As a lifelong Justin Bieber fan, I really should have written about this the day this little nugget of news came out.
Apparently, before every concert (which correlates to almost every night), Justin Bieber, pop star extraordinaire, says the Shema. In other words, Justin Bieber says the Shema more often than I do.
Where in the world would the Biebs learn the words to the Shema? After all, he is not a Jew nor is he from a particularly Jewish town (He’s from Stratford, Ontario–very beautiful town with a great Shakespeare Festival). Needless to say, he didn’t go to a Solomon Schechter day school.
The answer stems back to an interview that isRealli.org conducted back in September with Bieber’s manager, Scooter Braun. Braun, who also discovered Bieber by finding him on YouTube, is a somewhat observant Jew (in the sense that he says he’s never eaten a cheeseburger) and he taught Bieber the words to Judaism’s most holy prayer.
I don’t care what anyone says. Bieber is a baller and this just makes him even more awesome. Admit it, you’re impressed. And you love his dance moves. And his voice. Okay, I’ll stop.
Shema
Pronounced: shuh-MAH or SHMAH, Alternate Spellings: Sh’ma, Shma, Origin: Hebrew, the central prayer of Judaism, proclaiming God is one.