Snow In Jerusalem

Snow In Jerusalem

By: Deborah da Costa
Multicultural

Avi and Hamudi are two young boys who both live in Jerusalem. Avi lives in a Jewish community and Hamudi lives in a Muslim community. They are both unknowingly feeding a white stray cat. One day Avi follows the cat and finds that Hamudi is feeding her as well. They start to argue about ownership over the cat but then she runs away. As snow starts to fall in Jerusalem, they find her and she has four kittens, who they argue over too. Then the boys decide "She does not want us to fight.... She wants peace." This is an underlying message about the two religions fighting in Jerusalem. They decide to share the kittens and each boy takes two home.

This would be a great book to use when talking about differences and could lead into a discussion about the fighting in Jerusalem between the Jews and Palestinians. It could also lead into a discussion about accepting differences and that even though you may have a different religion, you could be more similar than you think.