The president is one of the most useless job in a shul (besides for the vice president). What does the shul president actually do? Yes in most shuls the president does make the announcements, but that's about it. All it is, is a figure head. Someone who is there just to say that's the head and if anything goes wrong blame him or the Rabbi.
That's another thing blaming. For example. The president is not doing anything unless there is a fire, flood, or any other type of destruction. So the source of all problems when there isn't one, is the kiddush club. They blame the president for "not doing his job". How a president isn't doing his job is beyond my knowledge. What is the president supposed to do, greet everyone as they walk in? Don't worry, that's only the kiddush club. They always complain and talk about how to cheat the government and meters (but that's a whole different post).
Beside a president there is a vice president too. Now if you thought the existence of the president was useless the vice president has to be even more and sometimes there is a second vice president (it don't get worse than this). I don't know what the vice president does. In fact I don't even know what a real vice president does.
All these positions mentioned above are worthless and are meant just to be some sort of authority to show that things are under control. Many times (places) things are under control and the shul flows smoothly, other times (places) people are at each others throats waiting for the simplest thing to go wrong and that's when these positions above get hit the most and the rabbi (not the kiddush club that's the one that finds the problems).
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
SHUL POLITICS: THE PRESIDENT
Thought of by Mikeinmidwood at 8:46 PM
Labels: Kiddush, Kiddush club, People, Politics, President, Rabbi, Shul, Shul Politics
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8 people gave their 2 cents:
what you write is only true in reference to the basement type shtiebel where the president exists merely on paper so that rabbi can show there are officers for incorporation purposes.
in a regular shul, the president works his tuchus off for you and me. it is the worst job because no ever acknowledges his hard work, yet he becomes the lightning rod for every trivial complaint even when it has nothing to do with him.
in sum, a shul doesn't continue to function based on inertia, but rather because of the hard work of dedicated individuals (besides the president, also the other officers, gabbaim, etc.).
Lion Of Zion
No I know a big shul where this happens. Really what does the president do?
MikeInMidwood: from your first line I disagree, my father was the president of my old shul for a couple of years and he did lots of stuff...I was too young to pay attention but I always looked up to him for that. I was so proud of him when he walked up and made the announcements. He would also lock up the Aron after shul and I used to be awed by it. Could be that's not a presidents job, but it was one of the things he did.
My shul didn't have a kiddush club, so I dunno about that kinda politics.
I think this is all relative, in your shul it may be this way, in others not necessarily.
Baby Sitter
Maybe your father did all that but in one of these big shuls they have a secrastary of treasury and a Gabbai that takes care of most things. So in the end all the president really does is say the announcements.
you know mike i 100 percent agree with you. i mean really what does a president do?
mike i agree with you he's just someone to put the blame on but when it comes to that its very fun
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