Three friends, each with their own special skill, make Shabbat together every week—that is, until they get lost in the woods without time to find their way out before Shabbat begins. Luckily, they find a cottage inhabited by an old woman who magically sets up for Shabbat in an instant. The woman tells the three friends that they, too, can magically prepare for Shabbat, but only if they find and bring her back the exact right apple. Can they do it? Rabbi Phyllis Sommer, Director of Congregational Learning at Am Shalom in Glencoe, IL retells the story. For a written version of the story, see [italics: The Sabbath Walking Stick] in "A Coat for the Moon and Other Jewish Tales," selected and retold by Howard Schwartz and Barbara Rush.

The Three Sticks

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.

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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 ReformJudaism.org, subscribe to our email newsletters, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. We look forward to hearing from you! 

How Are We Better?

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.

God's Miracle

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.

The Sultan's Horns

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.

A Crack in the Water Bucket

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.

The Three Sticks

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