Supporting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex & Queer people in Melbourne's Jewish community. Founded 1995.
Speaking on ABC Radio, ECAJ co-CEO Peter Wertheim expressed concern that proposed hate speech legislation doesn’t cover gender identity, sexual orientation, age or disability.
Speaking on ABC Radio, ECAJ co-CEO Peter Wertheim expressed concern that proposed hate speech legislation doesn’t cover gender identity, sexual orientation, age or disability.
Aleph Melbourne spokesperson Michael Barnett said it made no sense that half of the group’s identity was protected from hate and the other half wasn’t
Aleph Melbourne
By AJN STAFF
January 14, 2026, 2:36 pm
An Australian Jewish LGBTIQA+ group has called on the federal government to prohibit hate speech against LGBTIQA+ people as well as the Jewish community in its proposed anti-hate legislation.
Aleph Melbourne spokesperson Michael Barnett said it made no sense that half of the group’s identity was protected from hate and the other half wasn’t.
“The same ideology is being used to drive attacks on both the LGBTIQA+ and Jewish communities. Neo-Nazis and white supremacists want to eradicate gay and trans people as much as they want to eradicate Jews,” Barnett said.
“This is one reason why the Executive Council of Australian Jewry has in recent years backed greater protections for LGBTIQA+ people. We call on the government to treat anti-LGBTIQA+ hate as seriously as antisemitic hate. There is no room for either in Australia.”
The government on Monday released the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026, which prohibits vilification and hate-motivated crime on the basis of race, but no other attributes.
Just.Equal Australia spokesperson Rodney Croome said passing laws against only one kind of hate meant other forms were seen as legitimate and less deserving of a response.
“One important lesson from the Bondi tragedy is that the Government shouldn’t wait until attacks escalate before taking tough action against hate,” Croome said.
“National hate speech and hate crime laws should cover LGBTIQA+ people as well as all other Australians vulnerable to hate. The Prime Minister has said ‘more could have been done’ to prevent the Bondi attack, so let’s now do more, not less.”
The statement from Aleph Melbourne and Just.Equal Australia documented an alarming increase in anti-LGBTIQA+ attacks in recent years, often overlapping with antisemitism.
In 2025, Melbourne gay venues Laird Hotel and Eagle Leather were defaced with white supremacist slogans on the same night Jewish venues were targeted.
In 2023, neo-Nazis endorsed and gave the Nazi salute at a Melbourne protest and rally against people who are transgender, drawing an association between racial purity and gender purity. In the same year, neo-Nazis targeted a Jewish drag queen in Melbourne.
In 2020, a Melbourne golf course was defaced by homophobic and antisemitic graffiti, and in 2021 a fresh concrete path in Melbourne was defaced with “Kill Gays” and swastikas.
The Private Lives 3 study conducted by La Trobe University in 2020-21, which surveyed almost 7000 LGBTIQA+ Australians, found 35 per cent had experienced verbal abuse including hateful phone calls, 24 per cent had experienced being spat at and offensive gestures, 22 per cent had experienced written threats of abuse via emails and social media, and 15 per cent had experienced threats of physical violence, physical attack or assault without a weapon.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Peter Wertheim identified the lack of protection for other attributes as one of four shortcomings in the proposed legislation.
“The offence is limited to the promotion of hatred of others on the basis of their race. Promoting hatred on the basis of other inherent attributes such as gender identity, sexual orientation, age or disability will not be proscribed. People who are targeted for hatred on the basis of these other attributes are equally entitled to protection,” Wertheim said.
Federal parliament will be recalled next Monday and Tuesday to pass the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026, which could see hardline Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir finally proscribed.
The Bondi Beach terror attack on December 14 killed 15 people during a Chanukah celebration.
Media Release
Tuesday January 13th 2025
LGBTIQA+ Jewish group call for broader protections in proposed anti-hate bill
Attacks on LGBTIQA+ Community Parallel Antisemitic Attacks
An Australian Jewish LGBTIQA+ group wants the Federal Government to prohibit hate speech against LGBTIQA+ people as well as the Jewish community.
Aleph Melbourne spokesperson, Michael Barnett, said
“It makes no sense to us that half our identity is protected from hate and the other half isn’t.”
“The same ideology is being used to drive attacks on both the LGBTIQA+ and Jewish communities. Neo-Nazis and white supremacists want to eradicate gay and trans people as much as they want to eradicate Jews.”
