LEV755 For a Jewish person, getting a Jewish tattoo is an act rooted in conflict. There is the disapproval of family and community, there are the religious prohibitions, and there is the powerful deterrent of the Holocaust as a cultural memory. Most of the people choosing to get tattoos, particularly tattoos with Jewish themes and images, are under the age of thirty-five. Most people over the age of fifty are profoundly resistant to the idea of Jews with tattoos, regardless of their level of religious observance.... The Judaic view on this issue is simple: Jewish people are not allowed to have tattoos. It is forbidden. The Torah prohibits tattooing where it states, “You shall not mark your flesh for the dead, nor incise any marks on yourselves: I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:28). In addition, it is written that “You shall not cut yourselves,” (Deuteronomy 14:1) which many rabbis have interpreted to include tattooing. Aside from the general prohibition, the subsequent commentaries and historical record offer conflicting viewpoints about the exact nature and specifics of the injunction against tattoos. An anonymous author says, “If a man writes on his skin, he is culpable, but only if it leaves a permanent mark” (Mishnah, Makkot 3:6); however, the very same source goes on to add a contrary view from Rabbi Simeon ben Judah, who says, “He is not culpable unless he writes the name of God, for it is written, ‘nor incise any marks on yourselves: I am the Lord.’” This demonstrates an existing debate about the interpretation of the accepted prohibition against tattooing in Leviticus. I argue that the reference in Leviticus is to the burial practices of various pagan societies, which concurs with the view stated by Maimonides, that “this was a custom among the pagans who mark themselves for idolatry” (Hilkhot Avodat Kokhavim 12:11). However, there are clear examples of Judaic tattooing during biblical times. One reference says, “One shall say ‘I am the Lord's,’ another shall use the name of Jacob, another shall mark his arm ‘of the Lord’s,’ another adopt the name of Israel” (Isaiah 44:5). Following, it says, “See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands” (Isaiah 49:16). The widely accepted viewpoint that tattoos are not for Jews is deeply entrenched but misguided. There was a history of tattooing and Judaism according to several biblical scholars, and the text themselves are not as clear as many people believe. The prohibition is open to interpretation, and Judaism is not a stagnant thing. We change and evolve with the times. I suggest, therefore, that the law be interpreted to allow tattoos within certain limits. For example, I believe in prohibiting negative tattoos such as those that depict violence or nudity. I think it is also reasonable to ban tattoos of God's name. However, I feel strongly that we should allow tattoos that illustrate Jewish themes or other healthy images such as flowers, natural scenes, and animals. If the religious prohibition itself is not enough to keep young Jews from getting inked, there is a very popular myth that is familiar to most people. It is said that a Jewish person with a tattoo may not be buried in a Jewish cemetery. In fact, this is not true at all, as any person familiar with Jewish law can tell you. However, it has been repeated so many times that many people believe it to be a fact that they will not be welcome in a Jewish cemetery with their ink. One unexpected outcome of my work has been to debunk this misconception. Beyond the religious prohibition, and the mistaken fear of being banned from burial in a Jewish cemetery, it is the memory of the Holocaust that has exerted the most powerful influence on the decision of many young people who are considering a tattoo.... Because Jews were forcibly marked with numbers, the idea of Jewish tattoos often causes controversy in the Jewish community. For many people it is a reminder of a past that is too painful. Moreover, many parents of Jews tattooed with Jewish symbols fear for their safety of their children, feeling that they are at risk by having tattoos that call attention to their Jewish identity. Anti-Semitism is very real, and parents’ concern for the safety of their children should not be taken lightly. Many of the interview subjects in Tattoo Jew articulated a response to this issue directly through their tattoos. All of the people I have interviewed who have tattoos with Jewish themes get those tattoos for similar reasons; each of them wants to wear their Jewishness proudly on their skin. It is a way for them to mark themselves as Jews in an act of pride. According to Orian Livnat, a tattooed Israeli-American who has lived in the United States for most of his life, “You have to stand up for yourself. This is a way for me to show the world I am not afraid. I'm proud to be Jewish.” (By Andy Abrams)