>>>>Wow. All my life I had this dream, going all the way back to the CompuServe days, that I would start a thread conversation that was so amazing it would spawn many messages. While I had envisioned it as a result of my massive VFP skills, instead it came as the result of a throw away remark!
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>>>>I realize many people want to minimize missed work days, so I do not expect a change. I was just wistfully remarking. I did not expect much response, however most of the posters were correct; as an Orthodox Jew, I do not conduct business from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday in observance of the Sabbath. Saturday has always been a key day or even _the_ key day at the conference. To miss that, to make arrangements to be near a synagogue on that day, etc., seems not to practical of a way to get the most out of the conference.
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>>>Going to such a conference is not like working, isn't it?! It's a joy being there, right? Or am I wrong here and is do joyful things also forbidden on Sabbath?
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>>Sadly for Orthodox Jews going to a conference on Shabbat (however joyful the occasion) is forbidden - in my Orthodox phase as a Jew I would't have considered it.
>
>Do you ever regret having quit that 'phase'?

Yes I do - but I married into a family which were not very observant - Shabbos is very peaceful if you follow the spirit

But then it its necessary to earn a living and this is more important than pure observance - that's why orthodoxy is now in a minority