“This is one reason why the Executive Council of Australian Jewry has in recent years backed greater protections for LGBTIQA+ people.”
“We call on the government to treat anti-LGBTIQA+ hate as seriously as antisemitic hate. There is no room for either in Australia.”
The Government today released a bill responding to the Bondi tragedy by prohibiting vilification and hate-motivated crime on the basis of race, but no other attributes.
Spokesperson for Just.Equal Australia, Rodney Croome, said,
“Passing laws against only one kind of hate means other forms are seen as legitimate and less deserving of a response.”
“One important lesson from the Bondi tragedy is that the Government shouldn’t wait until attacks escalate before taking tough action against hate.”
“National hate speech and hate crime laws should cover LGBTIQA+ people as well as all other Australians vulnerable to hate.”
“The Prime Minister has said ‘more could have been done’ to prevent the Bondi attack, so let’s now do more, not less.”
There has been an alarming increase in the number of anti-LGBTIQA+ attacks in recent years, often overlapping with antisemitism:
2020: Melbourne golf course defaced by homophobic and antisemitic graffiti
2021: Fresh concrete path in Melbourne defaced with “Kill Gays” and swastikas
http://www.outinperth.com/alarm-as-anti-gay-messages-and-nazi-graffiti-found-in-melbourne/
2021: Transgender flags outside Hobart Town Hall vandalised
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-23/transgender-flags-vandalised-at-hobart-town-hall/100643254
2023: A right wing mob violently attacked a group of LGBTIQA+ protesters holding a peaceful vigil in Belfield (NSW). Riot Squad responded.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-22/two-charged-after-protest-outside-mark-latham-speech/102127830
2023: A group of men shut down a “Wear It Purple” LGBTIQA+ information stall at Bankstown Central Shopping Centre (NSW), ripping down rainbow flags, spitting and hurling abuse.
2023: Neo-Nazis endorsed, and gave the Nazi salute at, a Melbourne protest and rally against people who are transgender, drawing an association between racial purity and gender purity.
2023: Anti-LGBTIQA+ hardliners threaten violence against Monash library and force closure of drag storytime event
http://www.outinperth.com/monash-council-cancels-drag-storytime-event-following-violent-threats
2023: Neo-Nazis target Jewish drag queen in Melbourne
2024: Cumberland City Council (NSW) banned books on same-sex parenting from its municipal library citing the “religious views” of the community. The ban was overturned 15 days later, but not until a significant venting of anti-LGBTIQA+ hate speech.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Cumberland_book_ban
2024: anti-LGBTIQA+ groups in Albany (WA) tore down Pride Festival posters and flags, called for LGBTIQA+ books to be banned from the library, harassed librarians and claimed an association between the LGBTIQA+ community and paedophiles.
2025: Melbourne gay venues Laird Hotel and Eagle Leather defaced with the same white supremacist slogans on the same night Jewish venues were targeted.
https://qnews.com.au/gay-bar-laird-hotel-graffitied-with-homophobic-vandalism
2025: Five teenage boys were gaoled in Western Australia for “planned and premediated” attacks on gay men, with one man punched, tasered and threatened with drowning.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-23/teenagers-detention-grindr-attacks-men-perth/105807670
2025: Pride flags torn down in Launceston
2025: Gay men targeted by violent gangs in Melbourne and other cities
2025: Transgender memorial in Hobart repeatedly vandalised and painted with Nazi symbol
The ‘Private Lives 3’ study conducted by La Trobe University in 2020/21, which surveyed almost 7,000 LGBTIQA+ Australians found:
Click to access Private-Lives-3.pdf
35% had experienced verbal abuse, including hateful phone calls
24% had experienced being spat at and offensive gestures
22% had experienced written threats of abuse via emails, social media
15% had experienced threats of physical violence, physical attack or assault without a weapon
11% had received written threats of abuse
4% had deliberate damage to property or vandalism of a house
For a copy of this statement on the web, click here
For more information contact Michael Barnett, co-convenor, Aleph Melbourne, 0417 595 541, or Rodney Croome, Just.Equal Australia, 0409 010 668
[PDF]
https://qnews.com.au/a-hierarchy-of-harm-labors-hate-speech-laws-exclude-lgbtqia-australians
In memory of the lives lost at Bondi Beach, December 14 2025.
