[HANASHIR:7684] RE: How hard do you work?

[BEBWH <BEBWH...>]

In my years of Jewish communal service (outside of the synagogue 
envioronment) I have found there is very little time off. The highest level 
of concern for the R&R of the professional I have seen is in the Jewish 
Federation circles. I know many Federation execs that have a weekly workout 
time or steady tennis game every week during what my board considers office 
hours. Please, any Fed employees out there, I'm not being critical, actually 
envious. In the day school world I find that school vacations are for kids 
and not the professionals. More people seem to take time as needed for family 
simchas here and there that create a day off once in a awhile occasionally. 
My mother, A"H was a temple administrator in two large Reform temples. She 
took off every Thursday afternoon for personal errands etc. but that was not 
the norm among her collegues. I deal with many business people in my job who 
are able to (afford?) take plenty of time for themselves. Maybe it is a 
question of being able to afford to do it but those who are responsible for 
the needs of the Jewish community in various ways also need to be healthy and 
rested. Needless to say we all spend many evenings at meetings. I try to 
leave a little ealier on those days, when I can, in order to actually see my 
children. There have been weeks when I have not sen my kids for two or three 
days in a row.  Most professionals who are involved with synagogue work on 
the higher levels need to be working Shabbat and often Sundays. Needless to 
say you run into members/parents/congregants everywhere you go and are always 
on. I was continually asked "how much is left on my banquest pledge'"? and 
other financial questions on Shabbat...and I live, work and daven in Orthodox 
institutions! Nisht on Shabbos? Not a chance. Even that's not as annoying as 
being pulled into unscheduled meetings when you're out at a restaurant with 
your famly and you encounter board members with nothing else to talk about. I 
think we all need to be more aware of our need and entiltlement for some R&R 
and to work together to let the people we work for understand that. I would 
bet that most of us do not take care of ourselves, eating, sleeping, 
excersiseing correctly.  I would be curious as to ways that other 
professionals handle this with their boards etc and although not on the 
subject of music we are also professionals who are able to support each other 
in our careers. 

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