Garden of Time

Jill Hammer is the director of spiritual education at the Academy for Jewish Religion and co-founder of the Kohenet Institute, a programme in spiritual leadership for Jewish women. Zoë Cohen is a visual artist and art teacher. She works from her home studio in West Philadelphia and teaches at The University of the Arts. Her work has been exhibited in group and solo exhibitions in Philadelphia, New York and Berlin and is in the permanent collections of The Philadelphia Museum of Jewish Art and the Philadelphia Cathedral.

“As Adam and Eve discover seasons in The Garden of Time, readers become aware of the universal spirituality and meaning for living within each Jewish holiday. Zoë Cohen's beautiful paintings, which echo ancient Near Eastern art, invite readers into an ancient paradise that is both magical and deeply rooted in the earth. Rabbi Jill Hammer is a world-class storyteller, helping children and adults to connect their experiences in nature to festivals like Hanukkah and Passover. A wonderful teaching aid, intergenerational and multifaith discussion starter, and perfect holiday gift.” —Rabbi Goldie Milgram, co-editor of Mitzvah Stories: Seeds for Inspiration and Learning“The Garden of Time reveals the cycle and meaning of time, the seasons, and the Jewish holidays in many-splendored ways. Jill Hammer's poetic, midrashic writing led me to see the passage of time in technicolor and with all my senses and to experience it with a renewed vision and a bountiful appreciation. I enthusiastically recommend this transcendent book as an intergenerational shared story!” —Peninnah Schram, author of The Apple Tree's Discovery“Gracefully written and beautifully illustrated, The Garden of Time roots each holiday in its season, in the cycle of nature. In our urban, speeded up, digital lives, nature is often little more than an amusement or an obstacle, and we can forget how integral the seasons are to our cycle of holidays. Jill Hammer's lilting text and Zoë Cohen's surprising drawings remind us that the cycle of our holidays is rooted in the cycle of nature. I look forward to reading this book with children in my family and community.” —Arthur Strimling, Maggid HaMakom, Congregation Kolot Chayeinu, Brooklyn, NY