Stories We Tell

Judaism has a deep and rich tradition of storytelling, passing down stories from one generation to the next. To carry on that tradition, Stories We Tell from ReformJudaism.org will share a new story with you every Thursday. Whether you listen while driving to work, preparing Shabbat dinner, or taking your kids to school, each episode will give you a new story to reflect on and discuss with the people in your life. Stories We Tell is a project of the Union for Reform Judaism, a leading voice in the discussion of modern Jewish life.

How Are We Better? 07/02/2020

How Are We Better? For three years, this podcast has brought you a new episode nearly every single week, adding up to more than 160 stories designed to bring a little bit of joy and wisdom into your lives. For now, we're taking a little break – but Rabbi Leora Kaye has one final story to share. Want more Jewish content while we're on pause? There are lots of ways to access everything ReformJudaism.org has to offer. Visit us online at , subscribe to our , and follow us on , , and . We look forward to hearing from you! /episode/index/show/storieswetell/id/15008981

God's Miracle 06/25/2020

God's Miracle After 40 years in the desert, the Israelites reached the Land of Canaan. When they got there, they saw wheat and trees and fruit—things they had never seen before after spending their lives in the desert. But one woman remembers her mother describing plants and how they grow, so how does she explain it to her daughter? Cantor Rosalie Will retells the story. For a written version of the story, see “Gods Miracles” by Rabbi Edward H. Garsek in Three Times Chai: 54 Rabbis Tell Their Favorite Stories edited by Laney Katz Becker. /episode/index/show/storieswetell/id/14937308

The Sultan's Horns 06/18/2020

The Sultan's Horns The sultan hated getting haircuts because of his big secret: He had horns on top of his head! He was so afraid that people would find out that he threw every barber who cut his hair in prison. Finally, the only barber left in town was summoned to the sultan. Would he be thrown in prison like the barbers before him? Rabbi Mark Kaiserman retells the story. For a written version, see The Sultan’s Horns in “The Jewish Story Finder” by Sharon Barcan Elswit. /episode/index/show/storieswetell/id/14860844

A Crack in the Water Bucket 06/11/2020

A Crack in the Water Bucket Back in the days before indoor plumbing, water carriers would bring water to those who needed it. One water carrier carried the same two buckets each day, and even though one of them had a leak, he never seemed to do anything about it. The reason why teaches an important lesson about finding blessings, even when things may seem broken. Cantor Ellen Dreskin tells the story. /episode/index/show/storieswetell/id/14774279

The Old Torah 06/04/2020

The Old Torah How important is the history of your family? Maybe you have a family ledger or an old book that carries the events, wisdom, and dreams of those who have passed on. This week, author and puppeteer Marilyn Price tells a story about such a book in “The Old Torah” and shows just how priceless our families’ stories truly are. /episode/index/show/storieswetell/id/14683382

The Spoonful of Oil 05/28/2020

The Spoonful of Oil There was a young man who wanted to learn the secret of happiness. He sought out the advice of a wise man, who was too busy to talk with him at that moment but gave him a task: walk around and carry a spoon with two drops of oil and be careful to not let them spill. Listen to find out how this seemingly strange assignment taught the boy an important lesson. /episode/index/show/storieswetell/id/14578886

The Eagle Who Thought She was a Chicken 05/21/2020

The Eagle Who Thought She was a Chicken Who determines who you are? Is it the environment in which you’re raised, or is it what’s been inside of you your whole life? This week, we hear a story from Rabbi Rachel Greengrass of Temple Beth Am (Pinecrest, FL) about an eagle who thought she was a chicken, which asks us to think to when we had to determine who we truly are. /episode/index/show/storieswetell/id/14499833

A Blank Letter 05/14/2020

A Blank Letter Is there someone in your life with whom you can share a thousand words without saying anything at all? Has there been a time, maybe in recent weeks, when all you needed was someone to just “be there” for you, or when someone needed you to just “be there” for them? This week, we hear a story from Rabbi Sari Laufer, director of congregational engagement at Stephen Wise Temple (Los Angeles, CA) about two friends separated by distance but closely connected in ways only they can understand. /episode/index/show/storieswetell/id/14405327

