Avigail Simmonds-Rosten

EDUCATION 

Avigail graduated with a BA in History from the University of Cambridge, followed by an MA in Law from The University of Law, where her dissertation explored the intersection the jurisdictions and legislation of religious and civil law: “Is ‘Get’ refusal adequately addressed by Section 76 Serious Crime Act 2015?” 

CAREER 

Prior to joining Vardags, Avigail served as a  Programme Manager at the the Council of Christians and Jews (CCJ) - the UK’s oldest interfaith charity, under the patronage of King Charles. Her role involved curating the annual Israel-Palestine study tour for senior UK faith leaders and overseeing the editorial direction for CCJ’s magazine publications. 

During this time, Avigail’s writing and commentary on interfaith and legal issues featured across platforms including BBC’s Beyond Belief, Embrace the Middle East, and the CCJ’s online blog, where she authored a wide range of reflective and analytical pieces on faith, justice, and cultural memory. 

AWARDS & SCHOLARSHIPS 

• Anne Jemima Clough Prize, Newnham College, Cambridge 

• Career Changer Scholarship, The University of Law 

LANGUAGES 

• Hebrew – Proficient 

• Arabic – Elementary 

• French – Elementary 

• Aramaic – Intermediate 

PERSONAL 

Avigail spent two years immersed in Talmud and Rabbinic Law in Jerusalem. She is passionate about cooking and community care, regularly preparing meals for postpartum women in her local area.