Laura Marks

Laura Marks OBE (born 26 April 1960) is an inter-faith social activist, policy adviser, writer and media commentator. Marks has founded and chaired a range of social organisations including Mitzvah Day International and the government-founded Holocaust Memorial Day Trust.[1]

This article is about the activist. For the media scholar, see Laura U. Marks.

Laura Marks

OBE
Born (1960-04-26) 26 April 1960
London, UK
Spouse(s)Dan Patterson
Children3

Early life and career

Marks grew up in North-West London, attending South Hampstead High School and Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls.[2] She graduated from University College London before training as a teacher at the UCL Institute of Education. Marks later undertook a Commonwealth Scholarship to Canada for an M.Ed.

Marks was a member of the youth group Habonim Dror. Her family were members of Elstree and District Reform Synagogue.[3]

Marks joined Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO in 1987, becoming planning director.[4] In 1997 Marks left AMV BBDO to start her own planning consultancy. Between 1994 and 1998 Marks also served as chair of the Association of Qualitative Research Practitioners.[5]

Mitzvah Day

In 2005 Marks founded Mitzvah Day International, an annual day of faith-based social action that takes place in November each year.[6] Marks has said that the inspiration for Mitzvah Day International came after she was asked to sing in an old people's home when living in Los Angeles.[7]

Since its establishment, Mitzvah Day International has both become the UK's largest faith-led day of social action and spread to numerous cities internationally with over 40,000 participants now taking part worldwide each year.[8][9]

Other causes

Marks is co-founder of Nisa-Nashim, a national Jewish Muslim women's network that works to connect the Jewish and Muslim communities by empowering women.[10] As of early 2020, Nisa-Nashim has 26 local UK groups and is the fastest growing initiative between the Jewish and Muslim communities in Europe.[11]

Marks’ other inter-faith work with the Muslim community includes involvement with Sadaqa Day.[12] She regularly speaks at interfaith events including the New Horizons Conference.[13]

In 2016 Marks became Chair of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, a government-founded UK charity that supports and promotes Holocaust Memorial Day by working to educate people about the dangers of hatred.[14]

In 2011 Marks founded and chaired the Commission on Women in Jewish Leadership and in 2020 relaunched the independent Alliance of Jewish Women and their Organisations.[15][16] She is a trustee of both the Jewish Leadership Council and the Commonwealth Jewish Council.[17][18]

In 2019 Marks was appointed to the Mayor of London's Equalities Diversity and Inclusion committee.[19]

Between 2012 and 2015 Marks served as the Elected Senior Vice President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews.[20]

Media engagement

Marks is a regular media commentator, contributing to platforms including BBC Radio 2 Pause for Thought, BBC Breakfast, BBC London News, HuffPost, Evening Standard, The Jewish Chronicle, Jewish News, The Times of Israel and the Ham & High.[21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28]

The Jewish Chronicle named Marks in the top ten most influential British Jews in "The JC Power 100" in 2014.[29] Marks sits on the board of the Jewish News.[30]

Honours

In 2014 Marks was made an OBE for services to interfaith relations.[31]

Marks was awarded the Archbishop of Canterbury's Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation in 2019.[32]

Personal life

Marks is married to Dan Patterson, a television producer.[33] They have three children and live in Primrose Hill, London.[34][35] She is a member of North Western Reform Synagogue.[36]

Publications

In September 2020 Marks will be publishing a book focussed on the application of qualitative research.[37]

References
  1. "Laura Marks's Blog". blogs.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  2. "PressReader.com - Your favorite newspapers and magazines". www.pressreader.com. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  3. "PressReader.com - Your favorite newspapers and magazines". www.pressreader.com. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  4. "PressReader.com - Your favorite newspapers and magazines". www.pressreader.com. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  5. "Laura Marks leaves AMV BBDO to create planning company". www.campaignlive.co.uk. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  6. "Thousands turn out for Mitzvah Day". www.thejc.com. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  7. Getzels, Rachael. "Founder of Mitzvah Day says we need to make time for the elderly". Hampstead Highgate Express. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  8. Rothstein, Simon. "Mitzvah Day 10th anniversary: 10 good reasons to do good deeds!". jewishnews.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  9. "Forty thousand due to take part in global Mitzvah Day". www.thejc.com. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  10. Peled, Daniella (7 March 2017). "Britain's Jewish and Muslim Women Look for Common Ground - So Israel Is Off the Agenda". Haaretz. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  11. "Jewish and Muslim women advance bridge-building partnership". www.thejc.com. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  12. "'Our faiths are more united than divided'". www.thejc.com. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  13. "Jewish and Muslim women challenging the narrative, by Julie Siddiqi and Laura Marks - New Horizons". www.nhorizons.org. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  14. Mendel, Jack. "Mitzvah Day founder appointed Shoah charity's trustee chair". jewishnews.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  15. "The impact of WJL". The Jewish Leadership Council. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  16. Reporter, Jewish News. "Consultation finds 77 percent think community hasn't achieved gender equality". jewishnews.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  17. "JLC elects new trustees, Louise Jacobs, Laura Marks OBE and Keith Black". The Jewish Leadership Council. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  18. "LEADERSHIP". COMMONWEALTH JEWISH COUNCIL. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  19. "Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Advisory Group". London City Hall. 5 February 2019. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  20. "The Team – Nisa-Nashim". www.nisanashim.org. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  21. "BBC Radio 2 - Pause For Thought, Pause For Thought: "We were slaves, but now we are free."". BBC. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  22. Trust, Holocaust Memorial Day (27 January 2020). "HMDT Chair, @Laura_E_Marks, is on @BBCBreakfast speaking about the importance of marking #HolocaustMemorialDay and the diverse range of activities happening across the UK today for #HMD2020.pic.twitter.com/EWkYAevUnZ". @HMD_UK. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  23. "HuffPost is now a part of Verizon Media". consent.yahoo.com. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  24. "Laura Marks". Evening Standard. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  25. "Remembering the Roma". www.thejc.com. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  26. "Laura Marks". jewishnews.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  27. Laura Marks OBE, founder and chairwoman of Mitzvah Day. "Opinion: Mitzvah Day celebrates 'shared values'". Hampstead Highgate Express. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  28. "Laura Marks". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  29. "JC Power 100 2014". www.thejc.com. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  30. Ferrer, Richard. "Laura Marks joins Jewish News board". jewishnews.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  31. Lamden, Tim. "Mitzvah Day founder made OBE for services to interfaith relations". Hampstead Highgate Express. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  32. "Archbishop of Canterbury presents 2019 Lambeth Awards". The Archbishop of Canterbury. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  33. Round, Simon. "Interview: Dan Patterson - Why 'Mock The Week' man is out for a Duck". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  34. "Mitzvah Day grew into a celebration of family". blogs.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  35. Burke, Dave. "Hampstead Mitzvah Day volunteer picks up Downing Street award from Theresa May". Hampstead Highgate Express. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  36. "PressReader.com - Your favorite newspapers and magazines". www.pressreader.com. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  37. www.amazon.com https://www.amazon.com/Qualitative-Research-Context-Laura-Marks/dp/1841160636. Retrieved 19 March 2020. Missing or empty |title= (help)
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