Chabad of Southlake
Leibel Mangel's grandfather once told him that Jews are more resilient today than they were 70 years ago. Leibel believes him.
An Israel Defense Forces veteran, machine gunner, Krav Maga instructor and public speaker, Leibel is a combat veteran who tours and advocates for Jewish social causes and outreach. According to his web bio, Leibel left his Cincinnatti home at 19 to enlist in the Israeli forces, where he participated in several high-profile anti-terror operations with the 900th Kfir Brigade.
Winning the 2017 Jewish People’s Choice Award for his activism, Leibel has spoken on several news networks including ABC, Fox and 700 WLW. This Thursday, his next public appearance will be at The Marq in Southlake.
“He goes around the country talking about this important issue on a practical level,” Rabbi Levi Gurevitch of Chabad of Southlake says. “Ever since he got out of the military in Israel a couple of years back, he’s come back to the states and dedicated himself to combatting anti-Israel bias and antisemitism.”
The event is called “From Auschwitz To The IDF,” and it’s an evening dedicated to Jewish pride, strength and perseverance. Levi says Leibel was asked to come and educate the public on the issues some in the Jewish community face in today’s age.
“With everything going on in the news today, you’re hearing a lot of antisemitism, a lot of anti-Israel bias from the media,” Levi says. “He talks about practical ways the community can deal with this.”
Levi explains that this is the second annual event that Chabad is holding at the Marq. Last year, the Chabad welcomed now 99-year-old Holocaust survivor Marthe Cohn, who enlisted as a spy for the French resistance during World War II.
“At 97, she had more energy than me at 35,” Levi chuckles.
The public forum is open to Jews and non-Jews alike. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday at The Marq, located at 285 Shady Oaks Drive. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $25 and $18 online, while admission is free for teenagers.
For more information, call 817.451.1171, or go online at JewishSouthlake.com.