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Proudly wearing his Star of David at the Mormon university, Jake Retzlaff is taking the world by storm.
This past year has been an eventful one for Southern California native, Jake Retzlaff. This proud, Star of David necklace-wearing Jew was recruited as the #1 Junior College QB in the nation to Brigham-Young University, one of the most esteemed football programs in the US. In an exclusive Aish.com interview, the star quarterback described what it’s like to be the first Jew at BYU, a Mormon university, to play in this position and to be one of the few Jewish footballers in the country who is taking the world by storm.
Judaism was always a big part of Retzlaff’s life. As a kid going to school with only a few other Jews, Retzlaff had gotten used to showing off his unique Jewish practices and customs to others. “For Passover, when I would bring chocolate-covered matzah to school, all the kids would be like, what is this? And then they’d try it and get excited for me to bring it next year.”
He went to Sunday School as a kid, celebrated his Bar Mitzvah, went to a Jewish sleepaway camp, and would go to Friday night services. With a football coach for a father and two older brothers, he was always immersed in sports. “There wasn’t a sport I didn’t play, from basketball to baseball to football. But I didn't know I was going to go all in on football until my junior year. I always thought that there were people more talented than me, faster than me, stronger than me, and taller than me. So I said if I want to make it, I’m just going to work harder than everybody else.”
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Going into his Senior year, Retzlaff was revved up and felt like a man on a mission. However, in a COVID-shortened season, his dreams were brought to a halt, and his aspirations to play at a Division 1 program seemed all but extinguished. He decided to go the Junior College route and prove his play to recruiters on a smaller stage.
“I had the benefit of my brother already being at a junior college playing football. Junior college is a different type of grind. When you see someone is a JUCO product, you kind of have a different respect for them. I was working a job during the season, trying to pay rent, and all the while trying to play football.”
Retzlaff put his heart and soul on the field and set records alongside his Wide Receiver older brother. Retzlaff joked that being one of very few Jews in Claremont County, he worries that he and his brothers may have given the town the wrong impression. “My two brothers and I were always dominant in sports. Now that town thinks Jews are the best athletes around.”
By the end of his second JUCO season, he started to get some real interest from recruiters across the country and was being lauded as the #1 Junior College talent in the nation. Eventually, he received calls from several Division 1 programs, and Retzlaff settled on BYU.
When they get to know me, they get to understand that Jews are not aliens.
With religion being such a big deal at BYU, Retzlaff’s Jewish identity was amplified immediately. The responsibility of being a proud Jewish quarterback isn’t lost on the 21-year-old. “I definitely understand the importance of my responsibility to represent the Jewish people on the field. Maybe there's a bigger spotlight on this now than there ever has been, but that's just another way for people to get to know me better. When they get to know me, they get to understand that Jews are not aliens. And especially with the news today, with everything going on, I want them to know we're still normal people.”
The local Jewish community welcomed Retzlaff with open arms. He tells me that he’s “been over to the local Rabbi's house for Shabbat dinners and went to the Utah Jazz Jewish Heritage Night, which was a pretty surreal experience.”
His new Mormon friends and teammates have also done their best to make Retzlaff feel at home despite being hundreds of miles away from his hometown synagogue. Many have asked him questions about Judaism and his heritage. “Mormons have a funny fascination with Judaism. They believe the Jews are the chosen people, and many of them say they wish they were Jewish themselves.”
To celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the team ordered from the only Israeli food truck in Utah County to give Jake a taste of home. Many of his teammates may not have realized the significance of the day, but being exposed to a different culture and heritage helped open many of their eyes to what being Jewish means. “I sat down at the table right by the food truck the entire day, answering questions about Judaism and the High Holidays. They're just a bunch of curious people, and for many of them, I’m the first Jew they’ve ever met.”
For many of them, I’m the first Jew they’ve ever met.
