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Patriots’ Edelman, a Proud Jew, Is Super Bowl MVP

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February 4, 2019
Patriots’ wide receiver Julian Edelman was selected as the Super Bowl MVP Feb. 3. Photo from Twitter
New England Patriots’ wide receiver Julian Edelman, one of the few NFL players who openly identifies as Jewish, was selected as the Super Bowl MVP Feb. 3 after leading his team to a 13-3 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.

Edelman, 32, provided offense for the Patriots with a game-high 10 catches for 141 yards, eight of which lead to first-downs keeping the ball out of the hands of the Los Angeles Rams.

Edelman, whose father is Jewish, proudly wore his Judaism on his sleeve when he wore an Israeli flag pin during one of the games, tweeted about the Jewish holidays and spoke about his Birthright Israel experience.

In 2017, PJ Library incorporated Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism, into the notes at the back of Edelman’s autobiographical children’s book “Fly High.” The book was sent out to children all over the country.

In 2017, The Jerusalem Post spoke to Edelman about the book that quotes Herzl’s most famous saying, “If you will it, it is no dream.”

“It definitely has meaning for me,” Edelman said.

Following the killing of 11 people at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh last November, Edelman wore special cleats with “Eitz Hayim” (Tree of Life)  on them with a tree logo and a Star of David.

According to Times of Israel, Edelman finished the regular season with 74 catches and a team-high 850 receiving yards with six touchdowns. During New England’s first two playoffs games, Edelman had 16 catches for a team-high 247 yards.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady had won four of the MVP awards in the Patriots’ previous five Super Bowl victories.

This year, Edelman receives his first.

“I didn’t go to bed, but it still doesn’t seem that real,” he said on the Today Show Feb. 4. “Honestly I haven’t had a real moment to sit back and kind of think about it… The grind of a football season is so mentally, physically and emotionally exhausting, especially after playing a game like that. I’m really just kind of tired and just want to go home and relax on the couch.”

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