Category: Culture/Tradition

Melbourne Queer Film Festival 2014

2014 MQFF

This year’s Melbourne Queer Film Festival again presents a rich selection of cinematic offerings from Israel and also of Jewish/Semitic relevancy. View the full programme here.

Sessions – Israel

Saturday 15 March 2014

Cupcakes
6:15 PM at ACMI Cinema 2
Summer Vacation
10:30 PM at ACMI Cinema 2

Tuesday 18 March 2014

Snails in the Rain (SHABLULIM BA-GESHEM)
6:00 PM at HOYTS Melbourne Central, Cinema 3

Wednesday 19 March 2014

Cupcakes
8:30 PM at ACMI Cinema 1

Saturday 22 March 2014

Being There
10:15 PM at ACMI Cinema 1

Sessions – Religion (Jewish / Islamic)

Friday 21 March 2014

Cant
10:30 PM at ACMI Cinema 1

Sunday 23 March 2014

Hatboxes
1:00 PM at ACMI Cinema 2

It’s Who We Are: Celebrating 20 years of the Jewish Lesbian Group of Victoria

From the Jewish Lesbian Group of Victoria:

JLGV groupDear All,

Most exciting news!!!! Our documentary is going to be shown at the Melb
Queer Film Festival on Sunday 23 March at 4pm. Please pass on to all your friends.Sun 23 Mar 4:00 PM
ACMI Cinema 1


IT’S WHO WE ARE: CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF THE JEWISH LESBIAN GROUP OF VICTORIA
David Muir & Kate Lefoe
The Jewish Lesbian Group of Victoria (JLGV) had its beginnings in 1992, when words like ‘lesbian’ and ‘Jew’ were still whispered, and it wasn’t always safe for the women to be open about who they were. Three Jewish lesbian friends organised a workshop for Jewish lesbians which attracted a phenomenal turnout, filling the room with warmth, laughter, and tears of recognition and relief. The JLGV had been born!
This warm-hearted documentary charts the birth of the JLGV and its continued activities in providing a social and support network, as well as acting as a powerful lobby group initiating significant change in Jewish, feminist and LGBTI communities around Australia.

Jewish Museum of Australia: Midsumma Festival 2014 – When voices meet visions: an exploration of queer Jewish identity

Media Release
Jewish Museum of Australia

Midsumma Festival 2014 – When voices meet visions: an exploration of queer Jewish identity

“A community is too heavy to carry alone” – Deuteronomy Rabbah 1:10
This quote is featured in the current temporary exhibition Voices & Visions, now showing at the Jewish Museum.

The Jewish Museum of Australia is proud to be taking part in another year of the Midsumma Festival. This year’s event, When voices meet visions: an exploration of queer Jewish identity, uses the current Voices & Visions temporary exhibition, as the launchpad for a discussion about what it is to be gay and Jewish.

The exhibition features a series of posters designed by some of America’s most prominent graphic designers, who have responded to quotes by Jewish luminaries throughout history – ranging from Martin Buber to Susan Sontag to Maimonides. In the same vein, the panel will respond to the quotes featured in the exhibition, and relate them to their personal experiences.

Chairing the event will be Museum Director & CEO Rebecca Forgasz, and the panellists include psychologist Debbie Zaks, teacher Sandra Schneiderman and artist Sam Schoenbaum.

Rebecca Forgasz says:
“In Judaism we are encouraged to ask questions and find multiple interpretations of traditional texts, the premise being that these texts have infinite depth and eternal relevance. At this event we are asking the panellists to make their own meanings from the texts offered up in the Voices & Visions exhibition. This is a fantastic opportunity to explore queer culture in a Jewish context.”

Rebecca Forgasz is available for further comment and interviews.

For media enquiries please contact Elise Hearst on 8534 3612 or e.hearst@jewishmuseum.com.au

When voices meet visions: an exploration of queer Jewish identity
Thursday 30 January at 6.30pm
Jewish Museum of Australia
26 Alma Rd
St Kilda 3182
www.jewishmuseum.com.au

A very Queer 2013 Limmud Fest (Nov 22-24)

The following three sessions, two by Gavi Ansara and one by Jonathan Barnett with Steven Holzman, offer a diverse range of Queer content at the 2013 Limmud Fest in Rutherford Park, Victoria, Nov 22-24.  View the current program here.

LGBTI Jews: living Torah lives in our communities
and Creating meaningful rituals to mark the life cycle events specific to LGBTI Jews within a halachic framework – Gavi Ansara

Gávi Ansara received the 2002 Keshet Leadership of the Year Award for founding an Orthodox gender and sexuality outreach project and more recently received the 2012 American Psychological Association Transgender Research Award. He is completing his PhD in Psychology while working at a senior level in national LGBTI health policy.

Jewish, gay and observant; impossible! – Jonathan Barnett with Steven Holzman

Jonathan is president and founder of Keshet Australia, Inc. Jonathan is on the boards of Temple Beth Israel and Progressive Judaism Victoria. He is active in the Progressive Trust and is a former treasurer and member of Keshet USA, former President of Congregation B’nai Shalom in Massachusetts and former technical director of the Friends of Israel Firefighters.

Gay Ketubah Offerings Let Same-Sex Couples Enjoy Jewish Marriage Tradition | Huffington Post

Gay Ketubah Offerings Let Same-Sex Couples Enjoy Jewish Marriage Tradition | Huffington Post.

Why Intermarriage Poses Threat to Jewish Life — But Gay Marriage Doesn’t | Forward.com

Why Intermarriage Poses Threat to Jewish Life — But Gay Marriage Doesn’t | Forward.com.