Jewish Women’s Aid summit brings empowerment, confidence and safety into focus

“Coercive control can present as a man who takes his wife’s sheitl to work so she cannot leave the house,” said journalist Deborah Joseph as she addressed 200 attendees at Jewish Women’s Aid (JWA) Thrive summit at the Marriott Swiss Cottage on Sunday.

The half-day event was designed to “inform, inspire and uplift and ultimately to give you greater agency over your own lives” said Sam Clifford, CEO.

The morning was filled with a series of workshops, panels and conversations around finance, work, health and confidence with engaging sessions on business, fashion, beauty and AI.

The event also gave JWA the opportunity to raise awareness of its work supporting those experiencing domestic abuse and sexual violence, and reinforce its wider mission of empowerment and independence. Trustee Joseph said abuse exists across the whole of the Jewish community but isn’t always visible.

Entrepreneur Debbie Wosskow and business owner Lucy Owen sat in conversation with TV presenter and JWA ambassador Rachel Riley. Wosskow said: “We are taught to be good, to be diligent, to be academically brilliant, to be the person who gets it right. But being an entrepreneur is not about perfection. It is about chutzpah. It is about taking the first step before you feel ready. It is about asking, even when you feel uncomfortable.”

Rachel Riley said: ‘People talk a lot about equality and about supporting women, but in practice women are still second guessing themselves far more than men.”

Lucy Owen, who started her talent agency LOT from her kitchen table – and proudly still runs it from there – told the audience: “My business came from passion, and that passion is what carries you through the difficult times.”

A finance workshop, hosted by broadcaster Samantha Simmonds, featured lawyer Lauren Clyne, career and confidence coach Dr Claire Kaye and Vanessa Lee Taub, a private wealth management advisor. They discussed how women can build financial confidence and protect their independence in relationships. They also spoke about financial control, abuse and warning signs. Vanessa Lee Taub said: “I lived through financial control. The red flags were not being a signatory, not knowing passwords, and not getting answers.”

Dr Kaye said: “I know highly accomplished women who say, ‘my husband has it under control’, and they trust him; but they do not know what money they have, where it is, or what it means for them. It is ok to ask, even if it feels uncomfortable.”

A fascinating AI workshop by Raphael Joseph, co-founder of AI agency We Are Agentic, demonstrated how artificial intelligence can be used as a practical tool to save time and reduce mental load. He said: “Most people are carrying a significant mental load, constantly switching between work, family and daily responsibilities. AI can reduce that pressure by taking on various daily tasks, allowing people to focus on what really matters.”

Mental health campaigner Baroness Luciana Berger and Dr Ellie Cannon spoke at the health and wellbeing workshop hosted by journalist Amy Abrahams. Reflecting on the impact of lifestyle, hormones and menopause on women’s mental and physical health, Dr Cannon said:

“I strongly encourage women to become health literate using trusted sources. The NHS, professional bodies and patient organisations are far more reliable than social media. Misinformation is everywhere, particularly around mental health and hormones.”

This Morning presenter and award-winning beauty writer Sarah Jossel sat in conversation with SheerLuxe Editor-in-Chief Charlotte Collins and fashion journalist Deborah Joseph for a lively talk was around smart styling, wardrobe confidence and make-up, and openly addressed questions around fillers and weight loss injections.

JWA is the UK’s only specialist service for Jewish women and children affected by domestic abuse and sexual violence, offering support, outreach, education, and prevention initiatives.