Is Amare Stoudemire Jewish? Knick Shows Star Of David Tattoo, Wears Yarmulke (VIDEO)

NBA star Amar'e Stoudemire went to Israel last week to discover his Jewish roots on his mothers side. As the speculation has grown about whether or not the current New York Knick is Jewish, a clear-cut answer has yet to emerge.

Stoudemire recently discussed his trip and the goals of his visit to Israel in an interview on Israeli television. When asked whether he is Jewish, Stoudemire said "through history, we all are." He even speaks a little Hebrew -- just like Shaq!

Towards the end of the interview, Stoudemire shows off his Star of David tattoo and reveals that he is wearing a yarmulke. Scroll down to watch the video and see pictures of his tattoo and yarmulke.

WATCH:

Comments

[Christopher Jorge]

05:24 AM on 08/17/2010

Guess who brought the slaves to america???

Rabbi Mar Lee tells all !

http://www.blacksandjews.com/MarcLeeRaphael.html

here's a couple great books about who brought the slaves to america.

http://www.coffinman.co.uk/White%20-%20Who%20Brought%20the%20Slaves%20to%20America%20%28suppressed%20role%20of%20jews%20in%20black%20slavery%29%20%281968%29.pdf

http://media.wix.com/ugd/7337c235a39a913b15eb991494a7ca32.ugd?dn=The%20Secret%20Relationship%20between%20Blacks%20and%20Jews.pdf

and here's my blog

http://kikesinthecupboard.blogspot.com/

[Joshik72]

12:07 AM on 08/18/2010

I would offer a nasty reply, but after seeing his paranoid schizophrenic blog, I just feel sad for him...

[Christopher Jorge]

08:28 AM on 08/19/2010

"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." ~ Arthur Schopenhauer

[booboo111]

11:04 PM on 08/10/2010

He can still be Bar Mitzvahed. You can do it at any age.

[danny saunders]

10:02 PM on 08/04/2010

Sweet tattoo ... I've been SO wanting to get one!

[The Commish]

09:25 AM on 08/04/2010

What's the big deal. A black person can't be Jewish?

[Anthony Garnett]

02:39 PM on 08/04/2010

The media is acting like he is the first black Jew.

[runforfun54]

05:54 PM on 08/04/2010

No, they're acting like he's a PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE who is acknowledging his Jewish roots.

[1jadednewyorker]

08:33 AM on 08/04/2010

...stupid

[AngusC]

03:20 AM on 08/04/2010

This is pretty pathetic and pretty stupid considering if i am correct, the Jewish religion frowns on tattoos.
If I remember you cannot even be buried in a Jewish cemetery if you have a tattoo.

[Aaron Mishler]

10:50 PM on 08/04/2010

That's a myth

[Jonathan Bloomfield]

09:50 AM on 08/05/2010

You can't be buried in a jewish cemetary if you have a tatoo. Unless you have numbers from the Holocaust. Look it up

[bbsnews]

12:46 AM on 08/04/2010

Is this like cracker jacks? Does he get a peanut and a prize?

I heard on the other grapevine that Jesus redeems sinners for cash and valuable prizes.

Still no answer on where all the virgins come from the other one...

Present day monotheistic wise of course.

[hey0there]

12:27 AM on 08/04/2010

my great grandmother was jewish

now my brain hurts

[ZenSufi]

07:41 PM on 08/03/2010

Not sure if tattooing is kosher:

"The prohibition of tattooing is found in the Torah: "You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead, or incise any marks on yourselves: I am the Lord" (Leviticus 19:28).

In our day, the prohibition against all forms of tattooing regardless of their intent, should be maintained. In addition to the fact that Judaism has a long history of distaste for tattoos, tattooing becomes even more distasteful in a contemporary secular society that is constantly challenging the Jewish concept that we are created b'tzelem Elokim (in the image of God) and that our bodies are to be viewed as a precious gift on loan from God, to be entrusted into our care and [are] not our personal property to do with as we choose. Voluntary tattooing even if not done for idolatrous purposes expresses a negation of this fundamental Jewish perspective."

http://www.myjewishlearning.com/practices/Ethics/Our_Bodies/Adorning_the_Body/Tattoos.shtml

[hey0there]

09:36 PM on 08/03/2010

isnt leviticus where gays are called an abomination before god?

[ZenSufi]

09:57 PM on 08/03/2010

Male homosexual acts, yes, but not lesbian acts.

[SierraPants]

09:52 AM on 08/16/2010

I got a tattoo when I was 19, but am 27 now and interested in converting. Perhaps that's what happened with Amar'e?

[Frustrated in PA]

04:36 PM on 08/03/2010

I can't for the life of me figure out why it is important, newsworthy or a big deal whether or not he is of the Jewish faith? I am not trying to be one of those "who cares" posters I genuinely don't understand the big deal. This is probably the 3rd article I have read on this subject but I still don't get it.