The 2025 annual reports of Thorne Harbour Health (pp 11 & 29) and the Jewish Community Council of Victoria (p5) referenced Aleph Melbourne’s participation in Pride Across Cultures and the Jews of Pride contingent in Pride March respectively:
Jewish International Film Festival 2025
October 19 – November 26, 2025
Full programme here.
The Jewish International Film Festival returns to cinema screens from October 19 – November 26, highlighting a selection of the best new Jewish-themed films to Australian audiences.
JIFF kicks off with the hilarious and fast-paced comedy, Bad Shabbos, about a Shabbat dinner between future in-laws, meeting for the first time, where everything that can go wrong, does go wrong. Celebrate the opening of JIFF on Sunday October 19 at Classic Cinemas, Elsternwick, with live music, drinks and falafels from 3:00pm before the Australian Premiere of Bad Shabbos.
Tickets now on sale: https://www.jiff.com.au/events/opening-night-bad-shabbos
“It’s the relationships among the three leads that carry the movie forward.” – The Jerusalem Post
“A highly emotional film. Exciting, funny and above all, a fascinating life story.” – Letterboxd user
Arnon is a devoutly religious man who has a close bond with his mother, Violetta, but a fraught relationship with his daughter, Alma, since he doesn’t approve that she’s a lesbian. When Violetta’s health deteriorates, Arnon sets out to her old hometown of Budapest to try and find a gold ring that saved her life during World War II.
Despite the tension between father and daughter, Arnon asks Alma to join him and help with the search. Alma is initially resistant, but her closeness with her grandmother convinces her to concede. Can father and daughter find the ring in the bustling city of Budapest? And will they be able to repair their relationship along the way?
The Ring is based on co-director and lead actor Adir Miller’s own family story. A well-known stand-up comedian in Israel, Miller brings a delicate balance of comedy and tragedy to this role.
“An excellent movie that tells a complex, moving story… The cast is wonderful.” – The Jerusalem Post
“A very urgent film.” – Cineuropa
“A story of female self-discovery and emancipation.” – Eye for Film
To others in her ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in Jerusalem, Bati’s life looks ideal. She’s married to Lazer and together, they have three beautiful children. Behind closed doors, however, the young couple’s marriage is strained, and their lives are rocked when Lazer is blackmailed with photos capturing his secret affair with another man. Desperate to protect her family from scandal, Bati tries everything to seduce her husband back to their marital bed. But in her struggles with this crisis, Bati makes some surprising discoveries about her own sexuality and desires.
Nir Bergman (co-creator of the series In Treatment) won the Best Directing prize for Pink Lady at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival where it had its world premiere. Screenwriter Mindi Ehrlich brings lived experience from her upbringing in a Haredi community, telling this nuanced and compassionate story from a woman’s perspective with moments of lightness softening the drama.
“A sexy, modern and uncommonly introspective debut.” – Variety
“One of the most beautiful and visceral portrayals of grief and the ways we try to make peace with loss.” – Loud and Clear
When Eden’s beloved younger brother Nati dies suddenly, she’s completely shattered by grief. Although she tries to numb the pain with hard partying and a dead-end affair with her married boss, nothing helps. Until she discovers a love note to Nati from Maya, a girlfriend he’d kept secret from her.
Eden strikes up a friendship with Maya. As the two young women lean on each other in their heartache, their relationship morphs into something altogether new and unexpected, even romantic. Eden and Maya must navigate their complex connection – is this a healthy way of coping, or simply a convenient replacement for Nati?
Writer/director Tom Nesher, daughter of multi award-winning Israeli director Avi Nesher, based the story on her own experience of her brother’s tragic death. An exuberant, sensitive exploration of love, loss and obsession, Come Closer swept the Israeli Oscars in 2024, winning Best Film, Director, Lead Actress and Editing.
*Excluding Sydney
“Groundbreaking… Visually stunning.” – The Bay Area Reporter
“Essential viewing for anyone who cares about art.” – The Contending
This sweeping documentary tells the remarkable story of Polish artist Tamara de Lempicka, best known for her Art Deco paintings of sensual nudes and elegant portraits of high society in 1920s Paris. A Jewish refugee and a bisexual woman, she was marginalised in more ways than one and gained notoriety for having romantic liaisons with her models – both men and women. Still, her work endures and some of her most notable collectors today include Madonna (who featured her paintings in several music videos) and Barbra Streisand.
