Mazal Adar - twin fishes (Dagim) (spring maps to Pisces). This month (on leap years there is Adar I and II) is associated with joyous holiday(s) of Purim.
Mazal Av - shown with a lion (Aryeh) (summer maps to Leo). Av is often associated with mourning since is the month of Tish'a B'Av, the fast which commemorates the destruction of the Temples in Jerusalem.
Mazal Cheshvan- shown with a scorpion that is bright red (Akrev) (fall maps to Scorpio). This scorpion has some crustean like features.
Mazal Elul- shown with a female hand with flowers (Bteullah) (end of summer maps to Virgo). Associated with the beginning of the new year. Full representation of the human figure was discouraged in traditional Jewish folk art; this is a good example of that and of shifting it away from more pagan or Christian associations.
Mazal Iyyar- shown as a docile bovine (Shor) it does not evoke more pagan associations of worship (end of spring maps to Taurus).
Mazal Kislev - shown as a male hand shooting a bow (Keshet) (beginning of winter maps to Capitarius). Full representation of the human figure was discouraged in traditional Jewish folk art; this is a good example of that and of shifting it away from more pagan associations such as an archer that is a cenataur.
Mazal Nisan - shown as a docile sheep (Teleh) , it does not evoke more pagan associations of worship (spring and maps to Aries or anything war-like).
Mazal Shevat - watercarrier is not shown depicted at all; just the well and water drawing mechanism (Dali) ( winter maps to Aquarius). Full representation of the human figure was discouraged in traditional Jewish folk art; this is a good example of that and of shifting it away from more pagan associations such as an water giver.
Mazal Sivan - Twin parrots are shown (elsewhere this was common as well as turtledoves, (Teumim) ( beginning of summer maps to Geminii Twins). Includes the holiday of Shevuos, the celebration of the giving of the Torah. Full representation of the human figure was discouraged in traditional Jewish folk art; this is a good example of that and of shifting it away from more pagan associations regarding fertility.
Mazal Tamuz - shown as a lobster that is bright red (although usually depicted as Sartan which means Cancer which is usually depicted as a crab) (summer maps to Cancer) . One of the interesting anomalies on the Lower East Side is that the two remaining shuls that have kept mazelos both have lobsters, although assigned to different months.
Mazal Tevat - shown as a docile goat (Tevet), it does not evoke pagan associations of worship or rauscous behavior (winter and maps to Capricon).
Mazal Tishri - a blind justice in Roman robes is not depicted at all; just the balanced scales (Mazniim, scales) (fall maps to Libra). This month is associated with the High Holiday days, with both repentance and joy as part of the New Year cycle. Full representation of the human figure was discouraged in traditional Jewish folk art; this is a good example of that and of shifting it away from more pagan associations such as a figure of a giver of justice.
Twins - Gemini Parrots - Sivan Bialystocker Synagogue
Scorpio - Lobster - Tamuz Bialystocker Synagogue
The Jordan, Holyland painting, ceiling Bialystocker Synagogue
Bialystocker Shul bathroom sign in English and Yiddish
