Women thrive at JWA female solidarity summit

She added: “If there is resistance to discussing money, strengthen yourself on two fronts. Build knowledge of the basics and build inner strength. Equip yourself, because those two together create personal power.”

Finance panel (l-r) Lauren Clyne, Claire Kaye, Vanessa Lee Taub and panel host journalist Samantha Simmonds (Credit Pomi Ofir Tal)[Missing Credit]

Panellist Dr Claire Kaye, who works as a confidence coach, 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 okay to ask, even if it feels uncomfortable.”

The session was one of several, covering entrepreneurship, AI, health and wellbeing and fashion and beauty.

A number of big names were among the speakers, including broadcaster Rachel Riley MBE, Sarah Jossel – aka the Beauty Boss – from the Sunday Times and mental health campaigner Baroness Berger.

Joining Baroness Berger, Dr Ellie Cannon, author of The Little Book of HRT, talked about the impact of lifestyle, hormones and menopause on women’s mental and physical health.

Baroness Luciana Berger, Dr Ellie Cannon with journalist Amy Abrahams (Credit Pomi Ofir Tal)[Missing Credit]

During a discussion hosted by journalist Amy Abrahams, Dr Cannon said: “When it comes to knowing when to seek help, the question is whether symptoms are interfering with your life. If you are changing what you wear, missing work, avoiding school, struggling to function or withdrawing from relationships, that is the moment to ask for support.

Encouraging the audience to educate themselves, she added: “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.”

The opening panel - How to make money from your kitchen table - was chaired by Riley MBE in conversation with entrepreneur and investor Debbie Wosskow OBE and Lucy Owen, founder of LOT talent agency.

Debbie Wosskow OBE (left) and Lucy Owen (Credit Pomi Ofir Tal)[Missing Credit]

Wosskow, 52, founder of multi-million-pound business Love Home Swap, reflected on being inspired by the strong Jewish women in her family, saying: “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.”

(l-r) Debbie Wosskow OBE, Lucy Owens and Rachel Riley MBE (Credit Pomi Ofir Tal)[Missing Credit]

JWA Ambassador Riley, who read Mathematics at Oxford University, said of her own experience: “It was all about achievement, getting the grades, going to university and proving yourself intellectually. But there was far less conversation about what comes next, about confidence in the workplace, about leadership, or about translating academic success into backing yourself professionally.”

Meanwhile, Owen openly talked about growing a business from scratch, saying: “My business was absolutely a kitchen table start-up, and it still is. [It] came from passion, and that passion is what carries you through the difficult times.”

This Morning regular Jossel and SheerLuxe editor-in-chief Charlotte Collins joined fashion journalist and JWA trustee Deborah Joseph for a lively discussion on smart styling, wardrobe confidence and make-up, where they openly addressed questions around fillers and weight loss injections.

(l-r) Sarah Jossel, Charlotte Collins and Deborah Joseph talk fashion and beauty (Credit Pomi Ofir Tal)[Missing Credit]

Delivering the AI workshop, Raphael Joseph, co-founder of AI agency We Are Agentic, said how artificial intelligence could be safely used to save time and reduce mental load.

He added: “AI should be treated as an assistant, not a replacement for judgement. It can summarise meetings, organise information and help with research and ideas, but people always remain responsible for decisions.”

After sending attendees home with goody bags packed with beauty and wellbeing products, JWA CEO Sam Clifford said: “To see 200 women from across our community in one space, across generations, professions and across the diversity of the Jewish community taking part in workshops and engaging in conversations that matter has been incredibly inspiring.”

JWA CEO Sam Clifford with fashion and beauty panellists (l-r) Sarah Jossel, Charlotte Collins and panel host Deborah Joseph (Credit Pomi Ofir Tal)[Missing Credit]

“When a woman comes to us unsure where to begin, perhaps never having managed money or made key decisions alone, we help her understand her options, build skills and grow confidence at her own pace, so she can move towards independence knowing she is not alone. JWA’s Thrive summit brought that approach into the wider community, showing how much women gain when information, skills and solidarity come together.”

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.

Across the UK, one in four women experience domestic abuse, one in five face sexual assault, and domestic violence accounts for 18 per cent of all violent crime.

According to JWA, Jewish women stay in abusive relationships significantly longer than non-Jewish women – often between ten and 17 years, compared to three to eight years in the wider population.

For support, please contact: Jewish Women’s Aid Helpline: 0808 801 0500 Email: advice@jwa.org.uk. Website: jwa.org.uk or click here