Can a Jew with a tattoo ever be buried in a Jewish cemetery?

Barbara

Wed, May 11 2011, 9:40 am

bubby wrote:

zaq wrote:

otoh, if you have "@#$%&*!! You" on the back of your hand, or even on your shoulder...

Do people permanently curse like that? I thought the biggest problem is tattooing "Gloria" & then hooking up with Mary! You live & learn! LOL

Almost certainly OT for this group, but there are young people, usually men, who get very visible gang tattoos, in or out of prison. Given that these tattoos are very visible, and very identifiable, it makes it difficult for them to rehabilitate themselves and find gainful employment. There are actually programs to help these people with tattoo removal to increase their chances of leading a more productive life.

Obviously, that doesn't apply to the vast majority of tattoos, or people who have tattoos.

Peanut2

Wed, May 11 2011, 10:50 am

Barbara wrote:

bubby wrote:

zaq wrote:

otoh, if you have "@#$%&*!! You" on the back of your hand, or even on your shoulder...

Do people permanently curse like that? I thought the biggest problem is tattooing "Gloria" & then hooking up with Mary! You live & learn! LOL

There is a former neo-nazi who makes the rounds talking to schools, universities, etc.
during that period of his life he got a variety of tattoos that identified him as a racist, neo nazi, etc.
he's spent years and huge amounts of money having them slowly removed, a process that is more painful than getting them. He wears long shirts, etc. to cover them.

Random but interesting.

thatworn

Wed, May 11 2011, 10:52 am

Barbara wrote:

bubby wrote:

zaq wrote:

otoh, if you have "@#$%&*!! You" on the back of your hand, or even on your shoulder...

Do people permanently curse like that? I thought the biggest problem is tattooing "Gloria" & then hooking up with Mary! You live & learn! LOL

This is one good reason for laser. As far as I have seen, jailbird tattoos are teeny marks on the face (maybe I'm far off the mark with this, tho, as I dont know many jailbirds) and ex cons who really want to make good need a the help they can get. let them get zapped, gesunderheit.

In my personal situation, my tattoos are on parts of my body which are covered at all times, except in the shower, etc. I look at them, patchy and a trifle faded from mutliple painful zappings of the laser and it doesn't register that they were part of my past, just that they are part of me. I thought the lasering would work more easily but when I saw it wasnt working, I realised that I really didn't care and I may as well stay inked and save my money. On the topic of mikveh lady ... how does it work with men? They don't have a mikveh lady, they're always jumping into the mik in front of each other. Do you think that if one of them is a shadchan and he sees two men with tattoos, that he thinks they could be possible machutonim? Would he then share notes with the mikveh lady or would that be lo tzanua?

Tzippora

Wed, May 11 2011, 1:11 pm

My father in law is a dermatologist who specializes in tattoo removal. (www.tattooremovalcenter.com) I believe he does have BTs as part of his practice.

However, as far as I k know, a lot of things you are describing happening with laser tattoo removal should not happen if your provider is competent (and an MD). Scarring? Not supposed to happen... Blistering? I dunno...

I can check with him further if people have specific questions, but some of this is quite alarming.

And people remove tattoos for all kinds of reasons, BTs or not. It's really quite interesting.

farm

Thu, May 12 2011, 4:11 pm

We once had a worker doing some jobs around the house when I was little. He mentioned in passing that he was jewish. I must have looked a bit surprised (I was a somewhat sheltered little girl), and he told me that he may have long hair and pierced ears but he's jewish enough to know not to get tattoos- his mother would be devastated since he wouldn't be buried in a jewish cemetary. I opened my mouth to tell him that's not true but my mother shushed me and told me later that for some reason it's a common myth, especially in the non observant.