By Alyssa Gorenberg
By day, Mandy Kwait is the director of care coordination at Bellefaire JCB, a child service agency providing behavioral health, substance abuse, education and prevention services. By night, she is an all star of the Cleveland Jewish community. She is a key player in Moishe House’s success in Cleveland as she co-founded the house back in 2013 and became an MHWOW host upon moving out in 2015 . During her three years as a host, she welcomed hundreds of people for 68 programs inside her home and beyond. From Shabbat dinners and Passover seders to Israel celebrations and meet ups at community events, Mandy has paved the way for young Jewish life.
It’s hard to believe that she is not a native Clevelander; in fact she only knew two people in the area when she made her move.
“Time with Moishe House as a resident and then MHWOW host has given me a life-changing platform to give back to a community who has been so accepting, starting from my move to Cleveland in 2010.”
Mandy has capitalized on this platform and has worked to create a space for all Jewish young adults to be welcomed, just like she was not too long ago.
Her involvement spans beyond Moishe House as she is also involved in CJN Tomorrow (Cleveland Jewish News’s young adult platform), Hebrew Free Loan Association of Northeast Ohio, and the Jewish Federation of Cleveland’s Young Leadership Division board. It’s no surprise that Mandy was recently named a Cleveland Jewish News 2018 Difference Maker.
“My recognition as a Jewish leader has put me in a unique position to continue to help others who haven’t found their place in the community yet, and I will absolutely continue to do so in my years to come.”
To read the full article about Mandy’s award, click here. We are so lucky to have Mandy as a role model for all Moishe House community builders and we can’t wait to see what she does next!
