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/
Yukel the Water Carrier
On a hot day, the rabbi and his students check in on Yukel the water carrier. After carrying the water buckets day after day, month after month, year after year, how is he feeling? And when they ask him a few weeks later, is his answer the same? Cantor Rosalie Boxt tells the story and teaches an important lesson about finding blessings, even when they may be hard to see. You can find a written version of this story, by Rabbi Nancy Wechsler-Azen, in Three Times Chai: 54 Rabbis Tell Their Favorite Stories edited by Laney Katz Becker.