[HANASHIR:16578] RE: financial compensation

[Andy Curry <acurry...>]

Dear Hava:

You are quite right in asking to be compensated for your services.  Whether 
you need the money or not, it is a recognition that you are contributing 
something of value - something that very few can bring.  That recognition 
is just as important for the congregation as it is for you.

Conflict of interest?  By absenting yourself from discussions and voting on 
the issue, I believe you've taken care of any conflict.  If the board - 
without your input - wishes to solicit for other applicants, so be 
it.  There aren't a bunch of people around clamoring to come in and lead 
HHD services unless there are big bucks involved!  Chances are excellent 
that you'll be the one chosen.

This year, Gd willing, will be my 5th year as HHD cantor for a 25-year-old 
small congregation and Hillel house in a college town two hours away.  Yes, 
I am paid, and, in my estimation, paid well.  But they are glad to pay me 
because they have to make their own music the rest of the year and they 
have no one you could call a great leader.  Oh, and also because I'm pretty 
good at it ;).

So don't feel bad or conflicted.  That's my 2 shekalim.

Kol tuv,
Andy

At 11:37 AM 1/11/2004 -0600, you 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
>
>
>
>
>
>

*******************************
Andy Curry
Field Applications Engineer
SchlumbergerSema
11146 Thompson Ave
Lenexa KS 66219
Office: 913-312-4739
Mobile: 913-226-1447
Facsimile: 913-312-4701
Home : 913-663-1647
E-Mail: acurry (at) lenexa(dot)sema(dot)slb(dot)com
*******************************

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