanations, whose contemplation ultimately leads to purity of mind and soul. The somberness of this period reflects the seriousness of its spiritual pursuits.
Finally, on yet another tack, some authorities attribute the joy of Lag Ba’Omer to the belief that the manna that fed the Israelites in the desert first appeared on the 18th of Iyar.
Though its origins are uncertain, Lag Ba’Omer has become a minor holiday. (For Jews, the holiday is the day after Lag B’Omer.) Schoolchildren picnic and play outdoors with bows and arrows,a possible reminder of the war battles of Akiva’s students , and in Israel plant trees. It is customary to light bonfires, to symbolize the light Simeon bar Yohai brought into the world. And every year numerous couples wed at this happy time.

From Jewish Days: A Book of Jewish Life and Culture (Farrar, Straus and Giroux).

Books and melodies

Pearl for Holidays - Independence Day - Lag B'omer and Shavuot 

Lag B'omer Dancing Song

Lag Ba'Omer

Lag B'omer Day

Lag b'Omer bonfire

Lag BaOmer, the 33rd day of the Omer count (this year, May 26, 2016) is a festive day on the Jewish calendar. It is celebrated with outings (on which the children traditionally play with bows and arrows), bonfires, and other joyous events. Many visit the resting place (in Meron, northern Israel) of the great sage and mystic Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the anniversary of whose passing is on this day.
t is traditional to light bonfires on Lag BaOmer eve. These commemorate the immense light that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai introduced into the world via his mystical teachings. This was especially true on the day of his passing, Lag BaOmer, when he revealed to his disciples secrets of the Torah whose profundity and intensity the world had yet to experience. 
Lag b'Omer this year bonfire craft diorama...

Lag b'omer crafts

Lag BaOmer, this year, May 7, 2015, is a festive day on the Jewish calendar, celebrating the anniversary of the passing of the great sage and mystic Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, author of the Zohar. It also commemorates another event. In the weeks between Passover and Shavuot, a plague raged amongst the disciples of the great sage Rabbi Akiva. 

On Lag BaOmer the dying ceased 

Crochet framed Lag b'Omer bonfires

 

Wood bow and arrow

 Reshaped toy bow

Lag b'Omer arrows

Homemade wood and paper arrows

inspired by Creative jewish mom

Lag b'Omer bonfires

Wood sticks and painted yellow paper to make nice indoor Lag b'Omer bonfires

lag b'omer collage bonfire

thanks for the idea to to creative jewish mom

rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai cave

 

A "landscape" made of felt with animals, the water source, the carob tree, the Romans and Rabbi Shimon and his son inthe cave to represent Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai story (The Story of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai ).

Thats Rabbi Shimon inside the cave with his son, Rabbi Elazar and outside is the Roman soldier so they're inside their cave.
Here is a FREE Lag B'Omer Activity Booklet made for the kids from A Jewishhomeschool blog.

Lag b'Omer collage bonfire

It's a last minute project for Lag b'Omer. You just need to have some black paper and scraps of fire colored paper, cardboard or magazines pages. Then your children are ready for a creative bonfire collage session. You possibly can use for the fire shape some foil incorporeted into the collage,or some real  wood sticks as an alternative to popsicle sticks.
thanks for the idea to to creative jewish mom