Dr David Zyngier posthumously awarded Order of Australia

Aleph Melbourne heartily acknowledges the admittance of the late Dr David Zyngier as a Member of the Order of Australia in the June 10 King’s Birthday 2024 Honours List.

David Zyngier AM was recognised for significant service to tertiary education, and to the community of Glen Eira.

Of particular note, David was a passionate supporter of Aleph Melbourne and of improving the lives of LGBTIQA+ people.

Despite the poignancy of receiving this award posthumously, the recognition helps provide a way for those who knew and loved David to hold his memory strong in perpetuity.

We will be forever grateful for the support David gave our organisation and LGBTIQA+ people over the years.

Full citation: The late Dr David Zyngier

Aleph Melbourne submission referenced in ALRC final report of inquiry into Religious Educational Institutions and Anti-Discrimination Laws

In February 2023 Aleph Melbourne lodged a submission with the Australian Law Reform Commission’s enquiry into Religious Educational Institutions and Anti-Discrimination Laws.

The ALRC released the report into the enquiry in December 2023, and on March 21 2024 the report was tabled in Parliament.

Aleph Melbourne’s submission was referenced on page 91 in the report, in relation to Section 4.23 point 2:

 4.23 In relation to submissions made to the ALRC in this Inquiry, key reasons underpinning stakeholder support for Proposition A.1 were:

  •  coherence with international and domestic law;14
  •  reducing the risk of harm to vulnerable students;15
  •  supporting inclusion and diversity;16 and
  •  compulsory school education is a public good, supported by public funding, so schools should be safe environments for all students, and should be accountable to community expectations.17
ALRC-ADL-Final-Report-142-pp90-91

MR: Aleph Melbourne Congratulates Colin Krycer OAM

MEDIA RELEASE
JANUARY 26 2024

ALEPH MELBOURNE CONGRATULATES COLIN KRYCER OAM

Aleph Melbourne sends a hearty Mazal Tov and congratulations to Co-Convenor Colin Krycer OAM on receiving a Medal of the Order of Australia for service to the LGBTIQ community.

Colin has been an amazing contributor to Aleph Melbourne since 1997 and the wider LGBTIQA+ community since the late 1980s.

Within Aleph Melbourne Colin has committed himself to supporting LGBTIQA+ people in the Jewish community.  The Jews of Pride contingent in Pride March would never have been the success that it is without Colin’s amazing skills.

Most notably, Colin has selflessly dedicated many years and countless thousands of hours to supporting people living with HIV/AIDS initially through the Victorian AIDS Council and ongoing volunteering efforts through Thorne Harbour Health, along with additional past associations with the AIDS Memorial Quilt Project and Candlelight Vigil.

Colin also has a long and proud association with JOY Media since it launched on World AIDS Day in 1993.

We are so proud of our Colin.  He is a quiet, behind-the-scenes kinda guy.  He doesn’t seek or want attention, and just gives of himself, tirelessly.

Thank you Colin for your commitment, passion, enthusiasm, guidance and sense of humour.  We are so much richer for what you do and who you are.

END

MEDIA CONTACTS
Michael Barnett OAM (Co-convenor) | michael@aleph.org.au | 0417-595-541
Colin Krycer OAM (Co-convenor) | colin@aleph.org.au | 0411-441-691

Photograph of Colin Krycer (Credit to Michael Barnett):
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vFdoDHcrxKDwQHL3I656ne2l4eEnHaQ-/view?usp=sharing

Life is a Disco: The Aleph interviews

On the afternoon of October 7 Susie Danziger and I arrived at the JOY studios in St Kilda to record interviews with Demetra Giannakopoulos for her show Life is a Disco.

We spent a good couple of hours in the studio at the back overlooking the huge peppercorn tree. The tree captivated me because it was full of birdlife, most notably a wattlebird and a currawong.

Demetra was a delight. She asked the most thoughtful questions and was congenial, sensitive and refreshing. We were at ease, and our conversation happened naturally.

I went first, Susie followed. We gave the JOY audience our all.

Following the interview I dropped Susie home and we went on with our day.