Grandma’s Challah 05/07/2020

Grandma’s Challah Food is such an important part of Jewish history and culture, and for many of us, there’s nothing quite like the food our grandparents made for us as children. This week, author and puppeteer Marilyn Price tells the story of a king who wants nothing more than to taste the challah his grandmother used to make for him, and how something as simple as love can turn great food into something even better. To learn more about Marilyn, her puppetry, and her storytelling, you can visit her website at www.marilynprice.com. /episode/index/show/storieswetell/id/14309972

Two Frogs and a Little Encouragement 04/30/2020

Two Frogs and a Little Encouragement Has there ever been a moment when you wanted to give up on a goal because others said it was too hard? Has there ever been a moment when it seemed like all you could hear were cheers of encouragement to keep going? This week, we hear a story about two frogs who were in this exact same situation from Rabbi Rachel Greengrass of Temple Beth Am (Pinecrest, FL) /episode/index/show/storieswetell/id/14208692

How Do You Use It? 04/23/2020

How Do You Use It? Have you ever had a great idea that wasn’t useful until you applied it? This week, join Rabbi Phyllis Sommer of Am Shalom in Glencoe, IL, as she tells the story of a rabbi and a soap maker who explore this idea and realize their professions have more in common than they might have thought. /episode/index/show/storieswetell/id/14070617

My Havdalah Set 04/16/2020

My Havdalah Set Have you ever seen yourself as the “most” important? Have you felt your contributions mattered more than others, only to find out it actually took a group effort to accomplish your goal? This week, we’re treated to an original story by Alice Myers, actress and daughter of Rabbi Lisa Grushcow, who talks about this idea from the perspective of a havdallah set. /episode/index/show/storieswetell/id/13966283

Zoo Seder 04/09/2020

Zoo Seder On this special Passover episode of Stories We Tell, Rabbi Mark Kaiserman, Rabbi of the Reform Temple of Forest Hills, tells the story of a little girl who’s excited for a very different Passover seder her family is planning and how a little imagination might be what we all need right now. /episode/index/show/storieswetell/id/13904228

The Perfect Seder 04/02/2020

The Perfect Seder What is the real meaning of Passover? Is it ritualizing the seder and reading the Haggadah, or is there something more? This week, Rabbi Esther Lederman, the Union for Reform Judaism’s Director of Congregational Innovation, tells a story about a rabbi, a water carrier, and the prophet Elijah, and asks what it means to truly celebrate this sacred festival. /episode/index/show/storieswetell/id/13802096

The Rabbi and the Small Apartment 03/26/2020

The Rabbi and the Small Apartment Many of us have had to change our daily routines recently as a precaution against coronavirus. With work and school now centered at home, our family dwellings might feel a little smaller. This week, join Saul Kaiserman, Director of Lifelong Learning at Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York, as he tells the story of a man living in his own small apartment with his family, and how their new living routine brought them closer together. /episode/index/show/storieswetell/id/13703339

The Fate of the Flour Woman 03/19/2020

The Fate of the Flour Woman When things go a direction we might not expect, is it thanks to fate or simply coincidence? This week, Rabbi Phyllis Sommer of Am Shalom in Glencoe, IL tells the story of a woman, her bag of flour, and the unexpected journey it took her on. /episode/index/show/storieswetell/id/13600136

Who Will Help? 03/12/2020

Who Will Help? Has there ever been a problem in your life that needed to be solved, and you knew you might be able to fix it? This week, join Rabbi Leora Kaye as she tells the story about a farmer who encounters a large boulder stuck in the middle of the road and does what she knows is the only right thing to do. /episode/index/show/storieswetell/id/13514858

The Hamantaschen's Souls 03/05/2020

The Hamantaschen's Souls Many of us know how it feels to be resistant to something, even when we know deep down that we are called to follow through with it. This week, Rabbi Phyllis Sommer of Am Shalom in Glencoe, IL tells the story of a town’s batch of hamantaschen who just refuse to be baked, and the rabbi who shows them just how important they are. /episode/index/show/storieswetell/id/13315229

The Right Bell For The Right Place 02/27/2020

The Right Bell For The Right Place Have you ever made a decision that you felt was the right thing to do, but could have benefited from someone else’s advice? This week, join Rabbi Steven Bob, the emeritus Rabbi from Etz Chaim in Lombard, Illinois as he tells a story about a man who purchases a fire bell for his small town, but things don’t go quite the way he expects. /episode/index/show/storieswetell/id/13315148

