American Friends of Israel Philharmonic Orchestra<\/a> (AFIPO), I experience these challenges every day.<\/p>\nEven now, as I sit here writing this piece on my couch, I\u2019m trying to balance work and life: My laptop is propped up on my knees and my 3-year old son is lying next to me, pleading, \u201cMommy, tickle me!\u201d<\/p>\n
A perfect illustration of the conundrum: I am always on the clock for two orchestras. At home, helming a traditional Jewish household, I\u2019m the conductor of the Spivak ensemble\u2014each musician on a different and often conflicting schedule. And at work, running a premier cultural organization, I lead a team of people dedicated to supporting the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.<\/p>\n
On the days I feel most stretched, I remember what Arnon Adar, West Coast chairman of AFIPO, always tells me: \u201cIf you want something done, ask a busy person.\u201d He\u2019s right. Being a mom doesn\u2019t hinder my work; it enhances it. And vice versa.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m thankful that he, and the rest of the brilliant team I\u2019m blessed to work with, gets it.<\/p>\n
Motherhood has taught me to solve problems with out-of-the-box solutions, better understand the importance of trust, and appreciate the profound impact of community and family.<\/p>\n
Working has empowered me to delegate around the house and use my management skills to navigate more smoothly through the homework-dinner-bed minefield. Plus, I get to bring home behind-the-scenes cultural tidbits and teach my kids about classical music.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m a better mom because I work, and a better worker because I\u2019m a mom.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m not saying it\u2019s a breeze. In fact, it\u2019s very, very <\/em>hard. But I can do it because I know that each piece is part of a whole\u2014a part of me.<\/p>\nAnd that came from my Mom.<\/p>\n
My mom is an endlessly brilliant woman with a doctorate in Jewish studies who lived and worked as a journalist in Israel and Canada, and later was a Jewish community professional, before going back to school and becoming a professor in her 50s. She gave me my work ethic, my love of arts and culture, and my religious and Zionist beliefs.<\/p>\n
And she showed me an alternative path to the endless \u201chaving it all\u201d debate: Don\u2019t choose your role<\/em>; choose your self<\/em>. From a young age, I saw my impassioned, articulate and educated mother as an example of what it means to live a values-driven life, both at home and as a community leader.<\/p>\nAs I\u2019ve grown older, I\u2019ve come to understand that my mother didn\u2019t serve as president of my Jewish private school or on the board of our synagogue out of obligation. Rather, my mother was actualizing a profound part of her identity by living, mothering and working in a fashion that stayed true to and was informed by her values. Committing to these values allows my mother to live a truly authentic life, driven by a system she has passed on to me.<\/p>\n
As a society, we\u2019ve made remarkable strides for women in the workplace. But in the post-feminist era, we\u2019re still grappling with the fallout from that success: Women have more responsibilities at work and at home than ever before.<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t have all the answers. And I\u2019d never pretend to.<\/p>\n
What I can tell you is this: I\u2019m no longer afraid.<\/p>\n
I used to be. Afraid to take on too much, afraid to fail. Sometimes, I\u2019d picture myself standing at the edge of a deep pool of water, scared to even dip in my toe. But when I\u2019d manage to do so, I\u2019d discover the water was warmer than I expected, and then I\u2019d find the courage to take a running leap and dive in all the way.<\/p>\n
Mother, daughter, wife, partner, woman, executive, leader \u2026 I\u2019m in pretty deep right now. And I\u2019m not perfect, but I\u2019ll no longer allow that to stop me from trying. I\u2019m no longer scared. I\u2019m not hesitating at the edge. Because I\u2019ve absorbed that as long as I am driven by my internal compass, by my values, by what makes me feel real and inimitable, I\u2019ll be just fine.<\/p>\n
And it\u2019s my honor and privilege to say: My mother taught me that, and it gives me strength every single day.<\/p>\n
Thank you, Mom! Happy Mother\u2019s Day!<\/em><\/p>\n
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