Stories We Tell

Podcast

Stories We Tell

Union for Reform Judaism

154 episodesen-us
Judaism has a deep and rich tradition of storytelling, of 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.

Episodes

How Are We Better?

<p>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, w...
Jul 2, 20205m

God's Miracle

<p>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 ...
Jun 25, 20205m

The Sultan's Horns

<p>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. Fina...
Jun 18, 20205m

A Crack in the Water Bucket

<p>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...
Jun 11, 20204m

The Old Torah

<p>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 M...
Jun 4, 20208m

The Spoonful of Oil

<p>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 carr...
May 28, 20204m

The Eagle Who Thought She was a Chicken

<p>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 ...
May 21, 20209m

A Blank Letter

<p>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 ther...
May 14, 20204m

Grandma's Challah

<table> <tbody> <tr> <td>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, auth...
May 7, 20209m

Two Frogs and a Little Encouragement

<p>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 encourageme...
Apr 30, 20204m

How Do You Use It?

<p>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 expl...
Apr 23, 20203m

My Havdalah Set

<p>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,...
Apr 16, 20204m

Zoo Seder

<p>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 s...
Apr 9, 20205m

The Perfect Seder

<p>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 ...
Apr 2, 20204m

The Rabbi and the Small Apartment

<p>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...
Mar 26, 20206m

The Fate of the Flour Woman

<p>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,...
Mar 19, 20204m

Who Will Help?

<p>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 ...
Mar 12, 20204m

The Hamantaschen's Souls

<p>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 tell...
Mar 5, 20206m

The Right Bell For The Right Place

<p>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 Lo...
Feb 27, 20204m

The Truth Telling Rabbi

<p>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 s...
Feb 20, 20203m