Mitzvah Day appoints new chief executive

A former Board of Deputies director in South Africa has been appointed to head one of the UK’s biggest faith-based community projects.

Stuart Diamond will become Mitzvah Day chief executive after approaching founder Laura Marks with the idea.

A former director of the Cape South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) and a graduate of the Schusterman Leadership Program, Diamond immigrated to the UK from South Africa with his family in July 2021.

Before his role at the Cape SAJBD, he was the Mayoral Committee member for assets and facilities for the City of Cape Town.

Since arriving in the UK, he has worked for Moishe House and the United Synagogue.

Mitzvah Day is the UK’s largest faith-led day of social action with 25,000 volunteers of all faiths and backgrounds across Britain doing good deeds every year.

A further 15,000 get involved in more than 30 other countries around the globe.

Diamond, a member of Woodside Park United Synagogue, has participated in numerous projects both in a personal capacity with his family and in his professional capacity at the Cape SAJBD.

He said: “Service to community is my calling and tikkun olam and interfaith work are close to my heart. I am thrilled to be a part of the UK’s – and possibly the world’s – largest faith-led day of social action and I am ready for the challenges and the opportunities that I see ahead of us.”

Mitzvah Day founder and chair Laura Marks OBE said that when Stuart approached Mitzvah Day about the role, “we didn’t hesitate to snap him up”.

She added: “Stuart’s extensive experience in interfaith relations, in work with government and in social action made him an ideal candidate. His can-do attitude and huge smile made him perfect.

“We can’t wait for Stuart to don his green T-shirt and to help us and our ‘volunteer army’ take Mitzvah Day to the next level.”

To find out more about Mitzvah Day, please visit www.mitzvahday.org.uk