Jews with Tattoos
Tattoo Jew: The Movie - By David Lippman
Just as a morally healthy individual would think twice before scrawling graffiti on a synagogue wall, a person should not make a billboard out of himself. - Rabbi David Samson
While the torah specifically forbids tattoos, and many rabbis speak out against tattooing, what keeps many young Jewish men and women from getting tattooed is the belief that they will not be allowed burial in a Jewish cemetery if their skin is inked.
A belief that has no basis in fact: a Jewish urban legend.
“It’s the greatest myth promoted by neurotic Jewish mothers and religious rabbis to keep their children from getting tattoos,” says Jewish filmmaker Andy Abrams. “Along a spectrum of breaking [Jewish] law, it’s worse to not keep Shabbas than to get a tattoo. Every reform Jew in America turns on their lights, and their kids watch Saturday morning cartoons. They drive to temple, if they go at all. When it comes to tattoos, even reform Jews will say you can’t be buried in a Jewish cemetery.”
Abrams, 33, who grew up in a religious family that is still mostly orthodox, first became interested in Jews with tattoos after going out to dinner with a colleague. When his friend leaned over, he noticed that she had a tattoo in Hebrew on her back. “It was a word I’d only previously associated with very formal religious observance.” After talking with her about why she had the tattoo, Abrams became convinced that the topic of Jews being tattooed was ripe for exploration. And his first film project, Tattoo Jew the Movie, was born. more>>>
Just as a morally healthy individual would think twice before scrawling graffiti on a synagogue wall, a person should not make a billboard out of himself. - Rabbi David Samson
While the torah specifically forbids tattoos, and many rabbis speak out against tattooing, what keeps many young Jewish men and women from getting tattooed is the belief that they will not be allowed burial in a Jewish cemetery if their skin is inked.
A belief that has no basis in fact: a Jewish urban legend.
“It’s the greatest myth promoted by neurotic Jewish mothers and religious rabbis to keep their children from getting tattoos,” says Jewish filmmaker Andy Abrams. “Along a spectrum of breaking [Jewish] law, it’s worse to not keep Shabbas than to get a tattoo. Every reform Jew in America turns on their lights, and their kids watch Saturday morning cartoons. They drive to temple, if they go at all. When it comes to tattoos, even reform Jews will say you can’t be buried in a Jewish cemetery.”
Abrams, 33, who grew up in a religious family that is still mostly orthodox, first became interested in Jews with tattoos after going out to dinner with a colleague. When his friend leaned over, he noticed that she had a tattoo in Hebrew on her back. “It was a word I’d only previously associated with very formal religious observance.” After talking with her about why she had the tattoo, Abrams became convinced that the topic of Jews being tattooed was ripe for exploration. And his first film project, Tattoo Jew the Movie, was born. more>>>
Cartoon Madness
The extreme reaction to the pub- lication of caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed in the European press has led to death threats, rioting and targeting of Danish and other European embassies and institutions throughout the Muslim world. more>>>
Abayudaya Music
For four generations the Abayudaya Jewish Community in Eastern Uganda has survived despite numerous hardships. Living in virtual isolation until the early 1990's these struggling subsistence farmers have observed Jewish customs and celebrated the Sabbath and Festivals of the Jewish calendar together as families.
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