Super Bowl LIII might not have been the most exciting game in the series’ history, but one exciting thing did come out of the event: It resulted in the first Jewish Super Bowl player named MVP. While Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman, 32, is not considered part of the tribe by Jewish religious law (Jewish father, non-Jewish mother), he has displayed a keen identification with the Jewish People. Edelman wrote a children’s book that refers to Theodore Herzl, the founder of Zionism. Following the deadly Tree of Life shooting in Pittsburgh, he wore football cleats with a large Star of David and the synagogue’s name in Hebrew (Etz Chayim) to honor those killed and injured.
Quote: “I mean, I think everyone at this level has a chip on their shoulder. Everyone’s got a story. Everyone has had to go through some adversity to get to where they are at so, I guess, we all do.”
Sources: Wikipedia, The Times of Israel, AZQuotes
Learn more about Julian Edelman on Wikipedia. >>
Read more about ways Julian Edelman has expressed his connection to the Jewish People. >>
Watch John Berman’s CNN interview with Edelman the day after the Patriots’ Super Bowl win [4:45]. >>
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