Stars of the Tribe isn't a new reality show combining Survivor and The X Factor, but rather a media and apparel company founded by Jordan Berman, a Jewish-American entrepreneur from New Jersey. Berman has found a way to strengthen Jewish identity in challenging times by utilizing one of the most powerful tools available to him: sports.
The company's website (https://starsofthetribe.com/) went live a few weeks after October 7 and offers unique merchandise featuring Jewish sports stars from all times, that aim to appeal to a broad audience while educating them about the heritage of these athletes' success stories.
The brand’s official mascot is the Biblical Moses, depicted as a sports superstar in various poses, with slogans like "Air Moses" and "Let My People Goooal" – a play on "Let My People Go" and "Don’t Mess with Moses."
Jewish sportsmen across the ages
"I'm a proud American Jew," explains Berman, 50, who’s married and a father of two. " I was therefore horrified and angered by the sharp rise in antisemitic incidents taking place in the US, which increased 36% from 2021 (2,717 incidents) to 2022 (3,697 incidents) according to figures compiled by the ADL. In fact, Jews account for only 2.4% of the US population, but were the victims of 55% of all religious hate crimes in the US, according to the FBI.”
Berman's two teenage sons were the inspiration for the idea: "My sons especially love hip hop music and basketball," he says, "So, they were heartbroken after hearing antisemitic comments made by Kanye West and Kyrie Irving in October 2022. Weeks later, I had a chance meeting with Danny ‘Jewzilla’ Schayes, the 7-foot tall Jewish NBA player who had an epic 18-year career battling Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, and Shaq.”
“Danny and I met at the Philadelphia 76ers Legends Walk statue dedication for his dad, Dolph Schayes, a 12-time NBA All-Star, 1955 World Champion, Naismith Hall of Famer, and NBA 75th Anniversary Team member. Dolph is widely recognized as the greatest Jewish basketball player ever. I was blown away by Danny's basketball stories, including his friendship with Tal Brody, who grew up in Trenton, NJ, down the road from where I live,” he added.
"My sons, who get all their info on social media, had no idea of the incredible Jewish legacy of athletic achievement. They also had no idea that many of their favorite current athletes are Jewish. I own a small video production company and decided to help ignite Jewish pride in my sons by celebrating the Jewish fighting spirit in sports and launching Stars of the Tribe, a new media and apparel brand.”
How do you reach this young audience? "Visitors to the website can watch 60-second Jewish athlete profile videos with game footage licensed by all the sports leagues. We do that with our Top 10 collection that lists the greatest Jewish athletes in every sport, and we're now working directly with Jewish athletes to create their own custom collections!"
Berman has gathered Jewish champions from all eras of sport. Shirts include Max Baer, the legendary boxer who fought with a Star of David on his shorts and was crowned heavyweight world champion in 1934; baseball player Sandy Koufax, who skipped a World Series game because of Yom Kippur; phenomenal swimmer Mark Spitz; and, in more modern times, gymnast Aly Raisman, soccer player Julian Edelman, and Argentine tennis player Diego Schwartzman. Some shirts also feature Israeli sportsmen including Omri Casspi, Miki Berkovich and Deni Avdija.
What kind of reactions are you getting? "The response from the Jewish community has been amazing. The teens were absolutely pumped to learn the stories of our amazing TJs: Tough Jews) And I've gotten tons of comments on how cool our apparel is. We have a small, but fast-growing group of Israeli shoppers. It's a rare thing for Jewish names to appear on sportswear, and hoodies have been great conversation starters, because they inspire so much debate about who is the best in each sport across every era.”
“And that's the entire point - get people talking about Jewish athletic excellence. I've also been really surprised at how many people love Moses. And it's not just Jews. It's also Christians and Muslims. So, celebrating our greatest prophet in a fresh and fun way generates smiles from everyone who sees him. When we launched www.StarsoftheTribe.com, we decided to donate 100% of the profits from our ‘Don't Mess with Moses’ collection sold during the Hanukkah season to Magen David Adom. That was really rewarding to me and reinforced our business model which is Jews first, business second,” he added.
Victors, not victims
Berman's goal, as he defines it, is to create a sense of pride and resilience among young Jews who are experiencing antisemitism in schools and universities — a phenomenon that has become widespread in its scope since October 7, even compared to the rise in numbers Berman mentioned.
"Jewish kids need Jewish heroes, and sports is where those heroes live,” he said. “I'm working to get Jewish athletes ‘in the game’ by celebrating our sports icons that smash stereotypes. When our Jewish heroes are visible, it helps make our Jewish community indivisible, because we're inspired to be our best.
“Celebrating Jewish sports champions on TikTok and t-shirts can give our young people the spark to stand tall as victors, not victims, while also inspiring non-Jews, who look up to these athletes. The beauty of sport is that it's so universal, and therefore capable of building bridges across different groups of people,” he explained.
How are you experiencing the current period? "I am experiencing the spike in antisemitism, especially on social media. Stars of the Tribe has a growing presence on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, and Facebook. I definitely come across negative and ignorant commentary. I also upload daily videos on my personal social media accounts including @JordanShowtime on TikTok, where I defend Israel and denounce pro-Hamas protests by using our Jewish superpower: humor! The hate doesn't phase me, because I'm confident in my identity as a proud Jewish man who is raising strong young Jewish men.”
Isn't it scary to be Jewish living in the U.S. today? "I'm 6'1" and 210 lbs, and train in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. That's why my nickname is Jordan ‘Bear Jew’ Berman. I'm not easily intimidated.”