Alef: The NEXT Conversation

Seton Hall Jews

By  Benjamin Levin Purkert

My friend Dave and I are your typical Jewish guys. We both fast on Yom Kippur, and we both quote Larry David. But there is one thing that sets us apart: We’re completely fanatical about Seton Hall men’s basketball.

If you’ve never heard of Seton Hall, you’re not alone. (Although you probably wouldn’t “survive” growing up in New Jersey.) With approximately 5,000 undergraduates, SHU is a relatively small university, serving students mostly from the metropolitan area.

Oh, and it’s Catholic.

So, how did two Jews end up such die-hard Seton Hall fans? It’s definitely weird, and even weirder considering neither of us matriculated there!

For the answer, you first need to understand a little more about this Seton Hall team. Frequently overmatched and seemingly outnumbered, Seton Hall is one of college basketball’s scrappiest. In a Big East conference full of Goliaths like Syracuse and UCONN, Seton Hall is truly a David among them, stone in hand.

Let me introduce you to Seton Hall’s reserve point guard, Jordan Theodore. At just under six feet, Jordan compensates for his lack of size with lightning quick defense and gritty determination. With seemingly more arms than a Hanukkah menorah, Jordan frustrates opposing guards by contesting passes and swiping at every dribble. Talk about making the most of your oil!

Will Jordan Theodore ever make the NBA? Fat chance. But that doesn’t mean he can’t dream, that he can’t give everything he’s got, training constantly to improve every facet of his game.

As Jews, we know a little something about overcoming odds. Perhaps this explains why every Seton Hall game is so endlessly engaging. Perhaps it explains why Dave and I have traveled so many hundreds of miles to support our team, including visits to Louisville, Morgantown, and San Juan. (I recommend the plantain omelet.) And we’ve cultivated countless friendships along the way, getting to know our fellow boosters and even the players themselves!

But there’s another dimension to our passion. While Seton Hall’s never-say-die spirit is what we may identify with culturally as Jews, it’s the university’s motto that we find most compelling. A mixture of Norman French and Old English, the Seton Hall seal reads: “Hazard Zet Forward.” Roughly translated: “At whatever risk, yet go forward.”

What’s the significance, you ask? Perhaps the only thing that defines our collective Jewish identity more than our people’s improbable survival is our legendary neuroticism. How often do we fixate on details? Brood over decisions? I know I do.

Seton Hall teaches us that it’s okay to move on. That, even in the face of “hazard,” we must step boldly without constantly looking back. It’s Jordan Theodore taking the court without second-guessing or over-thinking. He just plays his heart out. And that, even Larry David would agree with.

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Want to read more about Dave and Ben’s passion for Seton Hall hoops? Follow them on their blog: www.setonia.blogspot.com

Tags: Basketball, College, Sports

Posted by Rafi, Thursday, January 21st, 2010, 9:02 am, Jews and Sports.

2 Responses to “Seton Hall Jews”

1. Liv says:

   January 21, 2010 at 10:52 am

   Your use of similes and Jewtaphors is exquisite. Well done.
2. Peter says:

   January 22, 2010 at 10:06 am

   Great article! And I enjoyed the links. That plantain omelet may not leave you too svelt but it looks delish.