{"id":70557,"date":"2022-11-21T14:37:34","date_gmt":"2022-11-21T19:37:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/?p=70557"},"modified":"2022-11-21T14:37:34","modified_gmt":"2022-11-21T19:37:34","slug":"as-kyrie-irving-offers-deep-apologies-and-returns-to-nets-black-hebrew-israelites-rally-in-brooklyn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/as-kyrie-irving-offers-deep-apologies-and-returns-to-nets-black-hebrew-israelites-rally-in-brooklyn\/","title":{"rendered":"As Kyrie Irving offers \u2018deep apologies\u2019 and returns to Nets, Black Hebrew Israelites rally in Brooklyn"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>By JACOB GURVIS<\/p>\n<p>(JTA) \u2014 Kyrie Irving returned Sunday from an eight-game suspension after again apologizing for promoting an antisemitic film on Twitter.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_70558\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/11-21-22-Kyrie.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-70558\" class=\"wp-image-70558 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/11-21-22-Kyrie-300x167.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"167\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/11-21-22-Kyrie-300x167.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/11-21-22-Kyrie-1024x569.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/11-21-22-Kyrie-768x427.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/11-21-22-Kyrie-1536x853.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/11-21-22-Kyrie-2048x1138.jpg 2048w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/167;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-70558\" class=\"wp-image-70558 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/11-21-22-Kyrie-300x167.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"167\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/11-21-22-Kyrie-300x167.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/11-21-22-Kyrie-1024x569.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/11-21-22-Kyrie-768x427.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/11-21-22-Kyrie-1536x853.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/11-21-22-Kyrie-2048x1138.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/noscript><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-70558\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Members of the Israel United in Christ hate group gathered outside Barclays Center Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. (Screenshot from Twitter)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cI just want to offer my deep apologies to all those who were impacted over these last few weeks, specifically my Jewish relatives, my Black relatives, all races and cultures,\u201d Irving said prior to Sunday\u2019s game between his Brooklyn Nets and the Memphis Grizzlies. \u201cFeel like we all felt an impact and I don\u2019t stand for anything close to hate speech or antisemitism or anything that is \u2018anti,\u2019 going against the human race.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Irving also seemed to reflect on the way he handled the now month-long saga, which included his repeated refusal to apologize for his tweet and his insistence that he \u201ccannot be antisemitic.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Irving continued: \u201cI feel like we all should have an opportunity to speak for ourselves when things are assumed about us and I feel it was necessary for me to stand in this place and take accountability for my actions, because there was a way I should have handled all this and as I look back and reflect when I had the opportunity to offer my deep regrets to anyone that felt threatened or felt hurt by what I posted, that wasn\u2019t my intent at all.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Irving had ultimately apologized Nov. 3, hours after his suspension was announced. \u201cTo All Jewish families and Communities that are hurt and affected from my post, I am deeply sorry to have caused you pain, and I apologize,\u201d Irving wrote in an Instagram post.<\/p>\n<p>Critics of Kyrie\u2019s decision to tweet a link to the film, \u201cHebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America,\u201d noted that it boosted sales of the film and a related book that promotes the idea that Jews were heavily involved in the Atlantic slave trade, denies the Holocaust and says Black people are the real Jews.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Followers of a group that ascribes to such theories gathered at the Grand Army Plaza, a half mile from the Nets\u2019 arena Sunday, chanting \u201cit\u2019s time to wake up. I\u2019ve got good news for you, we are the real Jews.\u201d The group included dozens of people from Israel United in Christ, a New York-based group associated with the Black Hebrew Israelite movement. The movement \u2014 not to be confused with the International Israelite Board of Rabbis, which embraces mainstream Jewish beliefs \u2014 has been designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.<\/p>\n<p>The group then convened directly outside Barclays Center, distributing antisemitic flyers titled \u201cThe Truth About Anti-Semitism\u201d and \u201cThe Truth about Slavery.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Kyrie Irving has a lot of support outside of Barclays Center today <\/p>\n<p>(Via <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PlainJaneDee_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@PlainJaneDee_<\/a>)  <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/DQpSAJ0ool\">pic.twitter.com\/DQpSAJ0ool<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TheDunkCentral\/status\/1594453487873843202?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 20, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>When asked about the demonstration after the game, Irving first said he was unaware of what had happened. When given more information by a reporter, Irving declined to comment.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think that\u2019s a conversation for another day. I\u2019m just here to focus on the game,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown, who, along with Irving, is a vice president of the NBA Players Association, retweeted a video of the group with the caption \u201cEnergy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He later clarified that he \u201cwas not aware of what specific group\u201d was in the video, and was \u201ccelebrating the unification of our people welcoming the return of Kyrie to the court.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Irving scored 14 points in 26 minutes in Sunday\u2019s game, saying afterward that \u201cit felt good\u201d to be back. \u201cNow we can move forward with the rest of the season,\u201d he added. When asked if he planned to file a grievance for his suspension, Irving did not directly answer.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have some strong people, men and women, around me that are going to do everything possible to make sure that I\u2019m protected and my family\u2019s protected and we protect one another, so I\u2019m sure some things will be done in the future,\u201d Irving said. \u201cThere\u2019s no timetable on that right now.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Irving was suspended for at least five games Nov. 3, days after he shared the film on Twitter and after considerable pressure from Jewish groups and others around sports. Nike also severed ties with Irving.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The Nets had laid out a slate of \u201cremedial steps\u201d the star point guard would need to take in order to be reinstated. Among them was meeting with Jewish leaders, including the Anti-Defamation League, which has been advising the Nets throughout the controversy.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>According to NBC News, the Nets praised Irving for his actions since the suspension. \u201cKyrie took ownership of this journey and had conversations with several members of the Jewish community,\u201d the team said in a statement. \u201cWe are pleased that he is going about the process in a meaningful way.\u201d<\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:20px; padding-top:10px;\" class=\"hupso-share-buttons\"><!-- Hupso Share Buttons - https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/ --><a class=\"hupso_toolbar\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/share-medium.png\" style=\"border:0px; padding-top: 5px; float:left;\" alt=\"Share Button\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/share-medium.png\" style=\"border:0px; padding-top: 5px; float:left;\" alt=\"Share Button\"\/><\/noscript><\/a><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var hupso_services_t=new Array(\"Twitter\",\"Facebook\",\"Google Plus\",\"Pinterest\",\"Linkedin\",\"Tumblr\",\"Email\");var hupso_background_t=\"#EAF4FF\";var hupso_border_t=\"#66CCFF\";var hupso_toolbar_size_t=\"medium\";var hupso_image_folder_url = \"\";var hupso_url_t=\"\";var hupso_title_t=\"As%20Kyrie%20Irving%20offers%20%E2%80%98deep%20apologies%E2%80%99%20and%20returns%20to%20Nets%2C%20Black%20Hebrew%20Israelites%20rally%20in%20Brooklyn\";<\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/js\/share_toolbar.js\"><\/script><!-- Hupso Share Buttons --><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":70558,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1491],"tags":[8790,8795,12660,8788],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70557"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=70557"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70557\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":70559,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70557\/revisions\/70559"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/70558"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=70557"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=70557"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=70557"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}