Ex-Knick Amar’e Stoudemire reveals his ‘holy life’ in Jerusalem

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On a balmy Middle Eastern morning this past week, ace basketball forward Amar’e Stoudemire was busy doing what he does best. Towering over his fellow players, he maneuvered his lithe physique across the court while counting out slam dunks. Only he was in Jerusalem’s Goldberg Gym. And counting in heavily accented Hebrew. “Ahat, shtayim, shalosh, arba” (“One, two, three, four”), the athlete chanted as he shot hoops and mastered layups outs with Ryan Pannone, assistant coach of local pro team Hapoel Jerusalem, one of 12 teams in Israel’s Premier League. Clad in baggy red shorts and a white tank top — with a tattoo of God’s name inked in Hebrew along a colossal forearm — 33-year-old Amar’e seemed right at home, more than 6,600 miles away from his home country.

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Hebrew Israelites, or “Black Hebrews,” is the general term for the thousands (if not tens of thousands) of African-Americans who, like Amar’e, believe they originate from the ancient Israelite tribes expelled from the Holy Land more than 2,000 years ago. While they’re not formally recognized by mainstream Judaism, Black Hebrews have formed vibrant, yet small, communities across the United States and Israel.

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In their most ascetic form, Black Israelites adhere to a strict vegan diet and abstain from alcohol and most other indulgences. Amar’e’s not quite so temperate. “Well, I do like my whiskey,” he says with a chuckle. “But [my family and I] are mostly kosher and never eat pork or shellfish at home.” Traditional dietary laws are just one of the many Jewish tenets that guided the Stoudemire family even before they came to Israel.

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Nonetheless, Amar’e has cultivated a high-profile social presence. He posed with Jeremy Piven during the actor’s recent Israel visit, appeared at the US ambassador’s residence during a Rosh Hashanah celebration and enjoys dining at Jerusalem hot spots like Karma and Ticho House. Already, Amar’e is easily recognized across the city. “Is that him? Is that him?” squealed a gaggle of awestruck cops in Hebrew when they saw the hoopster this week at a favorite Jerusalem gathering spot. Amar’e may not yet understand their words, but he quickly understood that the police wanted a selfie.

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