Finding the Fruits of Peace: Cain and Abel

In simple yet sophisticated language, Sandy Eisenberg Sasso retells the story of Cain and Abel in Finding the Fruits of Peace: Cain and Abel (Jewish Lights,$16.95). Sasso invites the reader into a colorful world so pleased with diversity and co-existence that mixed-up fruits like or apples, plumelons and banagerines can ripen on a single tree.

This is the world of the first two brothers, Cain and Abel, and Sasso describes the close friendship between them. Eachhas his own talents: one is a shepherd, the other a farmer. Yet at night they exchange their products, each allowing the other to benefit from the day’s work.

This peaceful and cooperative way of life comes to an end when jealousy an danger enter the hearts of the brothers. But rather than passing judgment on these emotions, Sasso allows the reader to understand their rage.

Sasso moves Cain and Abel from the pedestal of biblical narrative to the realm of the readers’ human emotions, modernizing this story by explaining how angry words can turn to rocks, swords and guns that destroy lives. Yet Sasso shares her belief that individuals have the power to transform anger by controlling their rage. She leaves the reader hoping for a harmonious world where we too can taste or apples and banagerines.  

 received her masters from Columbia University in Middle Eastern Language and Culture with a concentration in Palestinian-Israeli children’s literature.