When Nevo Abutbul takes the stage at Variety St. Louis’ new “Believe Gala” this Friday, May 16, he’ll be doing what he does best—captivating audiences with his unique blend of mind-bending tricks and inspiring stories. At just 20, the Israeli phenom is already known as the world’s youngest mentalist, performing everywhere from “Israel’s Got Talent” to international stages in Dubai, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Now, he’s heading to St. Louis for a one-night-only show at the Ritz-Carlton, raising money for Variety St. Louis and the kids it supports
Empowerment and illusion
Nevo started his career at just nine years old. “I was always kind of a weird kid,” he said. “Even before nine, I was always very curious about random stuff. I was always saying, ‘I’m going to be a mind reader.’”
That early confidence drove him to learn magic at nine, but it didn’t take long for him to shift to mentalism, a more psychological form of performance. “I stopped doing magic and started doing mentalism and basically reading about psychological techniques such as NLP, suggestion, hypnosis and body language,” he said. “I started getting better day after day.”
By age 12, Nevo had made it to the finals of “Israel’s Got Talent,” launching his professional career. “I’m from a small town in the north of Israel, a simple family,” he said. “I had to fake their signatures to go into “Israel’s Got Talent” because they didn’t want to let me.”
Today, Nevo travels the world, performing for packed houses from London to Las Vegas. His act blends mind reading, psychological manipulation and audience participation, creating moments of genuine astonishment. “I’m going to make the impossible possible during that show,” he said of his upcoming St. Louis performance. “I’m going to literally create magic.”
A message of possibility
For Nevo, the “Believe Gala” is about more than just tricks and illusions. It’s about showing that with the right mindset, anything is possible. “Everyone wants to do something to achieve a certain goal and those kids with special needs have some odds against them,” he said. “But I do believe that if they’re in the right mindset and have the right people around them, like Variety, they’ll be able to achieve whatever they want to achieve.”
Mike Lefton, board chairman for Variety St. Louis, echoed this sentiment. “Variety is all about empowering kids with disabilities to reach their fullest potential by providing needed medical equipment, therapies and innovative programming,” he said. “Nevo’s story aligns perfectly with the mission of Variety’s Believe Gala—proving that when you empower young people, provide them with the right tools and support and believe in their abilities, they can achieve greatness far beyond expectations.”
Nevo’s performance promises to be interactive and unpredictable. “I’m going to bring people up on stage, come into the audience, read their minds, guess names, predict numbers and even get a 40-year-old guy to forget his own name,” he said. “I want the audience to be 100% open-minded. I want them to be willing to come on stage and just have fun.”
As for his personal philosophy, Nevo says it all comes down to mindset. “If you think about something, if you imagine it, you can make it happen,” he said. “I’m just trying to show people that.”
Nevo will release his first book, focused on mindset and fulfilling your dreams, on his birthday, Oct. 12, 2025, just after he completes his mandatory service in the Israel Defense Forces. “I want to make it in America,” he said. “I want to show everyone my talent and make them understand that they should go after their dreams.”
Tickets and event details
The Believe Gala takes place on May 16, 2025, at 7 p.m. at the Ritz-Carlton in St. Louis. Tickets are available at www.varietystl.org/BELIEVE.
All proceeds support Variety’s vital programs, providing children and teens with disabilities essential medical equipment, therapies and inclusive arts and recreation programs.
