Israelis teaching in American Jewish schools: Job-related variables

Abstract

The relationship among job stress, job involvement and other variables was studied for a population of Israeli Shlichim teachers in North American Jewish day schools. All Shlichim serving in North America day schools during the 1986-1987 academic year representing the Torah Department of the Jewish Agency were included. Forty-four usable questionnaires were returned. Fourteen North American Jewish Studies teachers (NAJST) were included as the comparison group. Both samples were administered background questions, the Fimian Teacher Stress Inventory, and the Kanungo Job Involvement Questionnaire. Additionally, respondents chose the top three reasons motivating them to teaching a day school.;It was conjectured that Shlichim perceiving their job more stressful would experience more absences, exhibit less work effort and express less willingness to recommend the school than Shlichim experiencing less stress. Those experiencing greater job involvement would exhibit greater work effort, fewer absences and more willingness to recommend the school than those with less job involvement. It was also conjectured that Shlichim with certain characteristics would perceive their job as less stressful and exhibit higher job involvement than other Shlichim. A significant relationship was found to exist between stress scores and (1) congruence between the Shaliach's expectations and the reality of the Shlichut and (2) the adequacy of the principle's support, and between job involvement and (1) hours worked outside the school and (2) the degree to which the Shaliach's religious needs are met.;It was conjectured that Shlichim would perceive their job as more stressful and express a lower degree of job involvement than would NAJST, that NAJST would relate more positively to certain statements regarding the job than would Shlichim, and that NAJST would state more ideological reasons for teaching in day schools than would Shlichim. While differences were found between the groups in the proportion (a) reporting adequate support from the principal, (b) expressing willingness to recommend the school, and (c) reporting religious motivators, the NAJST group was too small to permit inferences.