In a wide-ranging interview that aired on Wednesday, Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl emphasized the importance of preserving the Jewish people amid Israel's ongoing war with Hamas and Hezbollah.
Pearl, who in the interview discussed how blessed he is to be a Jewish basketball coach in not only America but also in Auburn, told the "Standpoint" podcast that it was in the "best interest" of Middle Eastern countries to utilize Israel as an ally and identify who the terrorists are. He also urged other Jews to live an "exemplary life" so others will recognize they have a "right to exist."
"We can't educate everybody — I think that's one of the best ways to long-term peace is through education and through peace and prosperity and through economic co-existence," Pearl told host Gabe Groisman. "Every country should do what's in their best interest, and it's in the best interest of the countries in the Middle East to have Israel as an ally. And it's in their best interest also to recognize who the terrorists are. And understand that we have two choices: the first thing is we must protect ourselves from those that want to kill us ... and say over and over again that they want to kill us."
"And the second thing we've got to do is we've got to live an exemplary life," he continued. "Israel's got to live by a different standard. Jews, we have to and should live by a different standard. We're God's chosen people, and so we need to be kinder, we need to be more generous, we need to be more loving, we need to be more patient, we need to be the best versions of what we can possibly be, and then maybe just maybe the ones who are undecided will recognize that our faith and who we are and how we're commanded to live this life is worthy of their recognition that we have a right to exist. And that's obviously something we're looking to fight for."
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