Bruce Pearl wore a Steph Curry Under Armour jumpsuit without an Auburn logo to the Auburn Dream Center on Thursday. It’s a distinction between Bruce Pearl and the head coach of Auburn men’s basketball.
Wednesday, at the SEC Basketball Tipoff media event in Birmingham, he wore an Auburn polo and when he was asked about politics he quickly made the separation again.
“Guys, you guys know I stand with Israel,” Pearl said Wednesday. “But I’m very pleased today to talk about Auburn basketball. I’m really grateful for all the questions about Auburn basketball today. We could talk about other stuff at other times.”
That was Bruce Pearl on behalf of Auburn and his basketball team. On Thursday, when Pearl was just Pearl — to express himself and on the subjects he cares about. Often that is Israel and his faith as an outspoken Jew. That’s been especially true during the continuing Israel-Hamas war.
Pearl has held multiple speaking events in support of Israel. On Thursday, he worked in conjunction with Auburn’s Hillel chapter to organize a charity event at the Dream Center to pack boxes of supplies, food and other assorted items for Israeli children and soldiers.
Members of the Auburn baseball team write letters to Israeli children and soldiers. Bruce Pearl and Auburn’s Hillel chapter organized the charity event at the Auburn Dream Center on Oct. 19, 2023.
Meagan Norris, the outreach coordinator for the Dream Center, said she only expected around 15 people to come. It was a Thursday afternoon after all.
But there were at least 50 people. The event was scheduled to last from 4-6, figuring it would take two hours to load all the boxes. It only took about 20 minutes with that many hands.
Thursday was an off day for the Auburn basketball team. Normally, graduate guard Lior Berman said, they spend the day stretching, recovering and resting back on the couch. But Pearl said he asked Berman to speak after an Auburn practice Wednesday, explaining
So they used their day off to come.
Auburn forward Johni Broome stands with Athletes for Israel founder Daniel Posner holding an Israeli flag. Bruce Pearl and Auburn’s Hillel chapter organized the charity event at the Auburn Dream Center on Oct. 19, 2023.
Auburn forwards Johni Broome and Dylan Cardwell both came as two of the many members of the team with connections to Israel even though they aren’t Jewish because of their trip to Israel in 2022. But guard Chaney Johnson wasn’t on Auburn’s team then. He came to pack boxes anyway.
“It’s bigger than me,” Johnson said. “It’s not about the connection.”
Johnson helped open up and tape together the cardboard boxes before they were sent down the line to be filled.
Auburn men’s basketball guard Chaney Johnson helped pack boxes to send to Israel. Bruce Pearl and Auburn’s Hillel chapter organized the charity event at the Auburn Dream Center on Oct. 19, 2023.
On tables around the room were packs of toothbrushes and toothpaste. Shampoo and soap. Band-aids and gloves. Slippers and sweatshirts. Deodorant and Advil. And packs and packs of candy.
The items were purchased all in about 48 hours of fundraising. Norris said Hillel raised around $7,000 to prepare. Berman and graduate assistant Geoff Gray led much of the fundraising efforts — something Berman said he’d never done before.
All of Berman’s coaches — Pearl, Steven Pearl, Chad Prewett, Corey Williams, Ira Bowman and Mike Burgomaster — came to help fill boxes. The Auburn baseball team helped too, including writing letters to Israeli kids.
Auburn athletic director John Cohen and Auburn mayor Ron Anders both stopped by, too. Auburn’s Jewish community is small, yet this event featured a mix of Jews and Christians — something Pearl’s wife Brandy said is indicative of Auburn as a town.
“It’s our call as Christians to support Israel,” Prewett said.
Auburn basketball assistant coach Chad Prewett, director of scouting Ian Borders and assistant coach Mike Burgomaster (from left to right) help pack boxes on Oct. 19, 2023 at the Auburn Dream Center to send to Israeli kids and soldiers.
Corey Williams’ son C.J., a walk-on for the Auburn men’s basketball team, helped his father fill boxes. Like Johnson, Williams wasn’t at Auburn for the Israel trip. Coming to Auburn has been an education in more than basketball, but also
“It’s been amazing to learn about the culture,” Williams said. “We care about our coach. He’s done so much for us.”
Boxes are prepared to load into trucks to send to Israel. Bruce Pearl and Auburn’s Hillel chapter organized the charity event at the Auburn Dream Center on Oct. 19, 2023.
The plan now is to take the boxes to be weighed. Gray said he’s unsure if United Parcel Service, UPS, is able to take the items directly from Auburn to Tel Aviv. If the boxes are too heavy in total to be dropped off in Auburn, the nearest facility that can accept the large shipment for such a far away delivery is in Hollywood, Florida, Gray said.
That’s about 630 miles away. Gray volunteered to drive.
Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at [email protected]