Jewish Journal Article on Jordan Farmar

This article on Bruin/Laker Jordan Farmar discusses (among other things) his being the only Jewish player in the NBA, his role on the Lakers and some of his off-the-court community activities.

It also discusses the history of Jews in basketball, a sport at one time heavily populated by Jewish players.

Indeed, a sport once dominated by Jews now counts only one MOT at the highest level. And Farmar, who doesn’t celebrate Jewish holidays and considers himself spiritual but not religious, is no Sandy Koufax. At the same time, though, Farmar doesn’t shy away from his Jewish heritage, from the mixed racial and ethnic identity to which it contributes or from the pride that many Jews take in having their own hoop hero.

“People see me as somebody they can relate to,” said Farmar, whose mother is Jewish and father, who is black, is Christian. “It’s not something I even think about. It’s more them relating to me; just me representing them and their people and what they believe and stand for. I don’t make a big deal about it. I don’t deny it or don’t stress it. I just live my life and be who I am.”

I thought it was an interesting article -- Jordan is a good kid.

(For those who might not know -- MOT = Member of the Tribe, it's a way some Jewish people refer to themselves and other Jewish people.)