Former Auburn Tigers men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl drew laughs — and made a point — with a quip about his adopted hometown’s embrace of his Jewish faith during a speech this week at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s summit in Las Vegas.

While speaking, Pearl illustrated how much the town of Auburn embraced him, his family and his heritage with a hilarious comparison.

Blessed to live and work in the great State of Alabama where faith, family, religious freedom, love of country and the SEC live! Conservative Republicans appreciate a strong US Israel relationship and understand Israel's enemies are our enemies pic.twitter.com/RMXvgO3Tr0

— Bruce Pearl (@coachbrucepearl) September 2, 2026

“I’ve been blessed to spend the last two decades of my life in the American South,” Pearl said. “My wife and I are proud to call Auburn, Alabama our home. Ever since I got to SEC country, I’ve been treated with nothing but respect by my Evangelical Christian brothers and sisters, and faith plays an enormous unifying role…How do I know this? Because the two most popular Jews in Alabama are me and Jesus.”

“We are not alone, we’ve got friends that stand with us and stand with Israel. Conservative Republicans know evil when they see it and they are not afraid to root it out. Our tent is not big enough for Jew hatred.”

Not only is Pearl the most accomplished coach in the history of the Auburn program, but he loved the area enough to make it his permanent home. Clearly, the Auburn Family embraced the Pearl family as their own — just as they always will, and it’s something he is eternally grateful for.