Displaying 1 - 10 of 42
Stories We Tell: 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.
Audio file
Stories We Tell: 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.
Audio file
Stories We Tell: 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.
Audio file
Stories We Tell: 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.
Audio file
Building the Temple
When King Solomon decided to build the temple in Jerusalem, he hired the best artists, architects, and stonemasons. The work came along a little slower than King Solomon expected, and he decided to check in on what was taking so long. What did he find? Listen to this story, retold by Cantor Rosalie Will.
Audio file
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah – Va-eira: What Do We Really Think About God?`
In the opening lines of this week’s Torah portion, Parashat Va-eira of the Book of Exodus, Moses meets God for the first time.
Audio file
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah – Sh'mot: Putting Faith into Action
Happy 2018! In our first episode of the secular new year, Rabbi Rick Jacobs welcomes guest host and friend Reverend Frederick A. Davie, Executive Vice President of Union Theological Seminary. Together, they discuss parashat Sh’mot and our individual capacity to drive change in the world.
Audio file
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah -- Bo: Fighting for Freedom
Parashat Bo features the four famous words, "let my people go,” a refrain for countless communities seeking freedom.
Audio file
Stories We Tell: The Miser's Slippers
Once, there was a family who had quite a bit of money. They were always warm and well fed, and often bought toys for their children and gifts for each other. But, when the rabbi would come by and ask if they could give to support those in the community who were not always warm and could not always afford food, they would say no. Why not, and what would it take for them to start giving? Rabbi Leora Kaye, Director of Program at the Union for Reform Judaism, retells the story. You can read a written version of this story, titled “How It Feels to Be Poor,” in The Essential Jewish Stories, collected, annotated, and retold by Seymour Rossel.
Audio file
Stories We Tell: 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.
Audio file