Belonging Matters

Jessie Hewitson is a journalist and bestselling author of How to Raise a Happy Autistic Child and How to Raise a Happy ADHD Child. She pens a SEND agony aunt column for The Times and The Sunday Times. She is also the founder of NeuroUniverse, which helps families of neurodivergent children build calmer, happier lives through practical guidance and expert support.

Gaby is the JC’s Community editor. Previously edited the Campus & Youth section and wrote news, features and opinion pieces, something she still enjoys doing in her current role. During the “in between years”, she obtained a PGCE in ESOL and literacy and taught at further education colleges. She loves building bridges both within and beyond the Jewish community.

Naomi works to promote greater understanding and inclusion of neurodivergent individuals across the community. By supporting teams throughout the organisation, she strengthens knowledge and inclusive practice from early childhood through adulthood. She also delivers workshops for families, equipping them with practical tools, strategies, and confidence to better understand and support their neurodivergent children.

Ruth works with schools and community groups to raise awareness, promote acceptance, and embed inclusive practices from an early age. Through workshops and outreach initiatives, she supports children and young people in valuing diverse perspectives, fostering understanding, and appreciating different ways of thinking, learning, and experiencing the world.

Robbie is 50 and moved out of his family home to his nearby Norwood home in February 2025. Robbie worked as a kitchen assistant at Jewish Care’s Vi & John Rubens House for 23 years. A popular member of his local community, he regularly attends Cranbrook United Synagogue and attends Uniting Friends day services in his local community.

Ruth Mason lives with her partner and three teenage children, including Hannah who was born with Down Syndrome and attends a special school alongside Norwood short breaks in her holidays. Her children’s needs also include dyslexia and autism. Ruth is a member of Norwood’s Parent and Carers advisory group, and her family belongs to South Bucks Jewish Community.

Teaches and researches legal ethics, Jewish law, criminal law, law and religion, and disability rights and inclusion; published ”Was Yosef on the Spectrum? Understanding Joseph Through Torah, Midrash and Classical Jewish Sources” re-reads the biblical Joseph through a neurodiversity lens to promote more inclusive understandings of faith and disability.  

Hardeep is Founder and CEO of Kaleidoscope Group, driving inclusive employment and entrepreneurship for people with disabilities and long-term health conditions. Inspired by his son, he has supported 2,100+ individuals across 29 countries. With a City background and Goldman Sachs 10KSB experience, he champions disability as strength and innovation.

Debbie is Assistant Director for Programming, Employment and Social Enterprise at Kisharon Langdon. She leads initiatives that create meaningful opportunities for people with learning disabilities and autistic people through employment, community programmes and enterprise. Her work focuses on building confidence, independence and real pathways to participation within inclusive communities.

Racheli is an autistic advocate and Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training trainer with Kisharon Langdon. She brings lived experience and professional insight to conversations about neurodiversity, helping organisations and communities build understanding and confidence in supporting autistic people and people with learning disabilities, and creating environments where everyone feels respected, included and able to belong.

Shlomo is Employment Manager at Kisharon Langdon, supporting people with learning disabilities and autistic people to access meaningful work and develop independence. He works with employers and community partners to create inclusive opportunities, helping individuals build confidence, skills and sustainable pathways into employment and wider community participation.

A UK specialist solicitor in education, disability and human rights law, recognised for supporting the rights of disabled children, families and adults. His work focuses on access to education and care, enforcing statutory protections, and strengthening inclusive policy and practice across organisations and public services.

A leading voice for families navigating special educational needs, she champions more inclusive communities and systems. She is the Amazon bestselling author of Raising the SEN-Betweeners, sharing her lived experience of raising two neurodivergent children and campaigning for those who fall between gaps in support.

Samantha is currently the SENCO at Gateways. Having been a SENCO for 25 years, working in primary schools and in a special needs secondary school. She was part of the behaviour improvement project in Haringey. Samantha is also SEN Consultant advising schools on EHCP applications, good practice and am qualified to assess pupils for access arrangements.

Shelley Marsh is the UJIA Director of Collaborative Leadership. Shelley spent many years living in Israel, teaching in both formal and informal educational settings. She holds an MA in Community Leadership and is an NLP Master Practitioner. Her work on self-esteem in young people has been published and reported internationally.

Janine Rose has served as Executive Director of Pikuach since 2021. With over 35 years in education, she has held senior leadership roles and worked extensively in teacher training and school improvement. A Pikuach inspector since 2014 and Lead Inspector since 2016, she helped shape the 2020 and 2025 frameworks strengthening inclusion and SEND. She is also a trustee of JSense.

Strategic community leader and passionate advocate for inclusion, with a background in fund management and philanthropy. She co-founded Gesher School, an Ofsted-Outstanding specialist school, and created both the Bnei Mitzvah Challenge, and Letters Light & Love, raising millions for charitable causes. She works widely with Jewish organisations to embed meaningful, systemic inclusive practice and is a champion of experiential education.

Becca leads youth engagement across the Movement for Progressive Judaism, championing inclusive, meaningful Jewish experiences for all young people. With extensive experience in informal education and youth leadership, she works to ensure diverse learning styles and needs are supported. She is also parent to amazing AuDHD children, who have taught her that everything she thought she knew was wrong!

Andrew emigrated from South Africa to the United Kingdom in 1999 and is the father of a 14-year-old son, Joshua. He is an active member of Hampstead Garden Suburb Synagogue. Joshua celebrated his Bar Mitzvah during a Shabbat Mincha service, learning his brachot from the inclusive Siddur LaKol. Andrew is also a trustee of Shalva UK.

