Keshet becomes first LGBTI group to join peak Jewish Council in Victoria
Image: (L-R) Alan Samuel, Philip Bliss, Jonathan Barnett, Jennifer Huppert, Mark Cherny, and Jonathan Cohen at Monday night's landmark meeting. (PHOTO: Michael Barnett)
KESHET聽Australia has become the Jewish Community Council of Victoria鈥檚 (JCCV) first LGBTI affiliate organisation after being unanimously voted in on Monday night.
The landmark decision marks the first time an LGBTI organisation has joined a peak Jewish community聽group聽in Australia.
[showads聽ad=MREC]Keshet president Jonathan Barnett said this was a milestone.
鈥淎lthough the rest of the community seems surprised, I wasn鈥檛,鈥� he told the Star Observer.
鈥淜eshet helps LGBTI people feel a sense of belonging to the community, and everything we do is in line with Jewish values.
鈥淭his is a positive acknowledgement that we鈥檙e here, we鈥檙e real, and we should be heard.鈥�
The decision comes 16 years after another LGBTI Jewish support group, Aleph Melbourne, failed to聽achieve a聽majority vote to join the JCCV.
JCCV president Jennifer Huppert believes this is an indication of how much the community has changed.
鈥淭he Jewish community reflects the general community,鈥� she told the Star Observer.
鈥淭hings have changed over the last 20 years in Victoria, and this just reflects the changes more broadly in our community.
鈥淚 think it sends an important message that the Jewish LGBTI community are accepted as full members of our community.鈥�
A 2011 by the JCCV suggested it was harder for Jewish LGBTI people to come out in the Jewish community than in other communities.
Barnett believes Keshet鈥檚 new membership will help Jewish LGBTI people to feel more accepted, and will allow him to reach out to the community more easily.
鈥淚鈥檓 really thrilled that the work Keshet does is being recognised and that the organisation is being seen as legitimate by the community,” he said.
鈥淏y being part of the community, it means that people will say, 鈥榦h, you鈥檙e not just a group of four or five people, you鈥檙e people, you鈥檙e a community,鈥� and that鈥檚 important.鈥�
JCCV executive director David Marlow聽said聽this decision would聽have a positive impact.
鈥淭his vote may not change the world, but will change the way many in our community feel about the world,鈥� he聽said.
Meanwhile, Huppert said聽the decision was聽a win for the LGBTI community at large:聽鈥淭he vote was a victory for inclusion and a strong statement by the Jewish community against homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, and intersex exclusion.”
Huppert also used the meeting to highlight the last week, in which an extremist Orthodox Jewish man stormed parade marchers and stabbed six people. on Sunday night.
鈥淭he attack in Jerusalem is a despicable act,” she said.
“Bigotry, intolerance and hatred are not acceptable in any community, here, in Israel or anywhere.
“Everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity should feel free and safe in their daily lives.鈥�
The JCCV meeting聽also voted in favour of a new Social Inclusion Disability Policy aimed at reducing stigma and improving inclusion and access for members of the Jewish community with a disability.
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I am a 1000% proud atheist! Religion is nothing but cults, brainwashing, imagination, violence, child molestation and poison, end of story! I have just banned all recognition of all religions just signed now!
All Religions Prohibition Degree Order 2015
1) “All religions of any shape or form or of any kind, is not to be recognised for any purpose, under this Degree”.
2) “The government shall not recognise or legitimise any religion in any sort of terms – for both of any exemptions, under both taxation legislation and anti-discrimination legislation, under this Degree”.
3) “This Degree is also both retroactive and retrospective”.
4) “This comes into effect once signed and issued.”
Signed and issued: 5/August/2015 at 4pm.
Date: 5/August/2015 at 4pm.
– Josh
Inspired by Paul of Forbes NSW “Marriage Equality Order 2015” a month ago!