Published: 25 December 2020
Last updated: 4 March 2024
SECTIONS OF MELBOURNE’S Jewish community have lashed out at the leadership of the Victorian Mizrachi organisation, accusing it of gender bias following a secret ballot to dump the only woman who sits on its executive.
Keren Zelwer (pictured) is a long-standing Mizrachi member was co-opted onto the executive last year. Late last month, a secret ballot was held without Zelwer’s knowledge, which determined that she would not be re-appointed.
The news of Zelwer’s removal prompted strong statements by the Victorian branch of the National Council of Jewish Women Australia (NCJWA Vic), members of Mizrachi and leaders from the B’nei Akiva youth movement.
NCJWA Vic said it was “disappointed to learn that the only female member of the Mizrachi Executive has not been re-coopted to the Executive”.
“Mizrachi was one of the early signatories to our Gender Equality Pledge (the Pledge),” its statement said. “We lament the recent loss of the only woman from their Executive, which now comprises solely men.
“Mizrachi was one of the early signatories to our Gender Equality Pledge. We lament the recent loss of the only woman from their Executive, which now comprises solely men" - NCJWA Victoria
“The Mizrachi Executives’ conduct demonstrates disregard for its commitment to more equitable female participation and to actively pursue a culture of respect for women.”
In an interview with The Jewish Independent over the weekend, Mizrachi President Danny Lamm reiterated that Zelwer accepted her removal had nothing to do with gender. But he refused to say why she was not co-opted again. “I will not respond to your question on Keren other than she asked someone to co-opt her because co options have been done annually.
As to the reason for the secret ballot, Lamm said: “Whenever people are involved, we do it that way - eg at the AGM - to minimise embarrassment. It’s in the constitution.”
Asked if he considered, before making the decision, how it would be perceived by the Mizrachi community, Lamm replied: “None of us are blessed with [the capacity for] prophecy. However, without the misrepresentations that have been made, none of this would have occurred.”
The Jewish Independent has also sighted letters from many members who wrote to the Mizrachi executive expressing their dismay, but who did not want to go public with their views
A youth letter signed by 66 leaders of the religious Zionist Bnei Akiva movement stated, “the events of the past weeks cast shame on the entire Mizrachi community and completely undermine both Modern and Torah values including basic respect, human dignity and integrity.
“It is no secret that young people grapple with their identity and make decisions about how they engage with the community and which organisations to associate with. The actions of the lay leadership, the apex of the organisation, are certainly a part of the reason why young people turn away from the Mizrachi community and sometimes Modern Orthodox Jewish life altogether.”
The events of the past weeks cast shame on the entire Mizrachi community and completely undermine both Modern and Torah values including basic respect, human dignity and integrity - Bnei Akiva youth leaders
Asked by The Jewish Independent whether Zelwer’s removal might reduce the likelihood of women standing for executive positions in future, Lamm said: “Over many years, few women have stood for executive positions. None at the last AGM. In fact, there were seven vacancies even in the committee.
“I proposed the co-option of four men and four women, including Keren, for the committee. I believe there will be lots more interest next time round!”
Last week Danny Lamm responded to the backlash against Mizrachi with an open letter to the community, stating that the Mizrachi Executive “recognises the pain and sense of disappointment that many people in our community feel regarding the circumstances surrounding Keren Zelwer’s bid to join the Executive.
“Mizrachi takes its commitment to the Gender Equality pledge seriously”, noting that Mizrachi set up Melbourne’s first dedicated Beit Midrash for women under Dr Michal Kaufman.
He also noted the appointment of a woman to the role of Bnei Akiva Shaliach, a role previously only held by men, the establishment of a meaningful and substantive Bat Mitzvah program and supporting women who wish to say kaddish for the bereaved family members.
“None of us are blessed with [the capacity for] prophecy. However, without the misrepresentations that have been made, none of this would have occurred” - Danny Lamm
This point was echoed by Rabbi James Kennard, who wrote on Facebook (in a post which has since been deleted): “Without wishing to comment on the current controversy over the composition of the Mizrachi Executive, I would say this:
“The one and only key to women's greater involvement in Judaism is Torah learning for women. Mizrachi deserves every accolade for legitimising and facilitating high-level learning for women - by means of both shiurim and chavruta - in its Midrasha/Bet Midrash. There is nowhere else like this institution in Australia or indeed in many places in the world outside of Israel or New York. This is what Mizrachi has championed and deserves to be trumpeting.”
Melbourne magazine editor and Yavneh College graduate Elissa Goldstein was outraged. “Are you seriously equating access to learning with actual, hard political power, Rabbi James Kennard?” she replied.
“The one and only key to women's greater involvement in Judaism is not simply Torah learning for women. It's the dismantling of the sexism and misogyny that is rife in Jewish communal structures – from shuls to schools to institutions of higher learning – and that will only happen when men such as you are prepared to confront the reality of structural discrimination, without this sort of soft-commentary whitewashing, and agitate to make space for women in positions of leadership.”
Photo: Danny Lamm and Keren Zelwer
