Sabbatical Works: A Season of Renewal, Presence, and Vision
We’re delighted to share this reflection from Rabbi Adina Allen from Jewish Studio Project, written upon returning from her R&R sabbatical. Her story illustrates not only the personal and professional power of time away but also how sabbaticals can strengthen entire organizations.
The Gift of Stepping Away
I write with deep gratitude for the gift of sabbatical. The time away was profoundly restorative for me, my family, and for Jewish Studio Project. Having the chance to fully step away from daily responsibilities created space for renewal, presence, and vision in ways I could not have imagined.
I began my sabbatical by leaving town immediately - an intentional choice to mark the shift. For three weeks my partner and I traveled through Portugal, Spain, and Paris with our children, who had never experienced international travel.
Together, we explored cities by public transit, immersed ourselves in art, visited Jewish communities, and reveled in new tastes and sights. A highlight was being invited to give the Friday night sermon in Barcelona, with someone translating my words into Spanish in real time. Another unexpected moment of connection came in Paris, when we met an Orthodox Jewish piercer who shared his story and community with us.
Perhaps most remarkable was what this time lacked: for the first time on any family trip, there was no background hum of work, no anxiety tugging at our attention. We were simply present.
Returning to Stillness
The second stage of sabbatical brought a very different kind of gift. With my kids at sleepaway camp, my partner and I rented a small house on a lake near Yosemite. There, we dropped into stillness - kayaking, hiking, puzzling, reading, watching movies, and simply being together.
This reset our nervous systems and allowed us to reconnect as partners in a way we hadn’t since before founding Jewish Studio Project. It was, truly, the heart of sabbatical.
The final chapter of sabbatical was closer to home. With our kids back, we took small California trips with friends and tackled long-delayed personal projects—doctor’s appointments, organizing spaces, even purchasing a much-needed second car. These practical resets grounded us and prepared us for reentry.
What Changed: Personally, Professionally, and Organizationally
The effects of this time are profound.
Personally, I feel reconnected to my family and more appreciative of the fleeting time of childhood. Sabbatical helped me release the sense of being completely enmeshed with my work. I returned with a new freedom: the reminder that I am a human being in my own right, not only defined by what I build. From this place of surrender, I can serve the work with more clarity, steadiness, and generosity.
Professionally, the sabbatical coincided with a profoundly difficult moment in the world and in the Jewish community. To be on sabbatical while war and polarization intensified allowed me to step back from the urgent noise and listen more deeply for my own voice. My theology and vision evolved in ways that feel essential. I returned with renewed compassion and courage to hold perspectives that may differ from prevailing voices, and that clarity now shapes how I lead and how I see our organization’s role in these times.
Organizationally, the sabbatical created space for others to step up. Leaders on our team stepped into their own authority in powerful ways, strengthening the organization. As with any sabbatical, our absence also catalyzed change—staff transitions brought both challenges and opportunities. We returned to an organization that has shifted and grown, ready for its next chapter.
My biggest takeaway is simple: sabbatical works. It is not only a gift of rest; it is a profound act of regeneration.
This time re-grounded me as a human being, reconnected me with those I love most, and renewed my ability to lead. I am deeply grateful for this experience, and for R&R’s vision in making such opportunities possible.