More than 50 communal professional and lay leaders took part in the Jewish Leadership Council’s International Women’s Day celebration on the theme of “embrace equity”.

Held at the newly rebuilt Finchley Reform Synagogue, it included a session on equality within the workplace, with contributions from Jewish Care CEO Daniel Carmel-Brown and Nechama Kutner of Lloyds Banking Group on why it is important and the steps their respective organisations have taken to achieve it.

Another featured rabbis Miriam Berger, Charley Baginsky, Natasha Mann and rabbi in training Miriam Lorie, who discussed their faith leadership journeys and how being a woman had influenced their roles.

Public policy analyst Sam Freedman talked to JLC co-CEO Claudia Mendoza on what government policy and system changes would make the greatest impact to working women.

Cevin Owens of Harvard Business School and UJIA chief executive Mandie Winston debated whether policy changes were needed or if the focus should be on empowering women and having transparent conversation. Issues included what a family friendly policy would mean in an organisation.

In the final session, the JLC’s Cheryl Bodie and representatives from Jewish Women’s Aid and Keshet UK reflected on diversity in action.

JLC co-CEO Michelle Janes said afterwards: “Our International Women’s Day annual event has become a landmark day for many communal organisations to gather and grapple with important issues.

“We are delighted and proud to bring together so many partners in the community to mark IWD and to continue working towards greater equity, awareness and understanding within the community.”