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Stories We Tell: 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.
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Stories We Tell: 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.
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Stories We Tell: 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 havdalah set.
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Stories We Tell: 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.
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On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah - Acharei Mot and Kedoshim - "Loving the Stranger" Isn't Always Intuitive
Let's talk about love: Torah talks about three kinds of love - and in fact, the phrase “love the stranger” appears in the Torah 36 times. Why is it written so often? Who is "the stranger," anyway? And who might be the strangers in our own lives? In this episode, which originally aired in April 2017, Rabbi Rick Jacobs talks about what it means to move from strangeness to equality to, finally, closeness and love.
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Stories We Tell: 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)
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Stories We Tell: Brother and the Car
A man was very proud of his new car—it was sleek, new, and everything about it screamed luxury and comfort. One day, the man sees a young boy looking at the car, so he starts a conversation and tells the boy that it was a gift from his brother. The boy was shocked, but what the boy says next is a bigger surprise to the man. Listen to Cantor Ellen Dreskin retell the story, and for a written version, see A Brother Like That in Chicken Soup for the Soul: 20th Anniversary Edition.
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Stories We Tell: 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.
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Stories We Tell: The Wedding Gift
When the king’s daughter gets engaged, he plans an elaborate and exquisite wedding for her. Most importantly, the king tells his oldest son that he’ll cover any expenses as long as the son shows up in the most amazing carriage, wearing the most elegant clothing and jewelry, and with his younger brother in tow, all in honor of the bride. Does the older son earn this gift from the king, or does he fall short? Rabbi Marc Katz retells the story.
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Stories We Tell: Chiribim and Chiribam
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 Boxt retells the story. You can find a written version of the story in Stories for Peace by Mark Binder.
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