Tonight, Meredith Marks of “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” is becoming a bat mitzvah. Well, the ceremony itself took place months ago, but the 12th episode of the show’s fifth season airing tonight will let viewers witness the big day. The Jewish jewelry designer’s bat mitzvah was officiated by Rabbi Ruth Abusch-Magder (a Kveller contributor!). And while drama ensues after the Jewish rite of passage (because this is reality TV, of course), the ceremony itself is deeply moving.
Here’s everything you need to know about Meredith Marks:
1. Marks is originally from the Gold Coast of Chicago and her maiden name is Rosenberg. She was born on December 15, 1971.
2. Her husband, Seth Marks, is also Jewish. They married in 1993 and have three kids: Reid, Brooks and Chloe.
3. Before moving to Salt Lake City, the Marks family lived in Chicago, where Meredith was born.
4. Both Seth and Reid played guard at the JCC Maccabi Games.
5. Marks has been in “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” since its first season in 2020. She moved to Salt Lake when Seth took a job at Overstock.com that had them move to the Utah capital.
6. It was in Utah that Marks, who has her JD degree from Northwestern and previously ran a pilates studio, finally decided to pursue her passion and study jewelry making. Her Meredith Marks brand has since expanded and makes other lifestyle items, and last year she launched her own caviar company. Her jewelry has been worn by the likes of Rihanna, Charlize Theron and Courtney Cox.
7. Marks credits the Jewish women in her life for her passion for jewelry. Her great-grandmother had an expansive jewelry collection. Meredith’s “favorite stone was a deep colored 40 carat aquamarine that her great grandmother spent years searching for and set as a cocktail ring surrounded by diamonds,” she recalls on her website. “The American Gemological Laboratories displayed it in their window.” She was also inspired by her mom trying on different earrings and jewelry while preparing to go out.
8. Marks didn’t grow up in an observant family. “My family never put a big emphasis on religion,” Marks shared earlier in the season, saying that in their home it was more about heritage, and that the girls and women in her family didn’t have bat mitzvahs.
9. Marks first shared her desire to have a bat mitzvah early in the season, saying, “I’ve been thinking a lot about my heritage and just how I feel about all the hatred and antisemitism in the world right now. I’ve always been really proud to be Jewish, so I want to get bat mitzvah-ed,” Marks told Seth, who was shocked and called the decision “beautiful.” “I’m so proud of you,” he told her.
@bravotv Meredith made a big decision on the latest episode of #RHOSLC💌 Stream now on @peacock ! #MeredithMarks #SethMarks #RealHousewivesOfSaltLakeCity
10. While there was drama after her ceremony, Marks said that the ceremony itself was deeply meaningful and spiritual:
@bravotv Drama at the bat mitzvah? Oy vey. #BravoFanFest #MeredithMarks #HeatherGay #RHOSLC #RealHousewivesOfSaltLakeCity
Mazel tov, Meredith!
