Stories We Tell

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

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 s

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 c

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

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 w

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

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

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 w

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,

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

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 rabb

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 accom

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

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 Re

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

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

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 abo

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

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

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 t