Is Amar'e Stoudemire Jewish? Stoudemire In Israel Learning Hebrew

by NowPublic Staff | July 29, 2010 at 10:18 am

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New York Knick Amar'e Stoudemire Maybe Jewish - Travels To Israel To Investigate Roots, Learn Hebrew

Former Phoenix Suns, recently signed, New York Knick, Amar'e Stoudemire maybe Jewish - apparently on his mother's side.

The news of Amar'e Stoudemire possibly being Jewish spread via the Huffington post, via Haaretz newspaper which quoted Army radio.

According to an Army Radio report, the Florida native plans to spend time in Israel learning Hebrew, having recently learned he has a Jewish mother.

News of Stoudemire's trip quickly had Israeli basketball fans abuzz with speculation that they might one day see him playing alongside another Jewish NBA star, Omri Casspi, on Israel's national team.

TMZ has learned NBA superstar Amar'e Stoudemire has not found concrete evidence that proves he comes from Jewish lineage ... but he's definitely looking.

Stoudemire's agent tells us, "I know there are some reports that he is Jewish, but he is not. He thinks there may be some Jewish blood on his mother's side and he is researching it."

So Amar'e Stoudemire went to Isarael to find out more and investigate his potential Jewish heritage and learn more about Jewish culture - how do we know this to be true? Just check Amar'e Stoudemire's official Twitter account.

Jerusalem is a beautiful city, I'm at a cafe eating a late lunch. I learning Hebrew by the min. Keep up !! 6:55 AM Jul 28th via Echofon

On the flight to Israel. This is going to be a great trip. The holy land. Learn about it. This ze ha'halom sheli. Shalom. 1:49 PM Jul 27th via Echofon

Jewish focused online blogs are both welcoming and questioning Amar'e Stoudemire's possible Jewish heritage - especially the part about learning Hebrew.

...if you’ve ever tried to learn a language, after all–especially one with a different alphabet–you would know that such a process takes a little bit longer than this.

Even still, we’re impressed by Amar’e’s initiative to connect with his roots (even if it turns out just to be a big ploy for publicity), and we will, as Amar’e’s twitter page urges his followers, “keep up!!” with his journey to the “Holy Land.”