The Garden of Time

Hammer explores the Jewish legend of God’s teaching Adam and Eve the seasons, which Jewish holidays commemorate and are related to. The creative force is presented as the wind: “The wind breathed the breath of life into [the man and woman], and they woke up into the bright sun.” The wind instructs and accompanies them down a path that is a tour of the four seasons. At the end of the journey, the man and woman leave Eden (“Gently, the wind blew the people into the world”) to dwell in the garden of time, marked by the seasons. In an endnote, Cohen explains the ancient Near Eastern sources of her iconography. Her flat, simplified renderings suit the story’s mythic character. In her own endnote, Hammer discusses the relationship between the seasons and Jewish holidays, as well as the legends she drew from. While the text describes Jewish holidays, the book also lends itself to interfaith religious education. All ages. (Sept.)