Press Releases

Benesch Partner Jeffrey Wild Receives Mendy Klein Community Service Award

April 17, 2025

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Benesch is pleased to announce that Jeffrey Wild, Firm Administrative Partner, Chief Strategy Partner, Executive Committee Member and Chair of the Real Estate Practice Group, has been honored with the Mendy Klein Community Service Award by the Hebrew Academy of Cleveland.

The award was presented at the Academy’s annual Scholarship Tribute Dinner, held March 23 at the Cleveland Museum of Art. This year’s gala paid tribute to Dr. Michael (Moshe) and Sydney Harris and was held in memory of Mel Waxman, a longtime leader in the Cleveland Jewish community.

Jeff was recognized for his exceptional dedication to community service and commitment to the values that defined Mendy Klein’s life. A prominent philanthropist and businessman, Klein was the son of Holocaust survivors and a passionate advocate for Jewish education and social responsibility.

In addition to his leadership and legal practice at Benesch, Jeff is actively involved in several civic organizations. He is the immediate past chair of the Board of Directors of Cleveland Development Advisors (an affiliate of the Greater Cleveland Partnership), a trustee of the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation, president of the Board of Trustees of the Jewish Education Center of Cleveland, vice chair of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, and a member of the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency for Israel, among other roles.

The gala also marked the conclusion of the Academy’s scholarship campaign, which raised nearly $2.5 million from more than 900 contributors. These funds ensure the school can continue providing high-quality education to its 1,530 students across three campuses in Cleveland Heights and Beachwood, regardless of their families’ financial circumstances.

The evening included a memorial tribute to Mel Waxman, who passed away in October 2024. Waxman was a former president of the Hebrew Academy, the founder of the Cleveland Chabad community and the Waxman Chabad Center in Beachwood, and CEO of Waxman Industries in Bedford Heights.

Read the full article here.