Tag: Geoffrey Zygier

Historic meeting between GLBT Jews and Jewish Community Council of Victoria – Dec 7 2009

MEDIA RELEASE
GAY & LESBIAN JEWS ENGAGE IN DIALOGUE WITH THE JEWISH COMMUNITY COUNCIL OF VICTORIA
December 7 2009

In an historic meeting on Thursday December 4 2009 at the Beth Weizmann Community Centre between the Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) members of the Jewish community, discussions were had forging the way for increased inclusion, acceptance and visibility of GLBT Jews in the Jewish Community in Victoria.

In a letter to Aleph Melbourne, a social and support group for GLBT Jews, JCCV Executive Director Geoffrey Zygier wrote “The JCCV wants to get a better understanding of Gay Jews’ concerns” and added that “John [Searle] has made clear, under his presidency the JCCV has reaffirmed its opposition to vilification and affirmed its wish to [be] as inclusive as possible”. Zygier went on to add that “However the details of what form this might take have to be worked out; we’re still at the information-gathering stage.”

Aleph Melbourne co-ordinator Michael Barnett welcomed this opportunity for dialogue with the JCCV, particularly in light of recent incidents involving homophobic intolerance and hatred directed at GLBT Jews in Melbourne and in Israel.

Attending the meeting were gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Jews from a diverse range of religious and cultural backgrounds. A variety of issues were raised and discussed in a healthy and at times robust manner with the JCCV representatives. A seven-point list of suggestions (see attachment) of how the JCCV could increase the inclusion, acceptance and visibility of GLBT people in the Jewish community was presented at the meeting. In a positive step, JCCV President John Searle advised he would discuss the issues raised at the next Executive meeting of the JCCV in 2010 and report back as to how the organisation plans to approach the issue.

Whilst raising the issue of membership of the JCCV as a way for GLBT Jewish organisations to gain greater inclusion and visibility within the Jewish community, Barnett stated that this was not currently on the agenda and had not been since the JCCV rejected Aleph Melbourne’s initial membership application in 1999 due to the uncertain process by which the JCCV determines suitability of applicants.

Aleph Melbourne looks forward to further dialogue between the JCCV and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender members of the Jewish community in 2010 and waits for homophobic intolerance in the community and barriers to equality, inclusion, acceptance and visibility to be identified and eliminated.

For further comment contact Michael Barnett on 0417 595 541 or via contact@aleph.org.au.

20091203 Suggestions to JCCV for increased GLBT inclusion

 

20091117 Daniel Baker response_to_JCCV_invitation for discussion re GLBT inclusion

The ADC opposes discrimination against GLBTI | J-Wire

The ADC opposes discrimination against GLBTI | J-Wire.

Paul Winter says:

The ADC is right to oppose all forms of dicrimination.

With regard to same sex “marriage”, it would be well advised to adopt the historical Jewish perspective which regards homosexuality as an abomination.

Progressive Jews do not regard homosexuality as an abomination and, as I read in the Jewish press, even Orthodox Jews love homosexual people as fellow human beings.

However, for millenia, marriage has been the union of a man and a woman for the bringing forth and the raising of children and for being role models for them. And that’s what marriage should remain.

In Australia, unlike as in the USA, all forms of relationship are treated as equal for all privileges and entitlements. We have no inequalities. Homosexuals claim to seek equality only to compel us to accept any type of relationship as equal to normal and time-honoured marriage. It isn’t and never will be.

If homosexual people want to formalise a relationship, let them enter upon something, like say, a partnering pact. My marriage of nearly five decades and the marriage of my children is something I treasure and respect and it is not something that people who chose alternative life styles are entitled to, nor are they entitled to demean those just because they cannot reconcile themselves to their social and sexual differences.

Otto Waldmann says:

Cannot understand what is all this fuss about.
Those who belong to a certain life style , as described above, have acquired in Australia – at least – complete freedom of whatever they want to do with themselves privately.
Is there a prohibition or shortage of gay bars, brothels or any other social venues for their enjoyment !!
Is the gay and lesbian mardi gras suddenly not allowed to parade through the main CBD !!?? Are the same gay and lesbians not employed in public places and , in certain institutions of general function, don’t they even dominate the “scene” ??!! Are there any obstacles in the public domain for the same to proclaim their sexual prefferences, such as open statements in all kind of forums about one’s sexual profile ??!! Such groups state quite strongly that they are gay or lesbian whenever interviewed on any OTHER topic. A certain Federal Minister is practically cellebrated for her lesbian relationship, child with two mothers included, the recently departed Greens bloke leader has been introducing us to his husband, Paul – see I even know his/her name !! – without fear or reaction to that at all. Is anyone stopping not a perfectly shaven transgender lovely lady strolling on his high heels around unhindered and perfectly ignored ??!! Are partnerships of this kind not allowed to function leglly in terms of inheritance ??! Aren’t they treated equally in terms of welfare benefits as partners !!?? And so on and on and on and on…….
Not good enough !!?? Too bad.

ADC opposes discrimination against GLBTI Australians

[SOURCE]

B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission
PROMOTING DIVERSITY

CHAIRMAN: Dr Dvir Abramovich
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Geoffrey Zygier
PATRON: Greg Rosshandler, Yaniv Meydan
ASSOCIATE PATRON: Rosetta Bloom
COUNCIL OF ADVISORS:
The Hon RJL Hawke AC; The Hon JW Howard AC;
Professor Lowitja O’Donoghue AC CBE;
The Rt Hon Sir Ninian Stephen KG AK GCMG GCVO KBE;
Emeritus Professor Louis Waller AO, President

MEDIA RELEASE

ADC opposes discrimination against GLBTI Australians
17 December 2012

Chairman Dr Dvir Abramovich today expressed the B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission’s opposition to discrimination against GLBTI Australians. He noted as follows:

“I recently wrote to Attorney General Nicola Roxon to express this organisation’s general support for the federal government’s proposed Anti-Discrimination and Human Rights Bill 2012 [see media release, 06/12]. In doing so, I congratulated the government on the inclusion of discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people as grounds for complaint.”

“To further clarify the ADC’s views, the Commission has always opposed any form of bigotry, prejudice or hatred and will continue to fight for individual liberty and freedom from discrimination for all Australians on various grounds, including sexual orientation and/or gender identity.”

“Perhaps the most contentious and divisive of the ‘equal treatment’ issues in the Jewish and larger communities is same-sex marriage. While the ADC’s new Board has no position on marriage equality at this time, its management team will determine its policy on this and various other issues in 2013.”

“Local GLBTI media have circulated the ADC’s views; I draw your attention to the following link: http://www.starobserver.com.au/news/2012/12/13/jewish-body-backs-lgbtiprotections/91482.”

Please address any enquiries to ADC Executive Director Geoffrey Zygier on 03 9272 5672.