It’s really good to see David Southwick, Liberal MP for the Victorian seat of Caulfield, promoting Pride March and in particular the Jews of Pride contingent. Thank you David.
Tag: Pride March
Jewish organisations show their support | AJN
JEWS OF PRIDE
Jewish organisations show their support
‘It filled my heart to the brim to see so many amazing people join in, from all areas within the Jewish community.’
By MIA GARDINER
February 10, 2023, 7:36 am
Jews of Pride at the Pride march in St Kilda. Photo: Peter Haskin
This year the annual Pride march saw a 130-person strong Jews of Pride group make its way down Fitzroy Street.
Some participating organisations in the contingent organised by Aleph Melbourne included; the Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) The Anti-Defamation Commission (ADC) and Temple Beth Israel (TBI).
Co-convener of Aleph Melbourne Michael Barnett told The AJN, “It filled my heart to the brim to see so many amazing people join in, from all areas within the Jewish community.
“We had several newcomer organisations to the contingent this year and a variety of first-time attendees from the community,” Barnett added.
Aleph Melbourne’s Colin Krycer set up the sound truck once again, with assistance from Gregory Storer who navigated the truck down the parade route.
Barnett said, “This year the truck was resplendent in stylistic rainbow Magen David wheel covers, and our contingent leaders Susie and Dudi flew massive rainbow Magen David flags to tell the world LGBTIQ+ Jews are worth dancing and prancing down the street for.”
Vice-president of the JCCV Doron Abramovici told The AJN that he was “proud” to join the Jews of Pride continent at the march.
“Once again, Colin Krycer and Michael Barnett OAM did an excellent job in bringing our community together. Our Jewish community has made significant inroads towards LGBTIQ+ inclusion over the last decade, but there is always more we can do to help the LGBTIQ+ community overcome any barriers they may face to fully participate in Jewish life,” he said.
“[I hope] we have continued to share the important message that our community today is more welcoming and inclusive, and leadership takes issues affecting LGBTIQ+ Jews very seriously.”
Join “Jews of Pride” at Pride March on Sunday February 5 2023
Details at our Facebook event.
Candidate statement: Darren Natale – Labor for Malvern
The following political statement has been supplied by Darren Natale who is running as a candidate for Malvern District in the 2022 Victorian State Government election.
Aleph Melbourne will endorse all political candidates who unconditionally support equal rights for LGBTIQ+ Jews and whose values align with ours.
I believe everyone has the right to be who they are, and live life without fear of discrimination or vilification.
As a proud member of the queer community, it’s so important that any organisation I’m involved in – in the community, in business, or in politics – is inclusive to all.
Labor has taken great strides towards equality for LGBTQI+ identifying people in Victoria, introducing the Safe Schools program and banning ‘conversion therapy’.
Dan Andrews actively walks the talk, as powerfully symbolised in 2015, when he became the first Victorian Premier to march at the Midsumma Pride March.
But with the Liberals already talking about loosening discrimination law to fire or not hire LGBTQI+ staff, we can’t stop now.
I’m dedicated to continuing the fight for the safety, freedom and equality of all LGBTQI+ people in Victoria, and supporting great organisations like Aleph, who do amazing work to advocate for our voices to be heard.
In memory of Francine Shadur
Francine Shadur was a memorable highlight of the 2019 and 2020 “Jews of Pride” contingents at the annual Midsumma Pride March.
Francine died in tragic circumstances on August 30 2022.
We celebrate her life in photos and video through her participation in “Jews of Pride”.
Purim was the one day I wasn’t in disguise | AJN
OPINION
Purim was the one day I wasn’t in disguise
From Purim to the Pride March.
By DASSI HERSZBERG
March 17, 2022, 11:16 am
ON Purim – a day when it is customary to hide your true identity – I found mine. As the fifth child in a family of eight, I struggled with my own identity both within my family and our closed ultra-Orthodox Adass Israel community.
Conforming to the strict dress codes expected by my family and surrounding community did not agree with my core perception of self.
Back then, I was considered what you’d call a “tomboy”. I loved to be active. I loved running. I loved climbing trees. I felt absolute discomfort in skirts, stockings (no matter the weather) and “girlie things”.
Riding a bike for girls was not allowed due to modesty codes, but I still managed to get some time on my brother’s bicycle every now and then and I loved it.
George was my favourite character in Enid Blyton’s Famous Five novels. With her short black cropped hair, her competency and her sense of adventure. I loved how everyone accepted her. She was “one of the boys”. I wanted to be George.
