*NBA star Amar’e Stoudemire posted a video to his Instagram account on Saturday pleading for an end to anti-semitism in the Black community.
In the clip, Stoudemire says he wants to “address the situation that happened in Monsey, with the brother that [committed] attacks on the Jewish people.” He’s referring to the violent attack at the home of Hassidic rabbi Chaim Rottenberg during a celebration on the seventh night of Hanukkah on December 28.
“One thing we gotta realize is that African Americans are also semitic people, being that they are from the lost tribes of Israel, so therefore if you have any antisemitic comments, you are actually showing your ignorance because you are speaking against yourself. Secondly, for you to attack someone who’s trying to keep the ordinance of God, who’s trying to keep the commandments, trying to reach a high level of righteousness, for you to attack someone in that manner shows another level of ignorance. So therefore, it’s unacceptable to have antisemitic slurs or any hate crime, especially if you are a man of God.”
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Watch as former NBA star Amar’e Stoudemire @Amareisreal calls out the increase of anti-Semitic attacks in New York
pic.twitter.com/paLwesfShQ— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) January 4, 2020
Stoudemire became an Israeli citizen in March 2019, and is in the process of converting to Judaism, according to jpost.com. The outlet also notes that he co-owns the Hapoel basketball team and frequently posts updates on Instagram about his Torah study. Stoudemire also has a wine label, Stoudemire Cellars, that is produced at the Tulip Winery in Kfar HaTikvah.
His Instagram message continued: “So, my condolences go out to the rebbe’s family in Monsey and all the Jewish people worldwide. Stay strong in your faith, in your belief, and Israelites, do not allow this to be something that hinders your belief. Stay strong, teach peace and love, and continue to grow as a people, and therefore, when the Moshiach (Hebrew for Messiah)-time comes, they will be ready to walk into the kingdom. But until then, teach love and peace to you and your families, as the Torah and the Bible teaches, and move forward. All right? So, again, my condolences goes out to the rebbe’s family out in Monsey, peace and love and b’ezrat ha shem (Hebrew for with God’s help), we will be able to move past this and continue to grow, in the ordinance and according to God and the Torah, and continue to build to reach a high level of righteousness. I’m on vacation now with the family, but I’m gonna get with you all later. Peace.”
Watch his video message via the Twitter embed above.
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