The pre-game pep talks at BYU are also different than at other universities. Retzlaff recalls that the story of Gideon’s army from the Book of Judges became a point of frequent inspiration when getting hyped for gameday. Retzlaff recalls his coach pumping the players up by sharing how Gideon led a small but mighty force against the Midianites. Gideon's unconventional method of selecting warriors based on how they drank water from a stream led to him paring down his force from 32,000 to 300 soldiers – and he still managed to win. The parallels to football are clear, but for Retzlaff especially, there was something special about hearing the stories he remembers from Sunday School show up before his games.
On the field, Retzlaff has modeled his game after one of the greats, Aaron Rodgers. “He does things differently. He also feels he has to be 100% true to himself. And so that's kind of how my approach to the game has been. He does things a little differently on the field, and that’s what I always took from him. I'm not going to be your old-school-style quarterback. I’m going to be myself.”
The Star of David necklace and the nickname “BY-Jew” have become trademarks of Retzlaff’s style. The necklace came as a Hanukkah gift from his mom when he was in high school, but Retzlaff didn’t think much of it at the time. “I would tuck it into my shirt most days and forget about it. Then, one day, I was fiddling with it at lunch, and my friend said to me, ‘Pop that thing out, let it hang. Be proud of who you are. That's you. Be proud of that.’ That guy doesn't realize how much of an effect he had on my life in that one moment. But that opened my eyes. This is who I am. I need to be me, unapologetically. Aaron Rodgers has that same mentality as well.”
His chain isn’t the only way he finds a connection to Judaism on the field; he finds spirituality in the game itself. “I find peace in all the chaos going on in a football game. It’s my own little sanctuary that I find on the field.”
From begging for a walk-on spot at Northern Arizona University to being named the starting quarterback of a Power Five program, Retzlaff has had quite the journey. “I've been able to have a little perspective, which is hard. It's hard to take a step back and realize you're in the moment. I try to be more grateful every day about what's going on around me and how I put myself in this spot. Now I'm going to school at this incredible university for my athletic ability.”
Like the story of Gideon’s army, Retzlaff has embraced the responsibility of being one of the few chosen ones representing the Jewish people on one of the biggest stages in the world. ESPN has posted about him, and hundreds of viral memes and tweets have been made about the BY-Jew. With the lights shining brighter than ever on the young star quarterback, he knows it’s time to bring his all to the football field and make his people proud.
"This proud, Star of David necklace-wearing Jew was recruited as the #1 Junior College QB in the nation to Brigham-Young University, one of the most esteemed football programs in the US."
sorry, but no. BYU is not one of the most esteemed football programs in the US. nothing wrong with writing a puff piece. still, best to stay on the reservation. destroying your credibility in the second sentence of an article not really a good journalistic practice.
I had no idea that a Jewish young man played serious football so it was enlightening to read this article. His obvious pride in his heritage is commendable and even if his level of observance may not meet your expectations i applaud his talents and his level of Judaism. Yes, most college football games are played on
Saturdays so he may have to participate as he has no choice if he plays college football. It is what it is! i was a professional musician and played Broadway shows where Saturday is matinee day. i had no choice if i wanted the job as this was the job. i did perform on Saturdays but eventually decided to switch professions. That will be.a decision for him to make and until then…..more power to him and continued success! Bravo!!
Enjoyed the read and seems like BY Jew is a solid guy and proud of his heritage. On other hand it seems to me important to remember that while I have much respect for most Mormons as individuals I believe that their faith encourages missionary activity including trying to convert Jews do I'd guess attending BYU is high risk to maintaining a Jewish identity. in addition most all college football is played on the Jewish sabbath so while I wish the young man success if he got involved seriously with Aish or any other Orthodox Jewish outreach he'd likely have to decide between keeping Shabbat or playing college ball.
Who knows, maybe attending BYU will only strengthen Jake Retzlaff's Jewish identity. I recall hearing a Jewish dentist tell how his Mormon colleague's commitment Mormonism inspired the Jewish dentist to become an observant Jew again.
