Julian Edelman offers Meyers Leonard 'some perspective' after Heat center's use of anti-Semitic slur
Meyers Leonard has been placed on an indefinite leave of absence from the Miami Heat after he used an anti-Semitic slur during a video game stream on Twitch.
Leonard has been heavily criticized for his comments, but New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman, who is Jewish, did not slam the 29-year-old as many have. Instead, Edelman offered Leonard "some perspective" on the situation and invited him to a Shabbat dinner.
During Shabbat, Jewish people remember the story of creation from the Torah where God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh day, according to the Jewish Museum London. The museum provides a great explanation of Shabbat and all that occurs during a Shabbat dinner in the following video:
Leonard, who apologized for his comments, said he is "committed to properly seeking out people who can help educate me about this type of hate and how we can fight it." Having dinner with Edelman would undoubtedly be beneficial for the Illinois native.
Edelman is no stranger to educating people on Jewish history and culture. After former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson cited a fake Adolf Hitler quote in a series of social media posts in July 2020, Edelman spoke to him about the incident and he accepted the Patriots star's offer to go to the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. and further educate himself.
Edelman wrote in his autobiography, "Relentless," that he researched his ancestry to learn more about his Jewish background and has spoke about experiencing a Jewish reawakening in the past.
More must-reads: