NBA star Joel Embiid goes viral for doing Jewish dance at wedding

NBA star Joel Embiid has gone viral after video emerged of him doing a traditional Jewish dance at a wedding.

We are so used to hearing stories of sportspeople behaving abysmally that it comes as a relief when footage emerges that can only delight anyone who lays eyes on it.

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The Phiadelphia 76ers star was attending the wedding of Michael Ratner, a Jewish filmmaker who has documented Embiid’s path to the NBA. The viral video was posted online by NBC Chicago content producer Tori Rubenstein with the words:

“Joel Embiid dancing the Hora is the only thing I want to see on social media this week.”

The hora is a celebratory dance most often seen at events like weddings and bar mitzvahs. Those taking part lock arms and move the circle in a fast and cheerful motion, normally while Hava Nagila (perhaps the most famous Jewish folk song) plays.

The video of Embiid is no different except there’s the added bonus that one of the participants is 7 feet tall and, despite presumably being relatively new to the concept, having the time of his life. At another point during the party, in a beautiful act of multicultural integration, the basketball star was actually hoisted up on a chair (another Jewish custom at such events).

Ratner married Lauren Rothberg, the head of brand at Hailey Bieber’s newly launched Rhode Skin. The newlyweds both shared videos of Embiid to their Instagram stories before they captured the public’s imagination further on Twitter.

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