Tag: LGBTIQ

The Wellbeing of LGBT+ Pupils A Guide for Orthodox Jewish Schools | Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis

Together with KeshetUK, the Chief Rabbi has been working to produce this unique and essential guide for Orthodox Jewish schools on the welfare of LGBT+ pupils.

SOURCE: The Wellbeing of LGBT+ Pupils: A Guide for Orthodox Jewish Schools

Guide for Orthodox Jewish schools on the welfare of LGBT+ pupils.

For many months, together with KeshetUK, the Chief Rabbi has been working to produce this unique and essential guide.

Entitled “The Wellbeing of LGBT+ Pupils: A Guide for Orthodox Jewish Schools”, it is aimed at school leaders, and sets out how they should provide for the welfare of LGBT+ students.

Following the release of the document, the Chief Rabbi said, “This is a document which I believe is an extremely significant milestone and will have a real and lasting impact on reducing harm to LGBT+ Jews across the Orthodox Jewish community. Our children need to know that at school, at home and in the community, they will be loved and protected regardless of their sexuality or gender identity.”

Dalia Fleming, Executive Director of KeshetUK said, “KeshetUK is proud to have worked closely with Chief Rabbi Mirvis and Jewish LGBT+ people to create “The Wellbeing of LGBT+ Pupils: A Guide for Orthodox Jewish Schools”. KeshetUK now looks forward to working with with schools, Rabbis and educators across Jewish communities, supporting them to implement this guide so they can ensure their LGBT+ students reach their potential, free from homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying, discrimination and fear.”

In order to view the full document click here.

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Aleph Melbourne & Dayenu stand up for LGBTIQ surrogacy in Israel

LGBTIQ Jewish groups stand up for equal access to surrogacy in Israel.

A Letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - LGBTQ-Jews

 

Benjamin Netanyahu
Office of the Prime Minister
Jerusalem, Israel
July 21, 2018

Dear Mr. Prime Minister:

We represent more than 20 LGBTQ-Jewish communities from across the world and writing to express our strong support for the Israeli LGBTQ community’s struggle and fight for equality.

The right to become a parent is a universal basic human right that should not be deprived to anyone, especially due to their sexual or gender identity. It is not just a liberal concept, but also a Jewish mandate to “be fruitful and multiply”. Israel’s latest legislation, which discriminates against Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgenders, and Queers by denying their right to parenthood, comes after several years where same-sex couples in Israel are facing inequality in parenthood rights and legal recognition.

We stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ community in Israel and express our concerns over the recent trends happening to individuals and their equal rights.

We call on you to amend this discrimination and to truly promote equality for the LGBTQ community.

Sincerely,

Rabbi Shimon Cowen “apologises” for mentioning paedophilia at JCCV Mental Health Forum for LGBTIQ people

 

Rabbi Shimon Cowen has apologised for a statement he made at last night’s JCCV forum on LGBTI inclusion …

“Last night I attended a meeting at Beth Weizmann hosted by the JCCV on the topic of assisting persons who may have been caused distress by the current Same Sex Marriage Debate.

“I am aware that a statement I made at the gathering is generating a lot of concern, and I want to apologize for any misunderstanding and offence it caused. The meeting discussed the issue of acceptance and inclusion of homosexual persons.

“I stated my understanding that we accept and care for all Jews – and indeed all people – because they are people, precious and made in the image of G-d. I went on to explain that one must be willing to exert oneself in this love and acceptance.

“Here I added extreme examples of misconduct, where the effort to love the person may be a difficult one. These examples included the case of a person who had stolen, or worse, a paedophile or a person who had committed incest. It was far from my intention to compare homosexual conduct to paedophilia or incest or anything else.

“Unfortunately, however, I was misunderstood to have compared them to homosexuality and this misunderstanding caused offence. I spoke after the meeting with the person who raised this grievance, explained to him and trust that I allayed any offence – which I certainly did not mean to cause – and that I was sorry that I was not more careful to avoid that misunderstanding.”

Source article

Media Release: Aleph Melbourne welcomes Mount Scopus Inclusivity Statement

ALEPH MELBOURNE
MEDIA RELEASE
JULY 22 2016

Aleph Melbourne welcomes the “Inclusivity Statement”[1] issued to parents by Mount Scopus Memorial College on June 20 2016.

This statement is the first public acknowledgement by the school for the need to offer specific support to same-sex attracted and gender diverse students, as well as students from rainbow families.

Whilst the school has not yet adopted a comprehensive program such as that offered by the Safe Schools Coalition Australia[2] (SSCA), this is an important first step, as it offers a foundation for the school to build on.

Increasingly, the Australian school landscape is understanding that the era of marginalising same-sex attracted, intersex, and gender diverse students is over and is seeking better ways to include and value the diversity of these students.

Strong leadership has already been demonstrated in the Victorian Jewish school community, with The King David School, Sholem Aleichem College and Bialik College being long-standing members of SSCA.

As Mount Scopus finds its feet in supporting their previously neglected students, it will discover a fantastic surge in performance from those students it enables to be authentic to themselves.  The more support these students receive, whether at school, at home or in the community, the more they will thrive.

Aleph Melbourne looks forward to further initiatives from Mount Scopus Memorial College that actively demonstrate support for their LGBTIQ students and wishes the school a hearty congratulations for taking this first brave step.

Media contact: Michael Barnett – 0417-595-541

[1] http://aleph.org.au/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016_07_20_-_Mount_Scopus_Inclusivity_Statement_Letter.pdf[2] http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org.au

Petition – Equality 4 Students

PETITION: EQUALITY 4 STUDENTS

Petition - Equality 4 Students

To Members of the Victorian Parliament:

Under Victoria’s laws, religious schools are allowed to discriminate against students on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

This means students could be expelled, excluded or otherwise treated unfavourably just for being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.

The Victorian Greens Equality for Students Bill will protect students from discrimination by removing the right of religious schools to discriminate against students on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

All students should be protected from discrimination, regardless of the type of school they attend.

I urge you to support the Victorian Greens Equality for Students Bill.

Download the bill here. Read the second reading speech here.

SIGN PETITION HERE.

City of Glen Eira embraces LGBTIQ inclusion in its care for older adults

Aleph Melbourne congratulates the City of Glen Eira for embracing same-sex attracted, intersex, and gender diverse (SSA/I/GD) people in its Positive Ageing Strategy 2015-2020 [PDF].

In July 2015 Aleph Melbourne responded to a call for feedback on the draft strategy, which at that time had no inclusive language on SSA/I/GD issues.  Our submission, with valuable input from gerontologist Dr Jo Harrison, along with the endorsements of Jewish Care and the Jewish Community Council of Victoria, offered a number of recommendations to the strategy.

Aleph Melbourne convenor Michael Barnett also met in person with council staff to discuss these recommendations and how they would benefit those SSA/I/GD people living in the City of Glen Eira.

The professionalism and sensitivity of the staff at Glen Eira was exemplary and every step of the way was heartening.

In addition to the council approving the strategy on March 15 2016 they simultaneously released their Older Adults Guide to Glen Eira [PDF].  This is a beautiful resource packed with helpful information.  It also contains a number of resources for SSA/I/GD people and a magnificent photo of a same-sex couple.

Thank you very much City of Glen Eira for providing support and giving a face to an historically neglected and previously invisible segment of your community.  This step forward is most deeply appreciated and will hopefully go a long way to improving the quality of life of these people and their families.