[OMDU]

10:41 PM on 08/03/2010

Thank you. I've been asking the same thing, and I'm not afraid of being categorized with the "who cares" crew. Somebody in the HP sports editorial room is really pushing this. As I asked before, if Amare had gone to Africa to reconnect with his African roots, would HP cover it?

[MXL]

06:29 AM on 08/04/2010

I'm with you two. And I'm an Amare fan.

[Fractal122635]

03:22 PM on 09/10/2010

It's a big deal for a combination of factors. The relative paucity of Jewish Athletes. The fact that he is now a NY Knick and that NY has the largest Jewish population of any city in the world. That he is OPENLY embracing it (as opposed to many, like the Mets Ike Davis, who either were raised non observant, or pass it off as unimportant).
That he traveled to Israel to connect to his roots which resonates with a certain segment of American Jews (unfortunately a minority despite what non Jews believe) who value Israel as a bullwork against worldwide antisemitism.

That he openly declared it during a time of increasingly frantic anti Jewish rhetoric, and even more anti Israel frothing (see any article on Hoffpost regarding Israel).
And finally, while there are huge numbers of black Jews, there are not many AMERICAN black Jews. There are the falosh mora in Ethipia, the Ethiopians who were airlifted to Israel in the '80s and the Lemba in South Africa, among others.

[Prousa]

04:13 PM on 08/03/2010

You want I should bust a cap in yo ***?

[El]

10:39 PM on 08/03/2010

HA!

[bwright85]

04:10 PM on 08/03/2010

I really really hppe he his Jewish on his mother's side, otherwise he's just a black dude running around in Isreal with a permanent Star of David tattoo and a yarmulke on his head....awkwaaaard lol.

[UnknownSolider]

09:45 PM on 08/03/2010

please get yourself informed

Hebrews come in all colors, Ethiopia has a HUGE population of Jews, the ones with black skin, you know Africa.....

The Hebrews ended up in Egypt by following the flow of the Nile river........ never mind

[Vernon Gudger]

02:15 AM on 08/04/2010

There is no historical evidence outside of the so-called holy books that a sect practicing the Jewish faith were ever in Egypt. As for Ethiopians who practice Judaism just like other religions Judaism spreaded with the movement of people and their cultures. There are Ethiopian Christians, Muslims and other religious sects. So, stop trying to legitimatize your premise with Ethiopian Jews!

[MXL]

06:36 AM on 08/04/2010

I think you took her comment a little too seriously. She wasn't questioning whether Amare CAN be Jewish and Black, she was saying she hopes he ACTUALLY IS Jewish, otherwise he's just a random, non-Jewish Black dude in Israel with a religious tattoo and a yarmulke. She finds humor in how awkward that would probably be.

Your understanding of history is admirable and I'm glad you got a chance to display a bit of it, but you've gotta pick your spots a little better. Lighten up.

[tlaltecuhtli]

10:04 PM on 08/03/2010

Suggestion: read up on the Ethiopian Falashas and other groups of Black Jews. Won't ask you to point them out on a map ... don't want to embarrass you in front of the goyim.

[William Munny]

09:43 AM on 08/03/2010

If nothing else this was interesting.

[NatTurner1]

01:10 AM on 08/03/2010

The interviewer seemed a bit condescending. I guess that is typical.

[DessLoch]

06:43 AM on 08/03/2010

Nah, he just doesn't have the gift of gab that we are used to seeing in Sports Reporters the world over. I doubt he is very experienced either. I know Hebrew accents can sound abrupt but this guy was Mr. Monotone. In fact, both guys were. Stoudemire doesn't exactly ooze charisma when he talks. He's cute though especially in that yamulka.

[bfar]

09:30 AM on 08/04/2010

Typical of who, Nat?

[NatTurner1]

10:01 AM on 08/04/2010

I have discovered that "typical" is one if not "the" most powerful words in a debate. It initiates this incredible defence mechanism. In my research, whenever I mention, "You are just being 'typical'", an immediate self-reflection to whatever one would assume is negative is invoked. It is amazing. It's almost like a deer in the headlight look. Even if I am not armed with facts, I simply use "typical" throughout the debate and a look of self-defeat appears. It's truly a gotcha moment.

My use here seems to have you on your heels. Like you are on the verge of waiting to hear something you can pounce on. In your mind, you "assume" you know what I am refering to...but you need to see it! I love it!

[phuqabolic]

12:12 AM on 08/03/2010

did he say "original land"?....lol

[booboo111]

12:58 AM on 08/03/2010

Shaq has embodied his Jewish roots. I recently attended his Bar Mitzvah which was better late than never.He now uses the hebrew style fist pump, where the thumb is placed inside the fingers. Shalom Amare and welcome to the tribe. This may start a trend in the NBA, and the players will all convert and wear their obligatory yarmukas with the team logos and numbers printed on them, which will naturally become licensed NBA attire competing with the jerseys and sneakers available at your local sports store.

[booboo111]

01:03 AM on 08/03/2010

Team Yarmulkas will be hitting the sports stores soon!

[DessLoch]

06:44 AM on 08/03/2010

Hopefully made of some miracle microfiber that wicks away head sweat.