Rabbis are keeping in shape

VERONIKA STEWART

They don't spend all of their time commenting on Torah or ministering to the downtrodden. Just like the rest of us, rabbis need to have an exercise routine to help them stay in good physical and mental shape. The Independent polled some of our local congregation leaders on their workout styles.

Rabbi Philip Bregman, Temple Sholom

Do you have a workout routine? It's regularly irregular. I usually do the treadmill for about a half hour, then 15-20 minutes of weights, two to three times a week.

Where do you go? I do it at home, and I also try and play tennis once a week at the Richmond Country Club.

What's your number one health tip? To deal with stress and be aware that it can be very, very debilatating. Working out is one of the ways to deal with that stress.

What do you wear? Workout clothes.

Why is it important for rabbis to keep fit? I think it's important for everybody, but congregational rabbis tend to have ridiculously long hours with very little time off.

Rabbi Claudio Kaiser-Blueth, Beth Tikvah

Do you have a workout routine? Yes.

What is it? I try to go once or twice a week to the gym, where I do track and bicycle. I also do a walk every night – at least a mile or two miles, with my wife. I also walk to the synagogue and back on Shabbat.

Where do you go? I go to the gym, or around my neighborhood. There are a lot of parks and pathways. On Sundays, I go with my wife around the [Richmond] dyke.

What's your number one health tip? Control what you're eating, try to complain less and enjoy a little bit more of whatever you already have.

What do you wear when you work out? Sneakers, shorts, the necessary things for a workout.

Why do you believe it's important for rabbis to keep fit? Because it has to be a physical and spiritual balance in your body. The pressure that rabbis have in their daily work, they need this outlet. They need to recharge the batteries, and one of the best ways is running or through [other] exercise.

Rabbi David Mivasair, Ahavat Olam

Do you have a workout routine? No, I don't have one. I use a bike for transportation whenever I can.

What is it? I bike quite a bit and I love canoeing at False Creek, but I don't have a workout routine. I also like hiking and I garden a lot as well.

Where do you go? False Creek.

What's your number one health tip? Stay connected to your Source, with a capital S.

What do you wear when you work out? I wear whatever suits the time and the weather – warm or cold, wet or dry. I don't have a rule about that. I almost always have my head covered with a kippah or some other head covering.

Why do you think it's important for rabbis to keep fit? Rabbis generally have very sedentary work. There's no limit to the amount of work that rabbis can do. I think it can be a very unhealthy lifestyle.

Rabbi Andrew Rosenblatt, Congregation Schara Tzedeck

Do you have a workout routine? I try to exercise four or five times a week.

What is it? I run on a treadmill and I have one of those big exercise balls. I have a routine on that as well. And in the summer and during times when I'm not doing carpools, I try to get as many places as I can on my bike.

Where do you go? My basement. That's where the treadmill is. I do it at four or 4:30 in the morning. The Jewish Community Centre isn't open then and it's hard for me to find a place.

What's your number one health tip? From a religious perspective, I think both eating right and exercising are moral and religious imperatives.

What do you wear when you work out? I can tell you the funniest thing I've ever seen. I had a friend who once wore the traditional rabbi garb in New York City and his preferred mode of exercise was Rollerblading. So he could be found Rollerblading down Riverside Park in Manhattan with pretty much rabbinic attire. I'm working out in my basement, so I'm usually in a pair of workout shorts and a T-shirt. Sometimes I'll go out with my kids for a bike ride, and I'll wear a pair of shorts there. A baseball hat works well, a bike helmet when you're on your bike. I like to tell my staff I don't wear a bicycle helmet for safety, I wear it to keep the kippah on.

Why do you think it's important for rabbis to keep fit? The job comes with a lot of stress and it's a good way to sort of process that. And just generally, as an issue of health maintenance, it's very important.

Rabbi Schachar Orenstein, Shaarey Tefilah

Do you have a workout routine? I try to ride my bike everywhere as much as possible to get out of what we can call "oiloholicism."

What is it? Our synagogue, as a shul, we did the West Coast Trail. Last year, we climbed Mt. Rainier and, two years before that, we did Mt. Baker. Aside from that, we also have had soccer matches and basketball matches against Beth Hamidrash. This is all beyond the exercise rabbis get taking heavy books off the shelf. I also play raquetball and squash as well.

Where do you go? My regime has changed over time. I've mastered to some extent the art of walking and learning Torah at the same time on the treadmill at the JCC.

What's your number one health tip? Rabbi Abram Isaac Okern Cook, he was the first chief rabbi of Palestine. He lived from 1865-1935 and he got into a lot of controversy for suggesting that yeshivah bocher, people [studying] in a yeshivah, do a little bit of excercise. He was convinced that our tradition does value a healthy body. Some of the teachings about health and Judaism have been suppressed over the years and the importance is re-emerging of the connection between the physical and the emotional, spiritual body.

What do you wear when you work out? It's an interesting thing. It depends what I'm doing, but usually I wear sweatpants. I keep my head covered, but certainly not when I'm swimming.

Why do you think it's important for rabbis to keep fit? I do find that I'm generally happier and able to serve better. I have clarity of mind, and I just feel better.

Veronika Stewart is a Vancouver freelance writer.

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