The Law Offices of Abigail Kelman

As I sat down to write this year’s High Holiday message, I found myself at a loss. It's really hard this year - hard to know how to start anew with little sense of time or things to look forward to. There is so much uncertainty about what the next year will look like that standard wishes for goodness and sweetness feel hollow. The annual questions of Rosh HaShanawho will live, who will die, who by fire, who by waterare more urgent than poetic. What does it mean to have hope... for a shana tova when, by all reasonable scientific estimates, this is going to be a challenging and difficult year? And yet, in my line of work, I have a window into the hard and creative work Jewish professionals are doing to support their communities. These High Holidays will look and feel different from any before, but because of the tireless efforts from the people I work with and others like them, the chagim will still be able to be meaningful and powerful for Jews across the world. I am grateful to be able to support this holy work. My thoughts are with you and your families and your communities. May this be a year of health, of justice, and of life for every one of us.

Wishing a very happy Thanksgiving to you and your families! I am thankful for the opportunity to work with dedicated clergy.Wishing a very happy Thanksgiving to you and your families! I am thankful for the opportunity to work with dedicated clergy.

This July marks the tenth anniversary since I started the Kelman Law Firm. My work with clergy has been deeply rewarding. I have a unique view into the incredible work that Jewish clergy are doing to support their communities in these challenging times. Clergy are learning new skills, experimenting with new ways of teaching and learning, and working hard to ensure spiritual support for their congregants. I am proud to be part of a community that takes public safety so seriously, and to be able to support clergy as they support others. I hope you and your families are safe and healthy, and I wish everyone all the best in the new contract year.

"Being transparent about salaries doesn’t just make us better for ourselves, it also makes us better for the communities we serve. When we show we value our employees we show that we value people. When we show that we’re serious about equity inside our own walls it shows that we value equity in general. When we treat job-seekers the way we want to be treated it shows that we value treating people well. If we do these things our missions are strengthened; if we do not do them, they are cheapened. Let’s all commit to doing better. Let’s all truly, seriously, and Jewishly commit to equity by promoting salary transparency." https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/salary-transparency-is-a-j/

I thought this article was fascinating, although it's exclusively about sermons in churches. What do you think the ideal sermon length is? If anyone wants to do a similar study of sermon length in synagogues, I would love to see the results. https://www.stltoday.com//article_08aef8e6-42e0-59e3-ae90-

Wishing a very happy Thanksgiving to you and your families! I am thankful for the opportunity to work with dedicated clergy.Wishing a very happy Thanksgiving to you and your families! I am thankful for the opportunity to work with dedicated clergy.

May you all have a meaningful Yom Kippur, a restful Shabbat, and a joyous Sukkot.May you all have a meaningful Yom Kippur, a restful Shabbat, and a joyous Sukkot.

As Rosh HaShana approaches, I have been reflecting on the Jewish values embedded in the liturgy. Over and over, throughout the High Holidays, we repeat that there are three things we can do to have some control over our fate, to attempt to mitigate the challenges of the coming year: Teshuva, Tefilah, and Tzedakah. I believe this provides valuable insight for facing the future. When we look at the difficulties of the world, we can first reflect on the ways in which we’ve contr...ibuted to the problems, make reparations for the wrong we have done, and seek to do better in the future. We can focus on our spiritual lives, connecting with God and each other, and fostering a sense of gratitude for the blessings that surround us. And we can put our money and our time into causes we believe in, to help build a better world. May 5780 be a year of teshuva, tefilah, and tzedakah for all of us and for the world. Wishing you and your families a shana tova u’metukah from all of us here at the Law Offices of Abigail Kelman.

Wishing everyone a meaningful and productive Elul! Whether you're writing sermons, practicing nusach, planning a class, exploring new programming ideas, coordinating volunteers, or anything else, we send our best wishes to all Jewish professionals preparing for the holidays.

https://www.stltoday.com//article_a2146aba-c825-11e9-b6ac-

So It’s Time to Think About Renewal: Some Things to Consider For many clergy, November is the time to begin discussing contract renewal, when synagogues are required to notify you if they want to renew your contract and when you need to respond. I work with clergy on these issues all the time, and I’ve assembled a list of important steps to take and things to consider when approaching a renewal. First, take a look at what other options are out there. Check the listings from... your clergy association, browse Jewish job websites, keep your eyes open for other opportunities. Knowing that you have choices will help you more objectively and honestly reflect on your current situation. On the other hand, if the job market is not great, you may consider staying longer even if you are not satisfied with your current position. Next, think about what inspired you to become a rabbi or cantor in the first place. Are you able to fulfill those goals in your current position? Do you have good relationships with your congregants, opportunities to teach, time to learn, or whatever it is that keeps you going? Reflect on your long-term goals. If you’re early in your career, do you feel you have room to grow? If you’re later in your career, is this somewhere you want to stay until retirement? Another aspect to consider is your employment history. If you have a history of moving around a lot, perhaps it may be time to try staying in one place for longer, which looks better to future employers. It also gives you more time to grow, as it can take a couple of years to really begin flourishing in a role, once you have a better understanding of the culture and needs of your congregation. Alternatively, if you have been in one place for many years and are beginning to feel trapped, it may be time to explore other options. Now let’s get into some of the messier stuff. What is your relationship like with the synagogue leadership? Do you have mutual respect, a shared vision of the future of the congregation, and a healthy working partnership, or do your interactions tend to be more adversarial? Look ahead to the leadership coming down the pike. Are those people you will be able to work with well? Are you excited about what you can accomplish together? Finally, it’s important to consider personal needs as well. Maybe you have a great relationship with the synagogue, but your spouse doesn’t have good career prospects or there aren’t good schools for your kids. Maybe your social life is not ideal. Maybe you would rather be closer to aging parents. If there is a way that the synagogue can help accommodate you with these concerns, such as by subsidizing your child’s private school tuition, that’s worth bringing up during the negotiation process. Failing that, though, if you are unhappy personally, it may be enough to choose to leave an otherwise positive professional situation. Next post, I’ll discuss what to do when you decide to renew.