Our Story
Cleveland Yentas is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit (but for-purpose) corporation formed by a group of people who care about growing and strengthening Jewish Cleveland by performing a mitzvah of matching single Jews with other single Jews in Cleveland. (We also work with people who want to move to Cleveland.) Our goal is to bring people together to create happy relationships and marriages, possibly resulting in more Jewish babies, to grow and sustain the Jewish community in Cleveland.
Rachel Heiser, President and CEO of Cleveland Yentas, started the group in 2013 after she saw a need for Jews to have a better way to meet and date other Jews in Cleveland. She formalized the group as a not-for-profit corporation in 2014. With internet dating people are sometimes more concerned with making a good impression or sounding exciting than being honest about who they truly are. There are many great community events in Cleveland. However, often people stick with their own group of friends. For these reasons and others it can be hard to find your beshert. Rachel believes there is someone for everyone. There may even be five someones for everyone. It is a matter of timing and finding one of those people. Cleveland Yentas would like to help you find your beshert.
Cleveland Yentas would not be able to do what we do without the generosity and hard work from like-minded women and men in our community who spread the word. Special thanks are owed to the YENTAS who take time away from their families and jobs to meet and make matches. Additionally, thanks are owed to:
Rifka Claypool
The Dan and Ellen Zelman Family Foundation, a supporting foundation of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland
Becky and David Heller
Stephanie and Jared Miller
The Leonard, Lillian, Faye, Albert B. & Audrey G. Ratner Donor Advised Fund of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland
If you would like to be part of our story by volunteering your services or helping us spread the word, please contact us at CLEyentas@gmail.com.