It was only a matter of hours later that the terrorist organisation Hamas perpetrated an unforgivable able act of evil upon innocent people in Israel.

Our interviews were edited and they aired over the subsequent two weeks.

The world had changed yet again. War had broken out.

It was very challenging, knowing that we had recorded interviews before the terrorist attack, with them going to air afterwards. It’s hard to say if we would have even done the interviews after October 7, just because of the way everything panned out.

Despite that, it was a privilege being part of Demetra’s show and having the opportunity to tell our stories.

Enjoy.

Interview with Susie, Jewish mother of a trans son

2026 Census topic consultation – Phase two: Aleph Melbourne submission

2026 Census topic consultation – Phase two

We asked

From 27 July to 8 September 2023, the ABS undertook phase two of the 2026 Census topic consultation. This consultation invited feedback on proposed changes to Census topics.

During this consultation, the ABS specifically sought feedback on topics where further information was required to help inform our assessment and recommendation. These topics included:

  • Ancestry and Ethnic identity
  • Labour Force status
  • Main language other than English used at home
  • Number of children ever born
  • Number of employees (employed by owner managers)
  • Number of motor vehicles
  • Religious affiliation
  • Status in employment
  • Unpaid work – domestic activities

Published responses

Only answers from respondents who gave permission are published. However, all responses are included in the analysis of this activity.

Response-423841520-to-2026-Census-topic-consultation-Phase-two-Australian-Bureau-of-Statistics-Citizen-Space

Reflecting on history and looking to the future

I was recently approached by Hashy to deliver a talk at their 2023 Queer Night, having done so at their 2022 event.  I was delighted to be invited back, and warmly accepted the offer.

I asked the date and was told it would be Sunday October 15.  That’s going to be a big day for the country, being the day after the referendum.  I had to come up with a topic for my talk and after a few minutes I realised I had lived through a moment in history that perfectly connected my journey with Aleph with where we are today with the Voice referendum, and that would inform my talk.

Let me explain.

In 1998 Aleph Melbourne approached the Jewish Community Council of Victoria about applying to become an affiliate of the council.  The rationale for wanting to join the council was to be a voice for gay and bisexual men (as that was who we supported at the time, prior to us representing LGBTIQ+ people in 2007).  We wanted to have a place at the table, to talk about how we were discriminated against, faced unique health issues, suicide, stigma, taboo, etc.  We felt that if we had a voice at the council people might understand our issues better, and be more open to helping us defeat the hurdles and setbacks that challenged us.

Our application was supported by their executive and the then-president Philip Bliss.  We were also forewarned the journey might be difficult.  Our committee resolved to proceed with the application, which set in motion a chain of events that led to one of the biggest controversies the Melbourne Jewish community has ever experienced.  Once the news of our application hit the Jewish media there was constant media coverage, with many in the community – notably schools and youth groups – showing support, and (not so) many claiming a homosexual group in the Jewish council would divide the community and cause irreparable harm.  Orthodox Rabbis and conservative community stalwarts spoke stridently about how we had an agenda, and how halacha (Jewish law) considered homosexuality a sin, and Aleph was an organisation that was not deserving of a seat at the community table.

At one stage a collection of mainstream organisations threatened to withdraw their membership if Aleph became a member.  And then Rabbi Lubofsky stood up at the fateful meeting in May 1999 and wove a hurtful story of how Aleph wanted to go into schools (yes, we wanted to give educational books to school libraries), and how parents should fear our agenda.  We were apparently going to split the community, infiltrate schools, run rampant through the community and wreak harm at every step of the way.  I do remember in particular a young Gabi Crafti spoke up and eloquently spoke in favour of Aleph’s membership application.  She was the voice of reason, the voice of humanity, and the voice of a generation who understood why it was important for gay and bisexual men to be included, not excluded.

We failed in our opportunity to become a member of the council in 1999 at a vote of the plenum, but not by much.  In 2015 the now-defunct Keshet LGBT group did become a JCCV member, a sign of how times had changed.  In 2017 the JCCV affiliates voted unanimously to support the civil marriage equality campaign.  Being queer in 2017 was no longer the problem for the mainstream Jewish community that it was in 1999. 

