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.
http://www.reformjudaism.org/
Yussele the Holy Miser
Rabbi Marc Katz retells the story of Yussele, a rich man in Krakow who has passed away. Yussele has a negative reputation in his community for turning people away in times of need, and the townspeople look forward to getting their revenge. But when they do, they learn a valuable lesson about passing judgment, and what generosity really means. Another version of this story appears in The Jewish Story Finder as story 552, “A Secret Gift.”