Auburn coach Bruce Pearl, Florida's Todd Golden, and Duke's Jon Scheyer are Jewish head coaches at the Final Four, a point of pride for the Jewish community amid rising antisemitism and the Israel-Hamas conflict. Pearl is the most outspoken about his Judaism and pro-Israel activism, publicly calling for the release of an American hostage in Gaza. All three coaches have direct basketball connections to Israel, with Pearl taking his team on a playing tour of the country in 2022. Pearl was also a co-founder of the Jewish Coaches Association, which mentors and advocates for Jewish coaches.
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Source Id: 2025-04-681811545
