Gender & Intersex Support

Aleph Melbourne offers a safe and inclusive environment for gender diverse people within the Jewish community.  If you are transgender, gender-fluid, gender questioning, gender neutral, intersex, or simply not cis-gender, then you are welcome here.

Transgender support team

We understand that gender transition is not necessarily a simple process.  If you are looking to speak to someone who has undertaken gender transition, either male-to-female or female-to male, or want to find out more about gender identity, gender expression and related issues, we have a transgender support team available for you to contact.

The profile and contact details of each member of our team are listed below.  We invite you to contact them with your enquiries.  Alternatively, you are welcome to use our main contact page.  All contact will be handled in strict confidence.

Elizabeth Syber

Aug 2015

Elizabeth SyberHi my name is Elizabeth Shoshana Syber. I live as a transgendered female, having transitioned five years ago. I grew up in the Adelaide.  I attended the Liberal Synagogue there and was active in Ichud Habonim, and AUJS.  I moved to Melbourne 31 years ago.  I have been married and have three children. Whilst married I attended Beit Haroah at Mizrachi and was an active parent for many years with the Yavneh Parents group assisting their fetes.  Recently my partner and I have attended Leo Baeck and have been warmly welcomed.  I no longer have contact with my children.  I have been an antiques dealer for these 31 years and have recently become a member of the peak body of Antique dealers in Australia, the Australian Antique and art dealers Association.  As an active participant in the transgender and Jewish communities I have a broad range of experiences to offer people who need support about services and networking, or just a friendly ear.
0418-552-553 / elizabeth@aleph.org.au

Nevo Zisin

Jun 2017

Nevo Zisin

Nevo Zisin
Photo by Theresa Harrison Photography

Nevo Zisin is a young activist, student, public speaker and the author of newly released Finding Nevo, a memoir on gender transition.  Nevo engages in activism which attempts to spread awareness and understanding around LGBTIQA+ issues.  Nevo was assigned female at birth and has had a complex relationship with gender.  Coming out as a lesbian at 14 and as transgender at 17, Nevo now identifies outside of a female / male gender binary.  They are a contact point in the Jewish community for other children and families confronting issues of gender and sexuality in their own lives.
0450-055-265 / nevo@aleph.org.au

Susie & Dudi (parents)

Aug 2016

Susie and DudiWe were a young couple in Israel in the early eighties. Dudi was barely out of the army and I was visiting from Melbourne where I was born and schooled at Mount Scopus College. We returned to Australia, married, worked in our own business and had three glorious children.
Life was unremarkable in that we faced the usual challenges and daily grind, until our youngest child, aged 14 and assigned female at birth, came out and identified as male.
This was undeniably extremely difficult to process and come to terms with. It was 2011 and the environment seemed more hostile and secretive regarding Transgender and gender diverse phenomenon. We felt isolated and unique in our situation and highly inequipped. So too were the schools, counsellors, doctors etc. All sectors were unconfident and somewhat struggling.
Fast forward to 2016 and today Dudi and I have come far and beyond in every facet. We are happy to share our journey and offer any nugget that can help parents avoid, face and overcome the hurdles that are inevitable and that we experienced and continue to address.
0404-912-400 / susie@aleph.org.au (Susie)
0418-877-800 / dudi@aleph.org.au (Dudi)

Resources

If you would like to suggest a useful resource to list here, please contact us.