Beverley is a SENCO and Deputy Headteacher at a local Primary School, and Inclusion Officer at Bushey United Synagogue. She leads initiatives that remove barriers and promote accessibility across her school and community. Drawing on her experience in neurodiversity, Beverley champions inclusion, understanding and belonging so every individual can participate fully in Jewish communal life.

A parent and disability advocate, Deborah co-developed the JWeb Accessible Siddur and Siddur LaKol (jweb.org.uk), co-founded Fair Play, creating the UK’s first public purposely designed and inclusive playground, promoting dignity, belonging, and inclusion and co-partners with social entrepreneurs internationally to help create communities where everyone is valued and able to thrive.

Susan is part of the team that leads Shabbat B’Yachad, Finchley Reform Synagogue’s inclusive Shabbat service for those with learning and additional needs. Shabbat B’Yachad offers a welcoming synagogue environment where congregants experience practical inclusion and communal understanding. Shabbat B’Yachad highlights FRS’s values of dignity, compassion, accessibility and shared responsibility.

Neurodiversity advocate, coach and workplace trainer specialising in neuro-inclusive leadership and employment practice. Through The Insight Coach, she supports organisations and managers to recognise neurodivergent strengths and implement practical strategies. Drawing on professional expertise and lived experience, she delivers insight-driven training and has been nominated for the All 4 Inclusion Awards.

Leora joined the transport industry 5 years ago as a neurodiverse apprentice, a decision which completely changed her life for the better. Now looking to inspire the next generation of apprentices, alongside her role at Mott MacDonald, Leora Co-Chairs the Department for Work and Pension’s Apprenticeship Ambassador Network for London.

Toni Horn is a neurodiversity consultant, keynote speaker and founder of NeuroEmpower CIC. A former Barclays leader and Global Inclusive Leader Award winner (2021), she brings lived experience of dyslexia, autism and ADHD. Toni supports organisations to embed inclusive practice and empowers neurodivergent individuals to thrive in the workplace and beyond.

Electric Umbrella uses the power of music to celebrate difference, show that there’s “No Such Thing as Normal” and inspire community connection. Our amazing workshops and show-stopping performances, on stage and in schools, empower learning disabled people, of all abilities, fostering confidence, skills, and leadership potential.

Tom is co-founder of Electric Umbrella, a singer, songwriter, guitar player, stilt walker and ‘yes’ man. His rich and varied career has seen him perform all over the world. Tom Co-Founder Electric Umbrella out of a mutual passion for ‘going the extra mile’ to represent the learning disabled community as the ‘total rockstars they are’.

Louise is a singer, songwriter and musician with a unique voice, character and passion for music in all its forms. She has been performing professionally for over 20 years and her work includes developing primary schools’ programme, creating “Little Brollies” programme for EYFS and supporting our learning disabled musicians to fulfil their potential as educators, performers and creatives.

Emma is Director of Children and Families Services at Norwood, leading work to strengthen support for neurodivergent children and their families across the Jewish community. Her background spans the public and voluntary sectors, including Jewish Women’s Aid and Chai Cancer Care, with expertise in strategic development, partnerships and inclusive community services.

Lisa is mother of three adult daughters and have significant lived experience of neurodivergence, mental health challenges, and EBSA. She workS for the Barnet Parent Carer Forum, supporting and advocating for families of children and young people with SEND. I am passionate about amplifying the voices of parents, carers and young people and improving understanding and support.

Mark is an Additional Needs Ministry Director at Urban Saints and Co-Founder of the Additional Needs Alliance. An award-winning blogger known as “The Additional Needs Blogfather”, he advocates for children and young people with additional needs and is author of “How to Include Autistic Children and Young People in Church”. He is also father to James, who is autistic.

Anna is an autism campaigner, author and trainer. She co-founded Hillingdon Manor School and has since established additional schools, a college and a respite home. Founder of Anna Kennedy Online, she leads national initiatives including Autism’s Got Talent and the Autism Hero Awards. She was awarded an OBE in 2012 and named a Lorraine’s Women of the Year finalist in 2023.

Ahmir Lerner is the Executive Director of Beit Issie Shapiro, Israel’s leading nonprofit advancing innovation, research, and inclusion for people with disabilities. With over three decades of leadership experience in Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office and the social sector, Ahmir brings strategic expertise and a deep commitment to strengthening inclusive systems and opportunities for people with disabilities.

Debbie has over 25 years’ experience in the non-profit sector, holding senior trustee and leadership roles across leading charities including Vice Chair the JLC , Vice Chair of Jewish Care, trustee of Jami and a former trustee of Rosetrees, a medical research grant giving foundation. She is currently the interim CEO of the JLC.

Leora joined the transport industry 5 years ago as a neurodiverse apprentice, a decision which completely changed her life for the better. Now looking to inspire the next generation of apprentices, alongside her role at Mott MacDonald, Leora Co-Chairs the Department for Work and Pension’s Apprenticeship Ambassador Network for London.

Pam is Interim Joint Chief Executive of the WOHL Legacy, a major international philanthropic foundation supporting education, welfare, medical research and Jewish communal life. She works with partners across the UK and internationally to develop strategic funding initiatives that strengthen communities, advance innovation and create lasting social impact.

Teaches and researches legal ethics, Jewish law, criminal law, law and religion, and disability rights and inclusion; published Was Yosef on the Spectrum? Understanding Joseph Through Torah, Midrash and Classical Jewish Sources” re-reads the biblical Joseph through a neurodiversity lens to promote more inclusive understandings of faith and disability.  

A parent and disability advocate, Deborah co-developed the JWeb Accessible Siddur and Siddur LaKol (jweb.org.uk), co-founded Fair Play, creating the UK’s first public purposely designed and inclusive playground, promoting dignity, belonging, and inclusion and co-partners with social entrepreneurs internationally to help create communities where everyone is valued and able to thrive.