Alander Especie, shown with his daughter Liz, puts on tefillin every day. (Courtesy of Especie/ via JTA)
Alander Especie at work in a building in Raanana, Israel, his adopted home. (Courtesy of Especie/ via JTA)
Alander Especie has a tattoo of traditional Kabbalah sefirot. (Courtesy of Especie/ via JTA)
Alander Especie, right, with his sister Rednala in the Vila Vintem favela in Rio de Janeiro. (Courtesy of Especie/ via JTA)
Alander Especie in his home studio. (Courtesy of Especie/ via JTA)
JTA What caught Crystal Frant’s eye about the Rastafari skater she spotted on the beach outside Rio de Janeiro back in 2006 wasn’t his muscular body or his dreadlocks. It was the hand-sized Star of David among his several tattoos.
What caught Crystal Frant’s eye about the Rastafari skater she spotted on the beach outside Rio de Janeiro back in 2006 wasn’t his muscular body or his dreadlocks. It was the hand-sized Star of David among his several tattoos.
Alander Especie at work in a building in Raanana, Israel, his adopted home. (Courtesy of Especie)
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RAANANA, Israel (JTA) – What caught Crystal Frant’s eye about the Rastafari skater she spotted on the beach outside Rio de Janeiro back in 2006 wasn’t his muscular body or his dreadlocks. It was the hand-sized Star of David among his several tattoos.
“Do you think he’s Jewish?” she asked a friend with excitement.
The Rio-born Frant knew that many Israeli backpackers came through the region during Carnival, and having just returned to Brazil from a 10-day Birthright trip to Israel, she hoped he might have been one of them.
RAANANA, Israel (JTA) – What caught Crystal Frant’s eye about the Rastafari skater she spotted on the beach outside Rio de Janeiro back in 2006 wasn’t his muscular body or