The Albert E. Marks Charitable Trust is a private family foundation offering modest seed grants to social benefit programs and organizations. For over 40 years, the Trust has focused on advancing a shared society between Jewish and Palestinian citizens of Israel; and a just peace between Israelis and the Palestinians currently under occupation. The Trust has also supported Jewish education in the U.S. and has funded refugee organizations worldwide. Trustees were some of the first Jewish progressive funders to make courageous investments in initiatives that later proved to be transformative. Trustees are currently exploring environmental activism as a path to peace.

In 1978, Albert Marks’ initial interest was in “aiding, supporting, and educating Jewish displaced children.” He established the Trust in honor of his wife Lillian, under the stewardship of his daughter, Judith N. Kass, who died in the spring of 2022 at the age of 91. Judith, her late husband Seymour Kass, and their children Daniel and Lia were progressive pioneers many years before it was fashionable.

Today, Trustees also offer support to grantees in securing matching funds, building leadership capacity through trainings in public narrative, organizing, facilitation, and managing people and power.

Recent grantees include: Embodying Peace, whose byline is “peace is what you do;” I Am Your Protector; Alliance for Middle East Peace, Parents Circle/Bereaved Family Forum, and Combatants for Peace. Organizations such as the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), and New Israel Fund for Justice are long-term beneficiaries of the Trust.

In line with the Trust’s values and mission, its modest endowed assets are held through Folio’s First Affirmative, managing socially responsible investments (SRIs), that consider environmental, sustainable, and governance (ESG) matters into account.

To assess whether the Trust is a good match for your organization, please contact Tamar Miller AEMarksTrust@gmail.com to set up a time to speak. We offer annual and multi-year grants. As well, we are enthusiastic about partnering with other family foundations, sharing wealth and wisdom about what works.