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Former Pro Soccer Player David Beckham Says He is ‘Proud’ to Be Jewish
by Shiryn Ghermezian
David Beckham. Photo: Soccer Aid for Unicef via Wikimedia Commons
British former soccer player David Beckham talked on Sunday about his Jewish heritage and family during a discussion with award-winning television producer Ben Winston at St John’s Wood synagogue in the United Kingdom.
“I am part of the Jewish community and I am proud to say it,” the former Manchester United star and current owner of the Inter Miami professional soccer team told the crowd of 700 people who gathered at the event titled “Lessons in Leadership,” which was hosted by the Lira Winston Fellowship.
He also spoke about his soccer career, growing up in London, and his Jewish upbringing, including efforts by his maternal grandfather to “always made sure we would keep up with certain traditions.”
“Whenever I used to go to bar mitzvahs and weddings he made sure I wore a kippah,” added Beckham, who is married to fashion designer and former Spice Girls singer Victoria Beckham. He further said, “I used to see my grandma preparing the chicken soup and the matzah balls and the latkes. It was always about the family coming together.”
During the event on Monday night, David also flaunted his Hebrew skills by reading a prayer in Hebrew and took questions from the audience, including one inquiry about the best advice for those who want to be successful in business. David said the answer is simple: “Go with your gut, work hard, be humble [and] have the right values … and take them into whatever world you go into.”
David and Victoria both have Hebrew tattoos that read “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine.” In April 2022, their eldest son Brooklyn married actress Nicola Peltz, whose family is Jewish, and the couple incorporated Jewish aspects into their wedding, including the signing of a Jewish wedding contract, known as a ketubah. David even read a Jewish blessing under the chuppah at his son’s wedding.
The former athlete played for Manchester United, AC Milan, LA Galaxy, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain. He was the captain of the England national soccer team and is the first English player to win league titles in four countries: France, USA, England and Spain. Soccer legend Lionel Messi recently signed on to join his Inter Miami soccer club.
