Cain & Abel: Finding the Fruits of Peace

by Sandy Eisenberg Sasso, Joani Keller Rothenberg (Illustrator)

Multicultural, Nondenominational, Nonsectarian Endorsed by Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish Religious Leaders A spiritual conversation-starter for adults and children to read together. "A very long time ago, when the world was new...two children walked in God's garden called Earth. One was named Cain, the other, Abel. They were the first children. The first brothers." We know the story well. But what can it mean for us—and for our children—today? Award-winning author Sandy Eisenberg Sasso recasts the biblical tale of Cain and Abel in a way that invites adults and kids to a conversation about anger and our power to deal with it in positive ways. Cain and Abel were born into God's garden called Earth, a world of bright days for working in their fields and peaceful nights to share the stories of their dreams. The first children, the first brothers, they were so much alike yet so different—Cain a shepherd, Abel a farmer. They lived side by side, surrounded by trees where wonderful, exotic fruits of many kinds everywhere orapples, rasdew, and banangerines ripened all on a single branch. The air was sweet with the smell of pinango, limeberry, and waterloupe. But jealousy, anger, and fear took all this away. Cain and Abel's happiness came to an end, and with it, the trees' ability to grow these special fruits. In a world often hurt by violence, this retold biblical story gives children and adults a starting point for discussing anger and its effects on those around us. By harnessing the power we have to deal with our emotions in positive ways, we can once again cultivate the fruits of peace—and change the world for the better.

Genres: Childrens, Picture Books, Theology

40 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2001

About the author

Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso is Rabbi Emerita of Congregation Beth-El Zedeck where she served for 36 years. Upon her retirement she founded the Religion, Spirituality, and the Arts Initiative, now at Herron School of Art and Design at IUI.

After receiving her B.A. and M.A. from Temple University, in 1974 she was the first woman ordained from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. In addition to being the first woman to serve a Conservative congregation, she and her husband, Dennis C Sasso, are the first practicing rabbinical couple in world Jewish history.

Sandy has written and lectured on women and spirituality, the discovery of the religious imagination in children, women’s leadership, and reimagining the Bible. She is the author of several nationally acclaimed books. Most notably, in 2004, Sandy received the Helen Keating Ott Award for Outstanding Contribution to Children’s Literature and, in 2012 took home the National Jewish Book Award for Best Illustrated Children’s Book for The Shemah in the Mezuzah. In 2019 she won the Glick Regional Author’s Award.

Sandy has been honored as one of the “Influential Women in Indiana” by the Indianapolis Business Journal and was featured among “Indy’s Most Influential Clergy” by NUVO News Weekly. She is the recipient of the “Sagamore of the Wabash”, the highest civilian honor awarded by the Governor of the State of Indiana and has been the recipient of The Heritage Keeper’s award for: the Indiana State Museum, the Torchbearer’s Award from the Indiana Commission for Women, and was designated as a Living Legend along with her husband by the Indiana State Museum.

She has authored more than 30 children's books, 2 books for adults, and numerous articles and essays.

Reviews

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on midrash that originally the trees in Eden bore all kinds of fruit and only when we truly turn to peace will the trees be fully fruitful again.

Read it on 5/30/20 during protests and rioting after the death of George Floyd.

This is one of our oldest stories and also one that is strangely timely today. I can't even.

[Shoshanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sad, sweet, and hopeful!

[Buxmont Uu]

PBBT 3

[Joey Gremillion · Rating 1 out of 5]

Loved the illustrations but the story was trite

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Difficult themes, delicately presented for children. I recommend previewing, tho.