The Truth Telling Rabbi 02/20/2020

The Truth Telling Rabbi Can two things be true at once? How do the ways we see ourselves and each other influence those truths? This week, join Rabbi Leora Kaye as she explores these questions through the story of a man seeking counsel from a wise and humble rabbi and someone who sees the rabbi just a bit differently. /episode/index/show/storieswetell/id/13218080

Devorah and the Gold Coins 02/13/2020

Devorah and the Gold Coins Devorah’s friend Yoel has the right intentions when she asks him to watch over her prized possessions. However, just like honey, sometimes friendship can be both sticky and sweet. Join Rabbi Lisa Delson, as she shares the story of Devorah and the Gold Coins /episode/index/show/storieswetell/id/13114877

The Boastful Farmer 02/06/2020

The Boastful Farmer Have you ever felt like you were the smartest or most important person in the room, only to realize you’re just as dependent on others as they are on you? This week, Rabbi Phyllis Sommer of Am Shalom in Glencoe, IL shares a story about a boastful farmer who had to learn this lesson himself. /episode/index/show/storieswetell/id/13015445

What It Takes To Get In 01/30/2020

What It Takes To Get In Three souls are met by the Heavenly Tribunal as they approach the gates of Paradise: a learned rabbi, a pious man, and a tavern keeper. Each one makes their case as to why they should enter Paradise, but who among them instantly earns the Tribunal's favor? /episode/index/show/storieswetell/id/12874244

The Bird Catcher 01/23/2020

The Bird Catcher This week, Rabbi Simcha Bob tells the story of a woman who catches and sells birds for a living. One day, she comes across a beautiful bird who can speak and even promises her 3 pieces of wisdom if she releases him. Through this story. Rabbi Bob compels us to think about how well we listen to the advice of others and the ways in which we impart wisdom as well. /episode/index/show/storieswetell/id/12833018

Get Up And Go Early 01/16/2020

Get Up And Go Early We’ve all had days when we have so many things to do, but we just want to stay in bed and put our tasks off for later. This week, Rabbi Leora Kaye tells a story about a rabbi who faced that very same temptation head-on, showing us how we too can push through our temptation and “get up and go early.” /episode/index/show/storieswetell/id/12748985

My Grandfather's Kittel 01/09/2020

My Grandfather's Kittel In the early 1900s, an elderly Jewish man named Shmulik prays at his synagogue on Yom Kippur. He suddenly faints, only for a fellow congregant to offer him his kittel (traditional ritual garb) to keep him warm. The grandson of that congregant, Rabbi Jonathan Biatch, reflects on this story and how it connects to being a compassionate, caring, and dedicated person to those we cherish the most. /episode/index/show/storieswetell/id/12593906

I Made You 12/26/2019

I Made You There was a man who, when he said his morning prayers, would add something new to the end every day. "Oh God, there is so much sickness in the world, why don’t you do something?”" Well, why doesn’t God do something? Cantor Ellen Dreskin retells the story. /episode/index/show/storieswetell/id/12423389

The Samovar 12/19/2019

The Samovar Rivka is preparing for Yom Kippur when she gets an unexpected visitor. It’s a stranger, who asks her to keep her samovar (a silver pot used for making tea) while she goes on a trip. Rivka agrees, and as soon as the woman leaves, curious things start to happen. How could a tea pot completely change Rivka’s life? Rabbi Mark Kaiserman retells the story. For a written version of this story, read Gabriel's Horn by Eric Kimmel, available from PJ Library. /episode/index/show/storieswetell/id/12423344

Chiribim 12/12/2019

Chiribim Years ago, the Chiribim and Chiribam families were enemies--but, the feud had been going on for so long that nobody could even remember how it began! Eventually, the rabbi decided that he would bring the families together and urge them to make peace. He asked both families to meet him in the forest, but after forgetting his glasses, the plan became difficult to carry through. Was the rabbi able to bring the families together? Cantor Rosalie Will retells the story. You can find a written version of the story in Stories for Peace by Mark Binder. /episode/index/show/storieswetell/id/12366710

The Seed 12/05/2019

The Seed The king, who is ready to retire, is holding a contest to find his successor. He gives seeds to all of the young people in the kingdom, and tells them whoever can grow the finest tree, plant, or crop will become king. A young boy with a green thumb knows that he has a real shot at winning, but no matter what he does, he can’t seem to make these plants grow. Can he make it work in time? Rabbi Matthew Gewirtz retells the story. /episode/index/show/storieswetell/id/12269087

Stories We Tell

TOPICS