Rod from Pittsburgh, PA came to us with a phrase already etched into his heart. Am Yisrael Chai. The people of Israel live. It had been with him for years, but after October seventh, it became something more. It is a call to carry forward and a reminder that even in the face of fear and hatred, we remain.⁠
This tattoo was never meant to be subtle. Rod wanted it to speak with clarity and without apology. He imagined the words standing proud, rooted in context and history. We offered a second layer, a verse from Isaiah that carried the same pulse of defiance and devotion:⁠
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למען ציון לא אחשה ולמען ירושלם לא אשקוט⁠
For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest.⁠
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Together, these lines became a declaration not only of survival but of presence, of voice, and of unshakable commitment.⁠
Rod is a father, and he is a cancer survivor. He lives with gratitude and resolve. His pride is lived. When Gabriel imagined the design, he saw a lion rising behind the words. Not a polished emblem but a form alive with texture and tension. Ink that drags and splatters. Lines that resist perfection. A creature shaped by fire but still moving forward.⁠
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This piece is about presence and about living fully and visibly as a Jewish soul in the world. Thanks @georgiagreytattoos for the amazing tattooing, as always!