Jewish sports fans to Bama star Jeudy: We’re honored, no apology needed

Jerry Jeudy sports his Star of David necklace during the Walk of Champions before a recent game in Tuscaloosa

While former Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy issued an apology for anyone who was offended by his wearing a Star of David necklace, the overwhelming response online has been supportive of him, along with a lot of invitations to visit Israel by players in Israel’s league of American football.

During his media session at the National Football League Scouting Combine on Feb. 25, he was asked about the gold necklace he was wearing, and said he got it because “My last name’s Jeudy. People sometimes call me ‘Jew’.” He added that he isn’t Jewish.

A little while later, he tweeted “Don’t mean no disrespect to the Jewish people! I’m sorry to the people who take my chain offensive!!”

But judging from the Twitter reaction, those taking offense were few and far between, with a lot of people calling him a mensch, and far more people taking offense at anyone who would find Jeudy’s actions offensive.

Jeudy has worn the necklace for a while, including at the Citrus Bowl in January, when Alabama thrashed Michigan.

Current Alabama student Jeremy Berglass said “We take your chain as a great compliment” and invited Jeudy to Passover at the Zeta Beta Tau house, one of a slew of Passover and Shabbat invitations that were issued.

Brandon Davis said “as a representative of many Jewish Alabama football fans, we welcome your support and would like to thank you for your support.”

Richard Silfen, a Jewish Alabama alumnus, said he is proud of being Jewish and of Alabama, “and pleased to see you and anyone else respectfully wear the Star of David. No apology necessary.”

“Bluegrass Rabbi” Shlomo Litvin, a Pittsburgh Steelers fan and co-director of Chabad at the University of Kentucky, told Jeudy “you remind me of the Jewish people. No matter how many players oppose you, you juke, jump, slip and shake, and refuse to go down. What could be more Jewish than that?”

Of course, many Jewish sports fans responded with enthusiastic “one of us!” images, or had an image of an Orthodox man selecting Jeudy for the Jewish people. One said that the Jews were cutting Harvey Weinstein and picking up Jeudy.

Some also pointed out that Louis Armstrong wore a Star of David necklace, as a tribute to the kindness of the Karnofsky family of New Orleans toward him when he was a child. Elvis Presley also had an affinity toward Jews, but wore his respect as a Chai necklace instead of the Star of David.

One Florida Gator fan, though, in welcoming Jeudy to the tribe, said “You’re now experiencing what is referred to as Jewish guilt.”