From Pioneering to Mainstream: LGBTQ+ equality in Canada and Israel

Orly Erez-Likhovski
of Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC)
in conversation with
Noa Mendelsohn Aviv
of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA)

Presented by New Israel Fund of Canada Lawyers Circle
Wednesday December 9th
12:00 – 1:00 PM Eastern / 9:00 – 10:00 AM Pacific
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Although Canada was one of the first countries in the world to legalize same-sex marriage, discrimination against the LGBTQ2S+ community persists, particularly regarding gender identity and trans rights. In Israel, advocates are still fighting for marriage equality in a country where personal status is held by religious authorities. This session will explore each country’s unique challenges towards securing and upholding full equality.

About Us
Orly Erez-Likhovski, Director of the Legal Department, Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC)
Orly holds a bachelor’s degree in law from Tel Aviv University. After interning in the Supreme Court, she got a master’s degree in law at Columbia University in New York, with a focus on Human Rights law. Orly is a member of the Bar Association in Israel and New York. Orly has served as an attorney at IRAC since 2004, and as Director of the Legal Department since 2014. In this position, Orly has brought about significant legal achievements such as making gender segregation on public transportation illegal, ending the Orthodox monopoly on state-funded salaries to rabbis, and receiving state funding for the construction of non-Orthodox synagogues.

Noa Mendelsohn Aviv, Director of the Equality Program, Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA)
Noa joined CCLA in 2002 as a legal researcher. Since 2005 she has directed CCLA’s Expression and Equality programs. In addition, Noa manages CCLA’s law student volunteer programs. Noa has an LL.B. and LL.M. from the Hebrew University in Israel, and a B.A. (with distinction) from York University. She completed her legal articles at the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, and was called to the Israeli Bar in 1998. She worked for a few years as an associate at a private law firm in Jerusalem, practicing litigation, labour, commercial, and corporate law. Noa has also served as Field Coordinator for a large research project on eating disorders in women, and as Acting Administrative Director of Hebrew University Law Faculty’s Center for Human Rights.

The New Israel Fund of Canada is committed to fostering the development of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state as envisioned in its Declaration of Independence. NIFC supports projects in Israel that advance democracy and equality for all.