[HANASHIR:16574] RE: financial compensation

[ilana axel <iaxel...>]

Dear Hava,
I have been in a somewhat similar situation, but the
technical history is different. I began with a very
young Reconstructionist Synagogue in the Chicago
suburban area about 6 years ago with a very poorly
compensated job titled "music director". Because I am
proficient in Hebrew and Jewish music, and because I
am a trained soprano soloist, I often take the role of
Cantorial Soloist as well, especially at High
Holidays. I am fairly well compensated now, and have
created and established my position solidly with much
support. In spite of this, the questions that have
been raised for you are still part of the political
and ideological landscape in my situation as well, for
example: how much music do we want in our shul, what
kind of music, how cantorial the music, how much song
leading, what kind of songs, what level of
professionialism vs volunteer participatory music,
etc.. My point is that I believe these questions will
always be part of our experiences as staff members to
congregations, especially in the field of music, which
not all people (unfortunate but true) accept to be as
clearly important as religious education, for example.
And, music being often a matter of taste, must also
bear a wide spectrum of opinions as to what music is
appropriate to the synagogue setting. What I am trying
to suggest to you is that you can take some comfort in
knowing that many, if not most of us, have all been
standing where you are now in one variation or
another. It is never easy, but I think it is normal.
So, as you persevere and explore this uncomfortable
place, remember that it can lead you all to a better
definition of what you and your congregation want and
need. As to the specifics of your questions, I'd
rather answer off-list. If you are interested, if you
feel I can help you further in any way, I'd be happy
to have a private on-line or telephone chat. I'm sure
we can learn a lot from each other! My contact info is
below.
Good luck Hava! 
Ilana Axel
--- Hava Kohl-Riggs <hava (at) execpc(dot)com> wrote:
> 
> 
> Hava Kohl-Riggs. LCSW
> Professional Life Coach
> know your purpose, live your dreams
> 
> phone: 608 238-7400
> fax:      608 442-3307
> cell:      608 347-4920
> 4746 LaFayette Dr
> Madison, WI 53705
> mailto:hava (at) soscoach(dot)com
> www.soscoach.com
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> I need your feedback re: a dicey issue in my
> congregation:
> 
> financial compensation for functioning as the hazzan
> in services and High
> Holydays. First a little history:
> 
> I have been serving as a volunteer, leading and
> co-leading services in my
> Reconstructionist congregation, primarily in the
> role of leading the singing
> of the liturgy, ever since we were a lay led havurah
> about 15 years ago (in
> addition to other volunteer efforts for the
> community, as a founding member,
> board president, committee chair, etc). I started
> with very little knowledge
> of the liturgy, having abandoned Jewish practice at
> 10th grade.
> 
> When we hired our first student rabbi to lead High
> Holyday services, she,
> being tone-deaf, asked that I serve as hazzan, and
> asked me to learn
> liturgical music and work with her. I've continued
> in this role ever since,
> through a succession of visiting student rabbis
> (some with terrific voices)
> and in the last 7 years with resident rabbis.
> Although I am by no means  an
> ordained cantor, I have learned a significant amount
> of both traditional and
> new settings of our liturgy, both on my own initiate
> and at the request of
> the rabbis.
> 
> My attendance at Hava NaShira has been funded by a
> "continuing education"
> stipend provided in appreciation of my leadership at
> High Holyday services
> and at times I've also used it to fund my continuing
> voice coaching or other
> Jewish studies. I originally suggested the stipend,
> and although we are not
> a wealthy congregation, it was approved. There is
> more history to that,
> which I will spare you. From the beginning, music
> has been an important part
> of the joy of our community, and our first
> expenditures, other than
> photocopying costs for our services and rent of
> worship space, was for a
> songleader at services and then a cantor at our
> first lay-lead attempt at
> High Holydays.
> 
> Now we have a congregation of about 100 "units"
> meaning families or singles
> and couples, and have a paid staff consisting of
> rabbi, religious school
> teachers and coordinator, and administrative
> assistant. I have been feeling,
> for a number of years now, since we've added a bunch
> of paid staff,  that I
> am ready to be compensated as a professional for the
> considerable work I do
> as hazzan, even as I continue to volunteer in other
> capacities. This year I
> submitted such a proposal.
> 
> The board is currently considering it, and, through
> my proposal is now
> forced to face the issues of
> 1. whether they want to have a paid staffer as
> hazzan, and
> 2. whether they want to choose among applicants for
> this position
> 
> I don't know if they are explicitly considering
> these issues (though I serve
> as Past President on the board, naturally I have
> been absent from these
> meetings), but I know that these are the issues that
> have made me so
> uncomfortable about submitting a proposal in the
> past. It still creates a
> great deal of discomfort for me.
> 
> Anyway, the way the possible conflict of interests
> is being  addressed
> explicitly is through the issue of money.
> 
> The feedback I need is twofold
> 
> 1. regarding the conflict of interest
> 2. how others in similar size and stage of
> development congregations are
> compensated.
> 
> Oh, and needless to say, I totally love functioning
> in my role as one of the
> spiritual leaders of the community through music,
> and would feel a
> tremendous loss if I no longer had this opportunity.
> 
> If you've read this far, thanks for your patience
> and understanding of my
> need to go into context.  I appreciate all your
> feedback.
> 
> May your days be blessed with joy and meaningful
> service!
> 
> Hava
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> Hosted by Shamash: The Jewish Network,
> http://shamash.org  
> a service of Hebrew College, which offers online
> courses and an
> online MA in Jewish Studies,
> http://hebrewcollege.edu/online/
> 
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=====
Ilana Axel
Music Director/Jewish Music Specialist/Singer
JRF Master Teacher 2002
Shir Hadash Reconstructionist Synagogue
Northbrook, Illinois
Tel: 847-279-0473
iaxel (at) yahoo(dot)com

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