Auburn Tigers men’s basketball head coach Bruce Pearl has always been unapologetically open about his unwavering support for Israel.

After leading Auburn to its second Final Four in school history, Pearl has had a busy offseason in terms of his political and religious beliefs. Last month, he was named Chairman of the Board of Directors for the U.S. Israel Education Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to “educating and serving government leaders who are directly involved in advancing important dialogue between the United States and Israel.”

Shortly after being honored with the position, Pearl took a brief visit to the Middle Eastern country and sat down for an exclusive conversation with the Israeli news source, Israel Hayom. Topics discussed included basketball, Pearl’s new role with USIEA, and also his personal beliefs.

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The most powerful portion of the interview happened when Pearl revealed his reason for being in Israel and why he advocates so strongly for the country.

“My message is clear: the US supports the State of Israel, and the majority of the public stands behind it,” he said. “Don’t pay attention to the loud minority in our country – those who believe the lies or have lost their minds. Most Americans stand with Israel.”

While Auburn was taking center stage nationally for its spectacular play, Pearl also made sure to use the growing platform as a way to draw attention to ongoing issues.

When asked why he uses his notoriety to promote certain causes, the coach gave a typically thoughtful response.

“My grandfather named me Mordechai, and the tournament happened around Purim. He taught me the responsibility of speaking up. He raised me to stand by my principles,” Pearl said. “Martin Luther King said, ‘Silence is complicity’ – and he himself was a great supporter of the State of Israel. I acted according to how I was raised, and I’m proud of that.”