Koby Mandell Foundation celebrates 25 years with Michael Rapaport

Comedic star and veteran of television and film Michael Rapaport is returning to Israel for a three-city stand-up comedy tour over the Sukkot holiday as part of the Comedy for Koby tour. The shows featuring Rapaport with special guest Israeli comedian Ben Ben Baruch and hosted by Avi Liberman will help mark the 25th anniversary of The Koby Mandell Foundation. Particularly since October 7th, Rapaport has emerged as one of the most passionate and outspoken pro-Israel advocates in the face of an entertainment industry where defending Israeli and Jewish interests has become increasingly rare.

Rapaport’s distinctly brash New York style will bring him before Israeli audiences in Herzliya, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Liberman says the choice of Rapaport was a natural fit for the tour. “My vision has always been to bring the comedy world’s best performers but also people who will take their experiences in Israel and help spread the positive and true messages about this country upon return home. Few people fit that model better than Michael Rapaport. We’re all excited to see him on stage and allow us to salute a true modern-day Jewish hero who never fails to say what is true even when it comes at a cost.”

The 25th anniversary tour will commemorate the organization’s years of service on behalf of Israeli families who have lost loves ones to terror attacks and other tragedies. Named for Koby Mandell, the 13-year-old boy killed in a brutal terrorist attack in 2001, the Foundation was one of the first Israeli organizations to focus its activities on the social rehabilitation of young people in the face of tragic loss.

Founded by Rabbi Seth and Sherri Mandell after their son’s murder, the basic concept for the Foundation was to ensure that other families who have had to deal with such devastating and life-altering events would be able to have a support network built by others who had personally experienced similar tragedies.

“The Koby Mandell Foundation is built upon the understanding that what a bereaved person is going through is an experience that cannot be easily understood but also that our lives going forward shouldn’t only be defined by loss and pain,” explains Rabbi Seth Mandell. “Resilience in the face of tragedy is truly possible, and we have been blessed to share that truth with thousands of people over the past quarter century.”

The association with Comedy for Koby was born out of a meeting between the Mandells and Avi Liberman when they recognized that comedy and joy would be an ideal way to memorialize a son. “This tour has become a huge source of pride and comfort for our family because it has turned our personal tragedy into a reason for people to come out enjoy themselves and laugh. It’s been extraordinary to witness so many top comedians perform here and then return home with a better understanding of what Israel is really about. We’re therefore deeply grateful and excited to have a figure like Michael Rapaport linked with the Comedy for Koby brand.”

The shows will take place over Sukkot beginning on September 29th in Herzliya, followed by Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. For more information and tickets please visit www.comedyforkoby.com