In May 2020 Aleph, together with 21 other Jewish organisations, co-signed a statement “Voice, Treaty, Truth – Jewish organisations reaffirm support for First Nations Australians from the heart”.  Part of the statement, at the link prior, reads:

We reaffirm our full-hearted support for:
– amendment of the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act to enshrine a First Nations Voice in the Constitution;

Aleph represents people who face discrimination, marginalisation and health challenges.  Our people also have a lot to offer society.  And on that basis we stand up alongside other communities who face similar challenges, have similar ideals and aspirations, and who want to live their lives to the fullest.  We all want gaps closed, disadvantages turned around, and lives celebrated.

To that end, with our history in mind, and having committed in 2020 to supporting a First Nations Voice, we stand strong in believing that a constituted voice will do more good than bad for first nations Australians.  The Voice is simply an advisory committee to the Parliament and the Executive Government, and amounts to a place at the table.

If you’re voting in the referendum, I urge you to take time to find out the facts and make an informed decision.  I certainly won’t tell anyone how to vote, but I know in my heart, having come on this journey, that it makes for an easier time if you have a voice at the table than if you don’t.

Michael.

David Southwick supports Safe Schools program (May 17 2023)

SAFE SCHOOLS

17 May 2023 Motions David Southwick (LIB)

David SOUTHWICK (Caulfield) (14:54): I rise to make some comments on the motion before the house today:

That this house affirms its support for the Safe Schools program and acknowledges that it critically:

(1) supports the well-being of all young people; and

(2) provides valuable resources and support for teachers to foster an inclusive learning environment where everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

I think we would all agree that every single child should feel safe. It is the right of every child to feel safe and there is an obligation on all of us to provide a safe environment for these kids.

Today is IDAHOBIT, which is a day against homophobia, biphobia and transphobia, and it is appropriate for us to be talking about this as part of the very important element of what many of our young children, particularly those from an LGBTQI+ background, experience at school and what we need to do to ensure that they have a safe environment. Can I say to every LGBTIQ+ Victorian: you are worthy, you are accepted, you are loved, and you and your kids deserve nothing less than to be embraced by all, including the schools, teachers, friends and communities. We must embrace, support and provide every single opportunity for every child no matter who they are, no matter where they come from and no matter what background they are also from. That extends more broadly to both their ethnic background and their faith, and it is something that I have raised on many occasions, as you know, Speaker, particularly in my community where we have unfortunately an increase in antisemitism and we have seen kids targeted at schools because of their faith background as well.

On this motion I wanted at the outset to just raise a few people in terms of their being staunch advocates in this space, particularly Michael Barnett from Aleph. Michael has been a staunch supporter and has been able to work with and support many of the schools. Very early on he worked with Bialik College and King David, just to name a few, and Mount Scopus has been involved in that, in terms of Jewish schools, but we also have a number of other schools that have been involved in terms of being able to provide a safe environment. There is no question that non-heterosexual Australians experience anxiety at 2½ times the rate of heterosexual people. For depression, the figure is four times the rate of heterosexual people. One in six LGBTIQ+ people have attempted suicide and one-third have harmed themselves. They are alarming figures and say that we must do more to support those who do not feel that they belong and those who feel that it is tough just to be able to get on with their daily lives. We have seen that in many instances. We have seen with organisations like Beyond Blue that 61 per cent of young non-heterosexual people have reported experiencing verbal abuse and 80 per cent have reported physical abuse. We have seen another study that showed 33 per cent of trans people reported discrimination in employment as a result of being trans and the unemployment rate of 19 per cent was more than three times that of the national rate.

We have a great state. Victoria is a state that should be embracing everybody no matter who you are, no matter where you come from. We should not be using politics as a way to fight against things like this. We should be coming together and working in ways to actually help people. I have got to say that certainly during question time today I did not feel that that was doing anything to help anybody, particularly those from the LGBTIQ+ community. I know many from our party, the Liberal Party, the Pride branch which is the fastest growing branch in our Liberal Party, of which I am proud to be a member, would feel pretty alarmed about the way that Labor members attacked the Liberal Party today because that does nothing. That does nothing to try and help people belong. The LGBTIQ+ community should not be used as a political football. We should not be using people and targeting them in that way. We should be talking across the chamber about how we do more. We should absolutely do that.

