<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;"><strong>Students at OU's NCSY and Athletes for Israel Shabbaton Meet with Auburn Basketball Coach Bruce Pearl, Cheer on Team at Season’s Opening Game</strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">More than 120 Jewish high school students attended a Shabbaton at Alabama’s Auburn University November 4-7 through NCSY – a division of the Orthodox Union that is the premier national youth organization dedicated to empowering and inspiring Jewish teens – in partnership with Athletes for Israel.</span></p> <p><img src="https://images.baltimorejewishlife.com/v1/albums/ou auburn/ou Auburn 1.JPG?width=720&amp;watermark= &amp;hash=-TCFd-bGS–Pnja5ARt3PMA4DaJ9bhnUeMiLn0wEqnA" _mce_src="https://images.baltimorejewishlife.com/v1/albums/ou auburn/ou Auburn 1.JPG?width=720&amp;watermark= &amp;hash=-TCFd-bGS–Pnja5ARt3PMA4DaJ9bhnUeMiLn0wEqnA" alt=""></p> <p><strong><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: medium; font-family: times new roman, times;">Coach Bruce Pearl speaks to NCSY participants about Zionism and antisemitism</span></strong></p> <p><br><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;"> The purpose of the NCSY/Athletes for Israel Auburn Experience was to show appreciation for Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl’s pro-Israel actions. In August, Pearl sent his team, the Tigers, on a 10-day Birthright-style trip to Israel – organized by Complete Sports Management and Athletes for Israel – during which the team toured Israel and played against three Israeli basketball teams, including Israel’s National Team. After that game, Pearl gave a courtside speech to the 350 NCSY participants in attendance. The talk was shared widely on social media. </span><br><br><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;"> Outspokenly Jewish and pro-Israel, Pearl is co-founder of the Jewish Coaches Association, which hosts an annual breakfast for Jewish NCAA basketball coaches at March Madness, and also coached in the 2009 Maccabiah Games.</span></p> <p><img src="https://images.baltimorejewishlife.com/v1/albums/ou auburn/ou Auburn 2.JPG?width=720&amp;watermark= &amp;hash=RfJ0YkSs_SkcVBt1e5WEZoxLDCLnfqDDrIOEBdmYV_8" _mce_src="https://images.baltimorejewishlife.com/v1/albums/ou auburn/ou Auburn 2.JPG?width=720&amp;watermark= &amp;hash=RfJ0YkSs_SkcVBt1e5WEZoxLDCLnfqDDrIOEBdmYV_8" alt=""></p> <p><span style="font-family: times new roman, times; font-size: medium;" _mce_style="font-family: times new roman, times; font-size: medium;"><strong>NCSY participants at the Auburn Tigers' court, with Coach Bruce Pearl center</strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">During the weekend in Alabama, the students volunteered at a food bank and Storybook Farm, a facility that offers animal therapy for children facing adversity; celebrated Shabbat on the Auburn campus; attended a basketball clinic with Pearl and the Auburn Tigers; and showed support for the team by cheering them on at the team's opening game against George Mason University.</span></p>