Jewish Community Professionals’ Conference 2025
“Attending the Jewish Community Professionals’ Conference was an inspiring experience. I had the opportunity to meet like-minded individuals, engage in meaningful conversations, and learn from industry leaders. The connections and knowledge I gained are invaluable, and I look forward to applying these insights in my professional and personal life.”
The 2025 London Jewish Community Professionals’ Conference brought together a record breaking 150 professionals from 49 different organisations, at different levels of their career and working within the Jewish charity sector. Joined by a host of experts, including the CEO of the Charity Commission David Holdsworth, the day was filled with learning and networking opportunities. To find out more about the event, click here. You can also see photos from the event below (credit Devon Shoob photography).
We are now looking forward to hosting a similar event in Manchester on Thursday 4th December 2025. Following the devastating attack on the community at Heaton Park Synagogue, this event will be an opportunity for communal professionals to be together in a safe space to connect with one another, learn and press pause on your every day work.
Ticket prices are £25 per person.
Please see the full programme listed below.
9.30 - 10.00 Guest arrival
10.00 - 10.05 Welcome
10.05 - 10.50 Opening Activity and Networking
10.50 - 11.00 Break
11.00 - 12.30 Breakout Session One
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This session will help you recognise and explore the breadth of the emotions we experience. Sometimes we label how we are feeling as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ or ‘happy’ or ‘sad’. However, knowing the spectrum of emotions available and seeing the nuances that exist in how we feel helps to process what we are experiencing, change how we relate to our emotions, and enable us to sit more comfortably with what’s going on.
It can also be useful to have a plan of things that we can do to help us when we feel ‘stuck’ with a challenging emotion that is difficult to manage. We will work through a strategy to provide positive options for you to manage these situations and to help you have greater choice in how to respond to emotions.
The outcome will enable you to have additional tools available to manage your resilience, especially useful for traumatic and difficult situations. This session will be helpful for you personally, and also in doing work with others.
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Chris Cooper is a Conscious Leadership and Career Coach based in Manchester, England. He help people to raise their conscious awareness and connect with the values, energy and skills needed to perform at their best.
Chris’s work draws strands from coaching, positive psychology, neuroscience, NLP and spiritual practices to create a unique formula for helping people become conscious leaders across all aspects of their lives.
He is an ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and certified NLP Practitioner.
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This practical session will help you understand what generative AI is, what policies your organisation should have in place, and how you can protect sensitive information when using these tools. Learn how to make the most of AI’s benefits while keeping your data and reputation safe.
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Dr Annabel Latham is a Senior Lecturer, Department of Computing and Mathematics at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK, a Senior Member of the IEEE, Chair of the IEEE CIS Graduate Student Research Grants subcommittee, Member of CIS SHIELD, Past Chair of the IEEE UK & Ireland Women in Engineering Affinity Group (2019-2022), and a UK STEM Ambassador.
Annabel’s research interests focus on two key challenges: ethics and public trust in AI and developing AI systems for Education. Annabel has delivered numerous Responsible AI talks and workshops and has led the People’s Panel for AI (2022-present), a participatory AI project working with disadvantaged communities to bring their voice into AI R&D. Panels have scrutinised AI products and services at all stages of the AI R&D cycle, and debated with Researchers, SMEs and Public Sector service providers.
12.30 - 13.15 Lunch
13.15 - 14.45 Breakout Session Two
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This session is designed to not only teach delegates how to structure clear, impactful messages, but also deliver them with confidence and flair. Whether you are presenting to big audiences or internally to colleagues, this session is for you.
By the end of the workshop, delegates will know how to:
• Structure a key message
• Use their bodies to complement the message and also aid vocal projection
• Ensure listeners feel seen
• Play with pace
• Emphasise words
• Manage adrenaline
• Handle difficult moments / people – interrupters, whisperers etc -
Emma founded Emma Taylor Presents - a public speaking consultancy - in 2003. Since doing so, she has trained a diverse range of clients: solicitors, priests, MPs, marketeers, town planners, heir hunters, CEOs, chess pros... Based in Manchester, UK, Emma is currently delivering training programmes for EDF, the University of Manchester, Sync, Leeds City Council, Gorilla Glue and Pets Choice.
Prior to establishing her consultancy, Emma trained as an actor at The Welsh College of Music & Drama and acted professionally for seven years. While founding Emma Taylor Presents, she undertook an MA in TV & Radio Scriptwriting at the University of Salford. She has since written TV drama. Her deep-rooted knowledge of acting and writing enables her to share useful industry tips which clients appreciate greatly.
Her goal is to produce accomplished speakers who embrace their own style. She encourages clients to recognise their personal strengths and hone them; thereby becoming a polished version of themselves, rather than a weak imitation of someone they admire.
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Every charity professional faces projects or challenges that feel stuck, complex, or just too big to tackle alone. This session is your space to bring whatever is on your mind, a tricky project, a nagging question, or an idea you want feedback on. Together, we’ll explore what’s holding things back, share perspectives, and uncover fresh ways forward. Come curious and leave inspired with practical next steps to move your challenges ahead.
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Susie Gordon grew up in London and moved to Leeds in 2005 and where she found a desire to want to be part of the Jewish community. Since 2011, Susie has been supporting the development of the Leeds Jewish community. Her role has been ever evolving depending on need, opportunities, and priorities, to ensure the community can remain vibrant, engaging and sustainable for many years to come.
Susie works closely with European-wide community development initiatives, the Local Authority, local councillors and multifaith organisations to represent the community in wider community conversations, such as supporting the West Yorkshire Safety of Women and Girls Strategy or discussing more politically motivated issues such as during increased periods of increased antisemitism.
Susie is a qualified personal and business coach and workshop facilitator. In her spare time Susie supports up-and-coming professional leaders to enable the creation or the development of a strategic plan for both public, third sector and faith organisations to enable others to reach their goals well.
14.50 - 15.15 Next steps and close
