Hawaiian-Jewish Surfing Star Makua Rothman Sets Record for Riding the Tallest Wave

By: TJVNews.com

Hawaiian-Jewish surfing star Makua Rothman may have successfully ridden the largest recorded wave in the history of the sport, estimated to be at least 100 feet tall, according to a JTA report.

It was on January 16th, now known as Super Swell Saturday, when Rothman, 36,  the Oahu North Shore native was where he definitely wanted to be. The veteran surfer was riding the biggest waves of an epic 2020-21 winter season in Maui with his fellow big-wave surfers, Rothman mastered the ride on “Jaws” – better known as the Himalayan waves of Peahi.

Rothman posted video of the achievement from last Saturday on his YouTube page on Wednesday. Among those riding the gargantuan waves with Rothman were such legendary pros as Ian Walsh, Garrett McNamara, Kai Lenny and Billy Kemper. It was reported, however, that Rothman rode a monster of a wave that some estimated at 100 feet and was the biggest wave ever ridden in Hawaii. Suffice it to say that the surfing world and major media outlets were stunned by this phenomenal accomplishment after a video aired on TMZ.

It appears that Rothman broke his own personal record which he set when he was only 18. At that time, he successfully rode the 66-foot Peahi wave and won the XXL Awards in 2002.

In the days that followed his record riding wave 10 days ago, Rothman said, “I didn’t actually know how big it was when I was riding it, but I could tell it was a special wave, it felt different. Those waves, they create their own wind, their own ecosystem, they have things that aren’t on the normal-size wave: bumps as big as cars on their face.”

JTA reported that Rothman has a Jewish father and a Hawaiian mother and hails from Kahuku, Hawaii. Judaism was not a significant part of his life as a child, but he told the San Diego Jewish World in 2009 that he was drawing closer to the faith.

“God is the ocean. God is the air. God is the sun … Every time I’m out there I give thanks,” he said, according to the JTA report.

Rothman is considered one of the best surfers in the world and started to ride waves when he was only two years old, according to the JTA report. In addition to his passion for surfing, Rothman is also musically inclined and as a professional has toured with Jewish beat box star Mattisyahu as well as Bob Marley’s former backing band, known as The Wailers, as was reported by JTA.

Moreover, JTA reported that Rothman is also friends with an early Jewish pioneer of the sport, Dorian “Doc” Paskowitz. It was he who helped popularize it in Israel. Paskowitz brought a young Rothman to Israel for a surfing event that brought Jewish and Arab Israelis together on the waves, as was reported by JTA.