Using groundbreaking newly discovered birth and baptism certificates, and never-before-seen 8mm home movies, this fascinating documentary reveals previously hidden parts of Tamara de Lempicka’s history, considering her work through the lens of her Jewish heritage. Narrated by Anjelica Huston, this is an enthralling celebration of a singular artist, who demonstrated fierce resilience in the face of antisemitism and other prejudices.
Queer Shabbat Brings Light, Belonging and Community to TBI
By Jarod Rhine-Davis
A powerful and deeply moving Queer Shabbat dinner was held at Temple Beth Israel (TBI) last Friday night, drawing over 70 people for an evening of ritual, reflection, and heartfelt connection. The event, hosted by Melbourne-based LGBTQIA+ Jewish group Jewmos in collaboration with TBI, combined traditional Shabbat observance with a strong message of inclusion, creating what organisers described as “a sanctuary of wholeness and peace.”
Against a backdrop of candlelight, song and sacred words, the evening honoured both the ancient rhythms of Jewish tradition and the full diversity of those who live it.
“We wanted this Shabbat to feel like coming home—for every person who has ever wondered if there’s space for them in Jewish life,” said Jarod Rhine-Davis, founder of Jewmos. “It was Shabbat in its fullest form: communal, joyful, meaningful, and open-hearted.”
The service included blessings over candles, wine and challah, followed by a communal meal rich with warmth—both in food and conversation. Tables were set with reflection prompts and affirmations, inviting guests into conversations about identity, rest, spirituality and belonging. A guided meditation and closing circle gave space for introspection and collective stillness.
Two guest speakers brought meaningful insight to the evening. Joe Ball, Victoria’s Commissioner for LGBTIQA+ Communities, opened the night with words of welcome and affirmation. Later, Israeli educator and advocate Dekel Nevo Eizenberg, former board member of LGBTQ+ organisation Hoshen, offered thoughtful reflections on her work building inclusive Jewish education and community in Israel. Her talk was followed by a Q&A session full of curiosity and warmth, as guests shared questions, stories, and deep engagement.
“The energy in the room was extraordinary,” reflected Hannah Christensen, Executive Manager of TBI. “It was Jewish joy—rooted in the belief that everyone belongs around the table.”
At a time when many are seeking new and authentic ways to connect to Jewish life, Queer Shabbat offered something timeless and hopeful: a vision of community that is proud, pluralistic, and grounded in tradition.
“Queer Jews have always been part of our people’s story,” Jarod said. “This Shabbat made that truth visible—not just for us, but for the whole community.”
Jewmos continues to host events across Melbourne that celebrate inclusion, creativity and deep Jewish connection.
To learn more or join future gatherings, visit: facebook.com/jewmos
Celebrating 30 years. Celebrating community. Celebrating freedom. Celebrating ourselves.
In the spirit of community, togetherness and a better future, Aleph Melbourne hosted a dinner for 20 people at Miznon in Hardware Lane on Saturday July 26. Coming together for a regular social event, and to support the restaurant following the recent attack, our dinner guests found themselves at a surprise 30th anniversary of the group. To mark the occasion each guest was treated to a handmade memento inscribed with the words “Thank you for being part of our journey” and containing a replica of a flyer promoting the group in its early days.
Aleph Melbourne was founded in January 1995 as a social and support group for gay and bisexual men, at a time where homosexuality was often shunned in the community. Three decades later we’re still going strong as Melbourne’s largest Jewish LGBTIQA+ social, support and advocacy group, now supported by the mainstream community and its leadership.
The team at Aleph Melbourne, under the leadership of co-convenors Colin Krycer OAM and Michael Barnett OAM, have in recent years brought the Jewish community together at the annual Midsumma Pride March, with a sense of hope, optimism, unity and love, in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and antisemitic hostilities.
Aleph Melbourne helps hold families together, provides a safe and welcoming space, advocates for a more inclusive and representative society, celebrates queer Jewish culture, and builds bridges.
A huge thanks goes to our members, those who founded the group, those who have stayed with us for longer or shorter, and those who have recently joined in.
We want the community to know that an inclusive Jewish community is a stronger Jewish community, and that it must unconditionally protect, nurture, love and celebrate it’s LGBTIQA+ children.
