Nets coach vows support for Jewish community following Australia Hanukkah attack: ‘A sad day’

NEW YORK – The Brooklyn Nets paid tribute to the victims of the Sydney Hanukkah massacre in a Hanukkah celebration at the Barclays Center during the team’s game against the Miami Heat on Thursday night. 

Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez said that the team’s thoughts and prayers were with the Jewish community. 

“Yeah, I mean all our thoughts and prayers (are) with the community, and it was a sad day. You never want to see it, doesn’t matter beliefs, religion,” Fernandez told reporters during his postgame press conference. 

“It was sad, it should’ve never happened, and you don’t want to see that anywhere in the world. Anything we can do to show support we will.”

A giant basketball menorah was lit during the game by the 14-year-old nephew of Rabbi Eli Schlanger, who was killed in the Sydney massacre last week. The ceremony was facilitated by the Chabad Teen Network, the world’s largest teen organization. 

Fox News Digital spoke with Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky of Chabad World Headquarters, who said the Nets recognizing Hanukkah and celebrating Jewish heritage is one of the things that “makes America great.”

NETS HONOR AUSTRALIA HANUKKAH ATTACK VICTIMS, LIGHT MENORAH DURING GAME

“I think that it is really, really incredible to see America in its whole glory, where it stands for what we believe in. And we celebrate our ideals and our traditions, and our holidays, and it’s supported by the Nets, which is an incredible franchise,” Kotlarsky said.

“To be able to recognize and give a voice to many teens who might not be in a Jewish school or might not be in a Jewish (ChaBad), to celebrate their heritage proudly is one of the things that makes America great. One of the things that makes sports, the tool and the vessel that it is, to cross the aisles and empower young people to be proud of who they are.”

The Nets have two Jewish players on their team, Danny Wolf and Ben Saraf, and Kotlarsky said they are inspiring the youth, showing them that they can follow their dreams without compromising their values. 

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Wolf played over 12 minutes in the team’s 106-95 loss to the Heat, scoring eight points while snaring two rebounds.

“People see that no matter where you come from and where your humble beginnings are, you can still be proud of who you are and make it to the top, and you’re celebrated for who (you are). I think the key message, about the whole holiday, is one that we celebrate proudly, that light has infinitely more power than darkness and to have them on the team to be able to say, ‘You’re passionate about basketball, and you can make it,” Kotlarsky said.

“You can celebrate who you are.”

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