Jews And Tattoos

     We all know as Jews we are not allowed to get tattoos. What I always find interesting is when more secular Jews get tattoos they often get tattoos that have a Jewish theme. I have seen Hebrew names as tattoos as well as phrases from prayer like L'olam Vaed- forever and ever. It always makes me laugh. Not only do they have tattoos but they make a profoundly non-Jewish ritual very Jewy. I guess that some aren't even aware that they are not supposed to get tattoos so for them they are just trying to connect it to their Jewish selves. It still makes me chuckle.

the illustrated people

when i was a kid the only tattooed person i remember seeing was on the cover of ray bradbury's book the illustrated man. now i realize that part of the reason i did not encounter many tattooed people was because i lived in the midwest. but still. i dont think that tattoos were as much the rage years ago as they are now. it seems that so many seemingly "normal" folk have them. what are these people thinking? i realize that as a jew that the torah forbids tattoos , but lets get real. who wants to voluntarily inflict pain upon one's self? i for one do not. and does any twenty-something consider how ridiculous these tattoos will look when they are eighty? tattoos arent so easily removed . what looks hip at twenty-two is extremely un-hip at eighty. then again the only thing hip at eighty is a hip replacement. but you catch my drift.