Laura Marks Explained

Laura Marks
Birth Date:26 April 1960
Birth Place:London, UK
Spouse:Dan Patterson
Children:3

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

Early life and career

Marks was raised in North-West London, attending South Hampstead High School and Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls.[2] Her family were members of Elstree and District Reform Synagogue and Marks was a member of the youth group Habonim Dror.[3] 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 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 while 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

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.[10] [11] She is a trustee of both the Jewish Leadership Council and the Commonwealth Jewish Council.[12] [13] Between 2012 and 2015, Marks served as the Elected Senior Vice President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews.[14] In 2016, Marks became Chair of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, a UK charity that supports and promotes Holocaust Memorial Day by working to educate people about the dangers of hatred.[15] In 2017, Marks co-founded Nisa-Nashim, a national Jewish Muslim women's network that works to connect the Jewish and Muslim communities by empowering women.[16] 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.[17] Marks’ other inter-faith work with the Muslim community includes involvement with Sadaqa Day.[18] She regularly speaks at interfaith events including the New Horizons Conference.[19] In 2019, Marks was appointed to the Mayor of London's Equalities Diversity and Inclusion committee.[20]

Media engagement

Marks sits on the board of the Jewish News.[21] She 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.[22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29]

Honours

Marks was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2015 New Year Honours for services to interfaith relations.[30] In the same year, The Jewish Chronicle named her one of the ten most influential British Jews in "The JC Power 100".[31] She was awarded the Archbishop of Canterbury's Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation in 2019.[32]

She was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2023 Birthday Honours for services to inter-faith relations, Holocaust education and commemoration, and women's empowerment.

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]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Laura Marks's Blog. blogs.timesofisrael.com. 2020-03-18.
  2. Web site: https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-jewish-chronicle/20120615/283338994326912. PressReader. 2020-03-19.
  3. Web site: https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-jewish-chronicle/20120615/283338994326912. PressReader. 2020-03-18.
  4. Web site: https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-jewish-chronicle/20120615/283338994326912. PressReader. 2020-03-18.
  5. Web site: Laura Marks leaves AMV BBDO to create planning company. www.campaignlive.co.uk. 2020-03-18.
  6. Web site: Thousands turn out for Mitzvah Day. www.thejc.com. 2020-03-18.
  7. Web site: Founder of Mitzvah Day says we need to make time for the elderly. Getzels. Rachael. Hampstead Highgate Express. 20 October 2012. en. 2020-03-18.
  8. Web site: Mitzvah Day 10th anniversary: 10 good reasons to do good deeds!. Rothstein. Simon. jewishnews.timesofisrael.com. en-US. 2020-03-18.
  9. Web site: Forty thousand due to take part in global Mitzvah Day. www.thejc.com. 2020-03-18.
  10. Web site: The impact of WJL. The Jewish Leadership Council. en. 2020-03-18.
  11. Web site: Consultation finds 77 percent think community hasn't achieved gender equality. Reporter. Jewish News. jewishnews.timesofisrael.com. en-US. 2020-03-18.
  12. Web site: JLC elects new trustees, Louise Jacobs, Laura Marks OBE and Keith Black. The Jewish Leadership Council. en. 2020-03-18.
  13. Web site: LEADERSHIP. COMMONWEALTH JEWISH COUNCIL. en. 2020-03-18.
  14. Web site: The Team – Nisa-Nashim. www.nisanashim.org. 2020-03-18.
  15. Web site: Mitzvah Day founder appointed Shoah charity's trustee chair. Mendel. Jack. jewishnews.timesofisrael.com. en-US. 2020-03-18.
  16. News: Peled. Daniella. Britain's Jewish and Muslim Women Look for Common Ground - So Israel Is Off the Agenda. 2017-03-07. Haaretz. 2020-03-18. en.
  17. Web site: Jewish and Muslim women advance bridge-building partnership. www.thejc.com. 2020-03-18.
  18. Web site: 'Our faiths are more united than divided'. www.thejc.com. 2020-03-18.
  19. Web site: Jewish and Muslim women challenging the narrative, by Julie Siddiqi and Laura Marks - New Horizons. www.nhorizons.org. 2020-03-18.
  20. Web site: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Advisory Group. 2019-02-05. London City Hall. en-GB. 2020-03-18.
  21. Web site: Laura Marks joins Jewish News board. Ferrer. Richard. jewishnews.timesofisrael.com. en-US. 2020-03-18.
  22. Web site: BBC Radio 2 - Pause For Thought, Pause For Thought: "We were slaves, but now we are free.". BBC. 24 April 2019 . en-GB. 2020-03-18.
  23. Web site: 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. Trust. Holocaust Memorial Day. 2020-01-27. @HMD_UK. en. 2020-03-18.
  24. Web site: HuffPost is now a part of Verizon Media. consent.yahoo.com. 2020-03-18.
  25. News: Laura Marks. Evening Standard. 2020-03-18. en-GB.
  26. Web site: Remembering the Roma. www.thejc.com. 2020-03-18.
  27. Web site: Laura Marks. jewishnews.timesofisrael.com. en-US. 2020-03-18.
  28. Web site: Opinion: Mitzvah Day celebrates 'shared values'. Laura Marks OBE. founder and chairwoman of Mitzvah Day. Hampstead Highgate Express. 21 November 2019. en. 2020-03-18.
  29. Web site: Laura Marks. www.timesofisrael.com. en-US. 2020-03-18.
  30. Web site: Mitzvah Day founder made OBE for services to interfaith relations. Lamden. Tim. Hampstead Highgate Express. 2 January 2015. en. 2020-03-18.
  31. Web site: JC Power 100 2014. www.thejc.com. 2020-03-18.
  32. Web site: Archbishop of Canterbury presents 2019 Lambeth Awards. The Archbishop of Canterbury. en. 2020-03-18.
  33. News: Round. Simon. Interview: Dan Patterson - Why 'Mock The Week' man is out for a Duck. The Jewish Chronicle. 2020-03-18.
  34. Web site: Mitzvah Day grew into a celebration of family. blogs.timesofisrael.com. en-US. 2020-03-18.
  35. Web site: Hampstead Mitzvah Day volunteer picks up Downing Street award from Theresa May. Burke. Dave. Hampstead Highgate Express. 9 December 2015. en. 2020-03-18.
  36. Web site: https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-jewish-chronicle/20120615/283338994326912. PressReader. 2020-03-18.
  37. Book: 1841160636. Qualitative Research in Context. Marks. Laura. 2000. Admap Publications .

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