“Who Is Rich?  He Who Is Satisfied With His Lot.”

How does one retain a level of satisfaction even when experiencing life changing events?  Recently, the Conference Board research group studied the level of satisfaction among employed Americans.  The number of unhappy workers far surpassed those reported to be happy—which is not a good sign for the workforce.   However, Project EZRAH understands that to move forward in life, a positive attitude is a vital element in helping you and your family through events that may not have been planned.

READER QUESTION: What can you do to keep your spirits up?  Scroll down and comment.

When searching for a job, be sure to keep in mind to find interests that challenges you both intellectually and professionally.  A study from Kansas State University found that “individuals moving from unemployment to satisfactory employment reported increased mental health, while individuals who remained unemployed or who found a dissatisfying job reported no changes in mental health.”

Being stimulated in your work atmosphere will make you feel good about yourself—and that can enhance your marriage, your relationships with friends, and your overall emotional and physical well being.

One of the key points we stress at Project EZRAH is — the more you do, the less dissatisfied you feel.  Set a goal every day, and a list of objectives every week.  This will have a positive impact on satisfaction levels.  This is reinforced at our monthly seminars and workshops, which are free and open to the public.  Those who attend are given name tags with their industry listed, and following the speaker portion of the program, cross-networking begins.

Project EZRAH takes a “holistic” approach in helping attend to areas such as a job search through diverse forms of interaction and intervention.  We place great emphasis on one-on-one services to clients residing in Teaneck, Englewood, Bergenfield, Fair Lawn, and New Milford.  Our Director of Employment Counseling, Dr. Jennifer Proper, encourages those unemployed or underemployed to keep spirits up and stay motivated.  Resumes can be forwarded to Jennifer@EZRAH.com along with 2 professional references and 1 personal reference.  Those seeking employment are directed to our job posting board to both post resumes and review/respond to job opportunities (https://www.ezrah.org/new/jobs/).

Remember to join the Project EZRAH LinkedIn group to help your job search.  We recognize the importance of the social media tool in job searching.  Over 800 people have connected together in the Project EZRAH LinkedIn group http://www.linkedin.com/groups?home=&gid=1714047.

Learn how the Project EZRAH team helped one family through the most difficult time in their life, economically and emotionally, and read about how they got back on their feet: https://ezrah.org/new/family.shtml

How To Play The Religious Card

So, you’ve made it through to the final round of interviews—which is a huge feat, but….the conversation about “I’m a religious Jew” has yet to be brought up. Approaching this in the right way is important.

READER POLL: Have you told any employer past and present about your religious observance? Share your experiences in the comment section below.

Mr. Joseph Greenberg, a Teaneck resident who is a noted Industrial/Organizational Psychologist and Human Capital Consultant, has 18 years of experience in the industry. According to Mr. Greenberg, job seekers should always be open and upfront about their specific work requirements at the time a formal offer is made, or within a day or two after. Do not wait until the situation arises— such as when the winter clocks change, or a week before you need extra days off for a holiday.

He suggests that once the HR manager or hiring individual calls with a firm commitment (which should include salary, benefits, number of days off, terms..) the almost-employee should then respond back and respond with a statement such as: In accordance with my religious practices there are certain commitments that I observe over the course of a year. I would hope that we can work together to be flexible and accommodate these. And of course, any time missed would be made up or accounted for.

It would be helpful for the employer to receive a list of the days off needed for holidays, as well as a schedule for short Friday’s. Your Friday list should be specific–listing the time you need to leave in order to have ample travel time for Shabbat, and of course, it should show that as the weeks progress during the summer months you can begin to leave later and later. Greenberg also recommends that you communicate your unavailability to use the phone or email from sundown on Friday until nightfall Saturday night, perhaps indicating that you are still able to be a “team player” and will be able to check in Saturday night and Sunday.

It is crucial for the HR person to be a part of this conversation and it is also important to have your day-to-day supervisor mutually agree before you accept the offer. Greenberg notes that while you are protected to some extent by the law, in this tough economy it is sensible to make your requirements known upfront to ensure you do enter the right environment for your personal needs.

www.ezrah.org for more information on Project EZRAH.

**Mr. Greenberg’s approach is one of many. You may want to consult your local Rabbi to get his opinion on the matter.

As the recession continues, the number of people unemployed rises, leaving community members more and more in need of aid to help them get by.   This has dramatically increased our necessity to provide—which is why we are turning to you.

Time. Resources. Expertise. Each can have a profound affect on people who have been impacted by unemployment– easing some of the daily burden they carry. Project EZRAH needs volunteers….but at a level that’s a cut above the rest.

One On One Educational Support

Medical, dental, mental health, legal or accounting services; gift certificates to supermarkets or restaurants; tutoring and other educational support—these are the areas we seek to add to our support network—

Imagine how relieved a mother without insurance will feel when she can send her child for a check up without worrying about cost or how a family hurt by unemployment can benefit from a break on one month’s grocery bill.

Project EZRAH is dedicated to protecting the confidentiality of its members who need support. With the exception of services that require one on one attention, your work will remain anonymous to them and to the outside world—but they will always be grateful.

Project EZRAH is proud to report that our network of Helping Hands–http://www.ezrah.org/new/helpinghands.shtml– which is made up of local businesses and professionals, have already donated over a half of a million dollars in pro-bono services!!  Let’s see that continue.

Help us broaden our services by letting us know what you, or someone you know, can offer to members of the community, contact: Susan@EZRAH.org.  Log on to WWW.EZRAH.ORG for more information.

Local Non-Profit Delivers Nationally and Internationally

Welcome to the Project EZRAH blog! We’re here to keep you up to date on all of our organization’s news and opportunities. And, with Purim just around the corner, we’ve got a lot happening …

Helpers Packing At Bat Torah!

What a huge success this year has been! Our Mishloach Manot initiative far surpassed our expectations thanks to the wonderful support of the community. Our numbers kept climbing and we completely sold out! In total, over 8,000 Purim baskets are set and ready to be delivered on Purim day. That is EIGHT times the number of orders we received just five years ago when we started.

What is truly inspiring is the number of far reaching states and countries our packages are being shipped to. Of course, we have many baskets being delivered throughout the Teaneck, Bergenfield, Englewood, New Milford, and Fair Lawn areas. But, would you believe our Mishloach Manot were requested to be sent to California, Chicago, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Israel? What a true global success this has been, as we continue to spread the great work Project EZRAH does beyond our local area.

Our Mitzvah Girls Hard At Work!

A heartfelt thank you to all those who participated in this year’s record-breaking program.

To complete the success of this year’s Michloach Manot project, we are looking for volunteers to deliver baskets Purim morning in the Bergen area. To volunteer your time to deliver, please contact Mona at Project EZRAH at 201-569-9047.

And, to find out more about Project EZRAH visit us at www.EZRAH.org.