I am very proud that the Leader of the Opposition the member for Hawthorn, the Manager of Opposition Business the member for Brighton, the leader in the upper house Georgie Crozier and a number of others went to the Pride March not only on this occasion but on a number of occasions and stood side by side with the LGBTIQ+ community. We will continue to do so, whether it is popular or whether it is not popular. We will do it because we care, and we will do it because we do not want this to be seen as a political football. So I say, and I implore those opposite: let us look at how we can work together. Let us look at how we can come together on these things.

Belinda Wilson interjected.

David SOUTHWICK: Well, again I say – and I am trying to do this as calmly and as fairly as I possibly can – that ultimately this is not something that we should be trying to score cheap political points out of. It is something that we should be working together on. And that is where I very proudly stand alongside many of those within my party, as I said, including the Liberal Pride branch, who have been absolutely actively providing a very inclusive part of our party so people can feel welcome and so people can feel supported. And if those opposite did not hear me the first time, it is the fastest growing branch we have within our party. So it is certainly something that we celebrate.

Can I also just move on to some of the schools, particularly, that I want to make mention of today, which do some great work. Unfortunately, only a week or so ago we had a report that our great school, Glen Eira College, had what was labelled a toxic and bullying situation where there were almost 10 social media bullying pages on TikTok and Instagram with students posting –

A member interjected.

David SOUTHWICK: Excuse me – posting cruel memes mocking other students and teachers before flashing identifiable photographs of their targets. Can I say the school takes these things very seriously, and I rang the principal as soon as I was made aware of this and was comforted to know that they were acting immediately on this to ensure that kids feel safe – immediately – and so they should. Looking at Glen Eira College’s Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy, one of the things that I think is very important is, within this policy, it talks about all kids feeling safe, whether they be from different backgrounds, whether they be students with disabilities or whether they be from the LGBTIQ+ background. It says this, and I note:

Every person involved in our school has an important role in promoting child safety and wellbeing and promptly raising any issues or concerns about a child’s safety.

That is where we need to be. It is something that we all need to work together on. Whether you are at the school, whether you are a parent at the school or whether you are part of the broader school community, everyone needs to work together to ensure that they feel safe. If you see something wrong, you need to tell somebody. We certainly saw that in a number of inquiries that we had here in this Parliament. We led the way in terms of that in the child safety area, particularly in the child abuse work that was done here in this Parliament, and I think that is something that we must continue to do to ensure that we have kids that feel safe.

At the moment we have issues that are still before the courts. I will not make comment on specific details regarding Brighton Secondary College, but it was absolutely appalling that we had a number of kids that were targeted – a number of kids that saw over that time, because they have Jewish backgrounds, antisemitic attacks. The government has spent literally millions of dollars of taxpayers money trying to defend the school, and these poor kids have again had to endure a horrific time at the school. It has been appalling the way those kids have been treated, and I hope that the government ensures that there are systems in place and that kids of all backgrounds are safe, because that is what kids need and expect.

Hansard PDF from page 65:

Legislative_Assembly_2023-05-17

[PDF]

Mural recognising Jewish LGBTQI+ groups | AJN


RECOGNITION

Mural recognising Jewish LGBTQI+ groups

“It took me a few minutes to realise that in fact it was the Jewish Lesbian Group of Victoria logo (on the left) and the Aleph Melbourne logo on the right.”

By MIA GARDINER
May 18, 2023, 10:37 am 

Queerways mural in St Kilda.
Queerways mural in St Kilda.

Co-convener of Aleph Melbourne Michael Barnett recently stumbled upon a special mural outside the Pride Centre in St Kilda.

Barnett told The AJN that he was having lunch at Buba, the Tel Aviv-style cafe next to the Pride Centre, when he noticed that the mural had a Magen David on it.

“I was taken aback,” he said.

