AJ Edelman, Israel's Bobsledding Bear Jew

My story with Mahmoud and his wife:
How I came to interact with the Khalils in the first place in October, 2023, and the lesson I take from that time. 

I'm an Israeli Olympic athlete who pilots the Bobsled team... 

In the days following 10/7 it became clear that my team would be called to fight in Gaza while I, an immigrant who never had the honor of serving prior, would not.
I saw my new role as an Israeli national athlete as one where I could educate people through debate. 

I anticipated the coming of "a worldwide pogrom," and debate and public speaking is my specialty outside of driving a bobsled. I've debated thousands in the 12 years I've represented my country internationally. I set up a table in W.sq.Park where I knew young minds would be... 

For about 8 hours I sat and debated. Yes, we recorded a bit of the early interactions but an iPhone has only so much battery and storage and did not capture past a certain point.
Most came to simply listen. Some came to yell...

Mahmoud came in hot. I could see him and his now wife coming fast to the table. He looked almost manic, incensed, and refused to shake my hand, a gesture I offered each person who came to the table... 

My sign called Hamas a terror group that butchered civilians and Israel a force for good. He was vociferous and defended Hamas, one of the few who did that day, given how antizionists were aware of the climate/focusing on Israel, deflecting from the 10/7 horrors.

He believed firmly that Hamas, who had just perpetrated the most heinous crimes against Israeli civilians, was necessary and Good. Israel had no right to exist, it's population equally without right. 10/7 justified or a fabrication. 

He did not only use the term Zionist. He used the term Jew with hate. It was like arguing with someone out of a movie.  I remember at one point watching spit flying as he yelled at me. The Jews murder Palestinians. Israel is evil. Hamas good people. I could feel such hate.

Israelis were still counting their dead in the wake of livestreamed crimes against humanity and mass sexual violence and here was this man I did not know out of his mind that I would have the temerity to sit there and call Hamas a horrendous abomination which it is...

to hear about someone with such hate for your people is one thing, and I have debated many who do. But it is always an experience to feel the hate.

The lesson I take is that there is an epidemic in the United States of lionizing some of the worst people. People you would never allow unsupervised with your child. People who wish death on you and those who hold your values.  find better heroes. He's not one of them.

This occurred on 10/15 to be exact. Subsequent tables were set up on the upper East side about a week later and then across north America as the team traveled. His interaction stood out for how animated and impassioned it was.