As a child, I didn’t have the language nor did I understand that my resistance to wearing skirts wasn’t only about the sense of feeling stifled from a religious perspective. It was also taking away my capacity to understand and explore my identity. My visceral rejection to the clothing wasn’t only because I didn’t understand the religious expectations. It wasn’t that I was a rebel. It just didn’t feel like I was a girl like the other girls around me.
After age three, I could no longer wear pants. That’s the age girls begin adhering to dress codes. Compulsory long sleeves and high-necked tops. I felt discomfort and suffocated. My ability to understand my identity was stifled.
Looking back at my childhood, Purim was the only day I could dress to match the way I felt. To be able to wear a pair of my brother’s pants for the day and dress up as a “boy” dresses, was always the highlight of the year for me.
It felt like a sin yet gave me a sense of liberation. Just for the day.
I now understand that my younger self’s sense of freedom in wearing boys’ clothing had a lot to do with my identity as non-binary.
I believe it was actually a positive saving grace that sexuality and the concept of gender non-conformity was non-existent. There was no language around for such expressions or conversations. That kind of subject matter was never discussed.
Nobody in my family or community could accuse me of being “evil” – at least that part hadn’t been tainted for me.
All of us wear masks at times, to hide ourselves away. Masks protect us. We are forced to wear masks to fit in with society.
But my experience was feeling forced to be dishonest. It’s a strange contradiction, not revealing who I was, was the mask I needed to wear – for self-preservation and protection.
Clothing is not just clothing. It tells a story. Clothing can be used as a “mask”. Clothing can be used to enhance. Clothing can be used as a statement of self-expression. Wearing a skirt feels so incongruous with who I am. Then again, there are days when I feel more feminine. And on those days, I feel a lot more comfortable wearing a skirt, wearing a pretty top and sometimes even putting make up on.
But on those days, when it is my choice to wear more typically feminine clothing, I am wearing them because I am being true to the essence of myself. Not because it’s being forced upon me by religious values.
Every Purim, I personally celebrate the recognition of finding my identity. It falls on my birthday and as such is my true “anniversary”. Purim is also a day when I celebrate my younger self’s sense of exhilaration, striding out of my childhood family home, dressed as a boy.
In a similar way, I felt absolutely elated when I marched under the banner of Pathways Melbourne with the Jews of Pride parade for the first time, wearing the clothes I wanted to wear.
Being surrounded by a diverse group of Jewish and non-Jewish people, each with their own senses of identity – all of us accepting of one another as a colourful member of our broad community. Each with our own story and history of how we “arrived” together.
Dassi Herszberg is a member of the Pathways Melbourne advisory panel and a qualified art therapist and counsellor. For further information, visit pathwaysmelbourne.org
A sense of Jewish pride | AJN
‘FANTASTIC SUPPORT’
A sense of Jewish pride
The annual Midsumma Pride March received fantastic support from the community.
By AJN STAFF
February 13, 2022, 10:00 am
The Jewish community was out in force at the annual Midsumma Pride March last Sunday. With crowds back to normal after the pandemic, there was rapturous applause for the 70 -strong Jews of Pride contingent, with everyone clapping and dancing along to the Jewish music.
Participating organisations included Aleph Melbourne, the Jewish Lesbian Group of Victoria, Temple Beth Israel, Habonim Dror, Hashomer Hatzair, Zionism Victoria, the Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV), Pathways Melbourne, SKIF and Temple Beth Israel.
Aleph co-convenor Michael Barnett told The AJN “I am heartened to see the fantastic support from Jewish youth groups, providing a safe and inclusive space for LGBTIQ+ people. We also have more parents and families of young people attending, crucial to the safe development of their children.”
The sentiment was echoed by regular participant, Naomi Barnett, who said it was her best ever Pride March yet, with so much enthusiasm from the sidelines for the Jewish presence.
JCCV vice president Doron Abramovici reflected, “It is a wonderful experience for all Jewish organisations to march together, as a unified group.
“Jews of Pride” awarded honorable mention in “Most Fabulous” category at 2022 Pride March
In 2018 the “Jews of Pride” contingent was awarded the “Most Fabulous” category in the Midsumma Pride March.
In 2022 “Jews of Pride” was awarded an Honourable Mention in the “Most Fabulous” category in the Midsumma Pride March:
Congratulations to winners, honourable mentions and all other groups.
Jews of Pride 2021: Our Biggest Ever!
Enjoy the photos, videos and media coverage of Jews of Pride 2021. We topped out at 165 participants this year, exceeding the 140 who attended in 2020.
Strengthening our community, not virtue signalling | AJN
On July 3 2020 the Australian Jewish News published an opinion piece by Michael Barnett from Aleph Melbourne addressing in part some concerns from a May 15 AJN opinion piece criticising the Zionist Federation of Australia for participating in Pride March.