“The more I looked at it the more it seemed familiar, along with the logo next to it. It took me a few minutes to realise that in fact it was the Jewish Lesbian Group of Victoria logo (on the left) and the Aleph Melbourne logo on the right.”

He realised that two Jewish groups had been “singled out for recognition” on the mural depicting queer presence in St Kilda.

“We’ve both been part of the Pride March in St Kilda since the late 1990s and cater to people living in the area,” Barnett said.

Aleph Melbourne is a social, support and advocacy group for people who identify as Jewish or who have a Jewish heritage and who identify as same-sex attracted, trans and gender diverse, and intersex (LGBTIQ+).


Australian Jewish News May 19 2023, Community Heartbeat section, page 2

Additional photos:

Saturday 25th March 2023: Michael Barnett, LGBTIQ+ OAM recipient, Aleph Melbourne | JOY – Saturday Magazine

Macca and Dave are joined live in the studio by Michael Barnett, co-convenor of the Victoria-based LGBTIQ+ Jewish advocacy group Aleph Melbourne, as they discuss his recent Order of Australia Medal.

Macca and Dave are joined live in the studio by Michael Barnett, co-convenor of the Victoria-based LGBTIQ+ Jewish advocacy group Aleph Melbourne, as they discuss his recent Order of Australia Medal.

MR: Fusion Party candidate Owen Miller and Aleph Melbourne support Elimination of Discrimination

Fusion Party candidate Owen Miller and Aleph Melbourne support Elimination of Discrimination

By Andrea Leong | 29 March 2023

The Fusion Party candidate for Aston, Owen Miller, today issued the following statement:

“I’m proud to support the Victorian Jewish community. Jews have consistently been at the forefront of a number of important causes including humane treatment of asylum seekers, equal rights for LGBTIQA+ people, climate action and constitutional recognition of First Nations peoples.”

Mr Miller continued:

“Together we’ve won some of those causes, but there is more work to do. I hope I can continue working alongside the Victorian Jewish community to do it, particularly in progressing equal rights for my own LGBTIQA+ community.”

  • If elected to parliament, Owen will advocate for:
  • A 10-year transition to negative emissions
  • Establishing a First Nations Voice and Treaty
  • Measures to reduce discrimination using rehabilitative justice
  • Age-appropriate education on sex, gender and healthy relationships
  • Ending all remaining discrimination related to domestic partnerships on the basis of gender or sexual identity
    Separation of church and state for the protection of all religions, as well as protection from religion

Jewish LGBTIQA+ advocacy body Aleph Melbourne has called on Victorians to support a number of these measures. Aleph co-convenor Michael Barnett OAM had the following to say:

“Aleph Melbourne supports the elimination of all discrimination impacting LGBTIQA+ people.

We believe more education is required to address misconceptions about gender identity, sexual orientation and related topics. Sadly many people in society form harmful views around these issues which ultimately impact the self-esteem and mental health of young people.

Whilst Aleph Melbourne opposes discrimination on the basis of religion we are opposed to religious values discriminating against people on the grounds of innate characteristics.

Aleph Melbourne supports all candidates who stand up for the rights of LGBTIQA+ people. We stand behind Owen Miller, as candidate with a Queer identity, who upholds the same values we stand for.”

Anyone wishing to support Owen Miller this election can sign up to donate or volunteer.

Contact

Owen Miller
Fusion Party candidate for Aston
owen.miller@fusionparty.org.au
Mobile on request

Michael Barnett OAM
Co-convenor, Aleph Melbourne
michael@aleph.org.au
Mobile on request

Andrea Leong
National Secretary, Fusion Party
andrea.leong@fusionparty.org.au
Mobile 0490134827

Press Kit

https://www.fusionparty.org.au/press_kit

See More

Owen Miller – candidate for Aston (VIC)


2023-03-29-Press-Release-Fusion-Aleph-Melbourne-joint-statement-supporting-Elimination-of-Discrimination

[PDF]

See also
PRESS RELEASE: Fusion Party candidate Owen Miller and Aleph Melbourne support Elimination of Discrimination