WESTPORT – Chabad Lubavitch of Westport will present an evening of Candid Conversations featuring Natan Sharansky, former Soviet dissident, political prisoner and Israeli leader, who has been called an enduring symbol of freedom and democracy.

The event will take place Monday, Feb. 2, at 7:30 p.m. at 79 Newtown Turnpike. A VIP reception will precede the program at 6:45 p.m. Community members are invited to attend the talk.

From enduring years in the gulags, forced labor camps and prisons of the Soviet Union, to serving in the halls of the Knesset, the legislature in Israel, Sharansky’s life story — and his message — resonates powerfully today. 

He is the author of “Fear No Evil” and “The Case for Democracy,” and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

The timely conversation will explore courage, resilience, and the enduring fight for human rights.

Sharansky was also a chess prodigy as a child and is a professional player. He claims to have maintained his sanity while in solitary confinement by playing chess against himself in his mind. For more information and to sign up to attend, visit JewishWestport.com. Chabad of Westport is a non-profit Jewish outreach organization providing experiential and educational programs for all age groups.