Tuhia he whakamāramatanga mō tēnei wāhanga - I riro a Mercer hei tangata whenua o Iharaira, ā, i mahi ia i roto i te Israel Defense Forces mō ngā tau e rua. I takaro hoki a Mercer mo te kapa poitūkohu a Iharaira i te 1986 FIBA World Championship me te 1987 Eurobasket
Ko te toa. I te tau 1982, i te mea he Baptist ia i mua, i tahuri ia ki te Hurai. Ka mea ia, "Ki taku whakaaro ka taea e koe te karanga i ahau he Hurai Mesia, he Hurai Karaitiana ranei. I a au i reira, koinei te mea i tino tata ai ahau ki te Atua. Ka tino tiakina e au te whenua o Iharaira... " I te tau 2006 i whakahonoretia ia e te Kaunihera o Iharaira ki te Tonga-rawhiti o te United States a ka waiho hei karere pai mo te State of Israel.