Just a note re punctuation: there is no hyphen in “Brigham Young”. Like George Washington University, BYU is named for 1 individual, the second leader of the Mormon church who took over after founder Joseph Smith was murdered. Brigham Young led members on the difficult trek to Utah territory. Mormons suffered a lot of persecution in the early years of the religion, which has made them far more tolerant of religious differences than members of some other denominations.
Perhaps so, but it's nevertheless important to keep in mind that theirs is a missionizing religion.
All Xtian religions are missionary religions. Some are more overt than others. In my experience, Mormons are thrilled if you express interest in the faith, but they don’t tell you that you are surely going to hell if you don’t convert, unlike some evangelicals I have encountered.
Barry Corchnoy was one of the first Jews playing football for BYU
I grew up in Florida with many, many Jewish friends (Rosenblum's, Weil's, Whitfield's, & others). Steve .W. an Emeritus Prof. At Brandeis U. Has written several books about Jewish influences in the U.S.A.
My U of Florida in the College of Nursing best friend, B. Stillman moved over to Israel with her family. I pray for her well-being. Will you?
Also, I was on the BYU College of Nursing faculty fo 5 years. We enjoyed Sadir one year on campus' together! Amazing! Keep the Spirit!
God bless one and all! 🙏💕🥰❤️
BE proud to be a JEW!!
Only one thing to say - Yashar Ko'ach - May the strength of Hashem be with you in all your endeavors.
Interesting article. There have been Jews previously on the BYU campus (one was a professor for a while). Lived in SLC for four years many years ago. The LDS church permeates everything. And Mormons want to talk religion. It makes you a stronger secular Jew. Being an observant Jew is a little more challenging.
Sandra, I'd be interested in your thoughts about why living here amongst the Latter-day Saint goyim makes you a stronger secular Jew, but why it made being an observant Jew more difficult.
Long discussions about faith makes one more informed about Judaism. But, for example, there is no eruv so can’t carry on Shabbat places limits. When I lived there, all kosher foods had to come from LA and be ordered ahead of time. Limited choices. No kosher restaurants.
How does he get around BYU sending him on a Mormon mission? It’s my understanding that doing so is always a possibility.
Missions are choices. Not all BYU students go on a mission. When they do, it is at the age of 18 - before college.
Thank you, Sandra. I had been misinformed years ago when told that the choice was: mission or expulsion. Glad to learn that it isn’t so.
David - great question. While BYU is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it is a University and doesn't send students out on missions. The Church encourages members to volunteer to serve a mission when they're younger, but that is only for members. Is that helpful?
Very helpful Matt, thank you. It appears that I had been misinformed. I had been told that the University could surprise you with a mission assignment, and to refuse would result in expulsion.
A Mormon co worker told me their leader tells them what tribe of Israel they are from.
In Mormonism, any non-mormon is known as a Gentile. This would include all Jews. The author of this article needs to read up on Mormonism before writing an article like this. And really, ALL Jews need to know that this is what Mormons think of them.
True. But Jews are still considered the Chosen People by the LDS.
From a Latter-day Saint (Mormon) perspective, I really enjoyed this article. It was really cool to watch Retzlaff play for BYU last season and to know he is Jewish. We don't really consider the Jews to be "gentiles" - since they are G-d's ancient covenant people. From my own perspective, I have worked with and am friends with several Jews. They are some of my favorite people. It was a treat to get Passover sedar to use, or to be introduced to celebrations like Purim, and see how they celebrated the other high holy days.
Yes, but there's no negative connotation to the word gentile/Gentile (unless, of course, one infuses it into the term). While it primarily refers to people who are not of the Jewish faith, I understand that Mormons use the term in a similar way to refer to non-Mormons, and so that confuses the original meaning.
Maybe I'm not quite as up-to-date on the original meaning of the term. Perhaps you could enlighten me?