Skin
Deep - Hey, Mom, the Rabbi Approved My Tattoo - NYTimes.com
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/17/fashion/17SKIN.html?_r=2&sq=j
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7/18/2008 10:04 AM
Old myths die hard, and many tattooed Jews in their 20’s and 30’s say they often are criticized by other
Jews, both relatives and strangers. Some, like Nicki Carnes and her sister, Rebecca, who now also has a
tattoo, say that being permanently marked was just something they wanted. Others say they were tattooed to
rebel or, surprisingly, that they wanted a Jewish tattoo as a way of connecting with their religious and
cultural identity.
Andy Abrams, a filmmaker, has spent five years making a documentary called “Tattoo Jew.” In his
interviews with dozens of Jews with body art, he’s noticed the prevalence of Jewish-themed tattoos — from
Stars of David to elaborate Holocaust memorials, surprising since one reason Jewish culture opposes tattoos
is that Jews were involuntarily marked in concentration camps.
Mr. Abrams has even seen tattoos that crack jokes, like the one on the back of Ari Bacharach’s neck: the
word “Kosher” above a pig, an ironic statement about identity. “The people I interviewed are trying to
express their Judaism, or connect with God or their Jewish roots,” said Mr. Abrams, 38, who lives in Los
Angeles and calls himself a nonpracticing Orthodox Jew. “They’re taking this prohibited act and using it to
feel more Jewish.”
Take Marshal Klaven, 29. While studying in Israel as a teenager, he decided to become a rabbi. For the first
time, “it became not just the Jewish people, but my Jewish people,” he said. This sense of belonging inspired
him to get the first of his three tattoos, a Star of David and a dove.
“For me, it’s about cultural pride and connecting in this very tangible, very visible way to a part of our lives
that isn’t so tangible,” said Mr. Klaven, who is now a rabbinical student at Hebrew Union College in
Cincinnati and is writing his thesis on tattooing in the Jewish tradition.
Rabbi Mark Washofsky, one of his thesis advisers, said Mr. Klaven’s work opens up a Pandora’s box of
mixed feelings. “A lot of Jews of my generation are confused about tattoos,” said Rabbi Washofsky, 55. “We
don’t think it’s a very ‘Jewish’ thing to do, but we’re not really sure why. Many of us are baby boomers who
remember being condemned for our modes of dress and expression.” He added: “We swore we’d never do
this to our kids. Now we are.”
Jewish law on tattooing is slippery. Leviticus 19:28 states, “You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the
dead nor incise any marks on yourself: I am the Lord.” For Rabbi Washofsky, it’s unclear whether the
passage strictly outlaws tattoos that refer to a god, or whether it generally condemns any personal
adornment. Ear piercing, he added, is not controversial.
For Mr. Klaven, historical context is key. When Leviticus was written, tattooing was largely a pagan practice,
done to mark slaves or to show devotion to a pharaoh, Mr. Klaven said. Since tattooing has evolved, he
thinks the rule may be outdated.
Not all scholars agree. Rabbi Alan Bright, a spokesman for the Jewish Funeral Directors of America,
dismissed the cemetery adage as “a load of rubbish,” but he said that tattooing was a no-no. He quotes
Deuteronomy 4:15, which commands Jews to take care of their bodies, as evidence.
But he noted that Jewish law prohibits many things that secular Jews do without a second thought. “The
Torah prohibits anything negative that affects the body,” he said. “Smoking is more of a violation of Jewish