On July 12 and 13 The Klaxon broke news that John Roth, the husband of Australia’s Antisemitism Envoy Jillian Segal, donated $50,000 to Advance:
In the July 18 2025 ECAJ Weekly Update Daniel Aghion wrote the following of Jillian Segal:
This past week, we have seen a smear campaign attacking the Special Envoy’s Plan to Combat Antisemitism, soon after its launch last week.
This concerted campaign has focused on just a couple of details in a wide-ranging programme of 49 key actions in 13 focus areas, and (most outrageously) attacked the Antisemitism Envoy herself personally, for her husband’s private political activity.
I am not going to discuss the personal attacks on the Antisemitism Envoy herself – other than to say it is the lowest form of smear tactics – because they are irrelevant to the merits of her plan.
Amongst the range of marginalised groups that Advance copiously hates on are LGBTIQA+ people. With pathological obsession, they have posted multitudes of negative articles over many years demonising us.
Hearing that Australia’s Antisemitism Envoy is unprepared to call out such bigotry is beyond comprehension. She would realise homophobia, biphobia and transphobia are as insidious as antisemitism. It beggars belief that a person appointed by the government to combat hate and intolerance does not know what all forms of hate and intolerance look like.
Unforgivable
THE Friday after news broke that
Jillian Segal's husband's family
trust donated $50,000 to the far
right lobby group Advance, ECAJ
president Daniel Aghion claimed
criticism levelled at her for her hus-
band's donation was "outrageous"
and a "smear tactic"
It's not without precedent that
public figures have been called out
for their spouse's actions, such as
when Senator James Paterson held
Monique Ryan accountable for her
husband's removal of a sign in the
recent federal election. Rightly or
wrongly, Ryan took the fall for her
husband's indiscretion and apol-
ogised.
The nature of the role of the
antisemitism envoy is to combat
racism and hatred. For that person
to remain silent on a significant
donation by her spouse to an outfit
that has racism and hate in its DNA
beggars belief, and to my thinking
amounts to tacit endorsement. She
does not need to apologise for her
husband, but to remain silent on
who he donated to is unforgivable.
Michael Barnett
Ashwood, Vic
Defending Advance
MICHAEL Barnett (A/N 25/07)
fulminates about antisemitism
envoy Jillian Segal's husband
making a donation to Advance
Australia. Advance is anything but
a "far right lobby group". The
Jewish community has much to be
thankful for to Advance. For start-
ers they were instrumental in pre
venting the virulently antisemitic
Greens from achieving a danger-
ous foothold in the last election.
As for Barnett's claim that
Advance is filled with "racism
and hate", he would be good
to remember that the work of
Advance in helping to defeat the
Voice referendum saved Australia
from a dangerously racially divi
sive situation from evolving. Any
organisation, like Advance, which
espouses conservative ideals and
fights against the destruction of
the values of Western civilisation is
labelled by Barnett and those of his
ilk as "far-right" by default.
The Jewish community has
come to realise in recent times that
the left are not our friends, but in
Barnett's case the message seems
to be taking somewhat longer to
sink in.
Robert Weil
Highett, Vic
Not the same
IT is not helpful when progressive
activists such as Michael Barnett
spout reflexive hysterical hyperbole
for political gain rather than care-
fully analysing a situation
His comparison of Jillian Segal's
husband's donation to lobby
group Advance with the actions
of Monique Ryan's husband is
just wild fantasy. Any student of
critical thinking could easily see
that Segal's husband John Roth
donated the money in his own
right, and which had nothing to
do with his wife's work.
On the other hand, the removal
of promotional signs by Monique
Ryan's husband was active inter.
ference on behalf of her campaign
with the express purpose of giving
her an electoral advantage
Alan Freedman
St Kilda East. Vic
August 8 2025: The Klaxon reveals Jillian Segal is never too far away from her husband’s donations: EXCLUSIVE: Segal’s “husband” donation claims a sham
A few thoughts about recent parallel homophobic and antisemitic attacks in Melbourne, and how queer activism in the Jewish community over the past few decades has been transformational.
![[Jewmos] Queer Shabbat Brings Light, Belonging and Community to TBI](https://i0.wp.com/aleph.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Queer-Shabbat-Dinner-August-2025.png?fit=800%2C320&ssl=1)
