A tattoo parlor named "Tattoo Planet" in the Dizengoff mall. The decor, plastered on the wall in the back room rests a flying demonic goblin, while goblin statue clad in polished armor sits in the reception. Above this statue, the head of an opened mouthed white tiger in the midst of an uproarious growl or roar propped on the wall.
I sat in the mall and watched as young person after young person entered this tattoo parlor. Only to come out with some ridiculously juvenile tattoo of a butterfly - or one guy walked out proudly bearing a pixie on his leg. I was almost tempted to go in myself and ask the tattoo artists to give me the stupidest tattoo someone ever requested. But, I resisted the urge.
Maybe I am just influenced by American cultural norms, but tattoos are expensive and not a decision generally taken lightly (it's not something someone gets everyday). You would think that people would put some thought into the meaning of their tattoo. Tattoos in the United States often tell a story - a loved one lost and forever memorialized on your skin. Or a way of exposing your political and religious beliefs to the world.
Granted, people in the U.S. do get severely misguided tattoos and yes, exceptionally stupid ones as well. But, Israelis who are seemingly new to the tattoo culture seem to get them at an exponentially higher rate (ill-advised tattoos, that is). Common locations for tattoos seem to be the ever-popular tramp stamp - on the lower back, the leg - where ankle meets calf, and the back of the neck/upper back.
According to a passage from the Torah tattooing is prohibited in Judaism, "You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead, or incise any marks on yourselves: I am the Lord" (Leviticus 19:28) This passage has been contested and debated on its merits ever since. The one question that always remained in my mind was, can a Jew with a tattoo be buried in a Jewish cemetery?
The answer is yes. Though, every Jewish burial society has the right to decide whether or not they will place a person with a tattoo in their cemetery. Still, certain burial societies will not bury Jews who voluntarily got tattoos on their burial grounds.
Seriously, if Israel upheld the biblical passage and applied it in prohibiting Jewish burial - most of the people in Israel wouldn't be buried in this land. On one hand the tattoo craze seems to be more of a statement here. To say, see I'm hip, I fit in. Perhaps, even a post-military rite of passage.
In short, if you're going to permanently brandecate ( a fusion of brand and decorate) yourself, please resist the dragon and the butterfly and do it in good taste. If I see one more butterfly or pixie like mythical character, the crocodile tears will start flowing -- and I probably just gave some dolt an idea for a "rad" tattoo. Shutter.
I sat in the mall and watched as young person after young person entered this tattoo parlor. Only to come out with some ridiculously juvenile tattoo of a butterfly - or one guy walked out proudly bearing a pixie on his leg. I was almost tempted to go in myself and ask the tattoo artists to give me the stupidest tattoo someone ever requested. But, I resisted the urge.
Maybe I am just influenced by American cultural norms, but tattoos are expensive and not a decision generally taken lightly (it's not something someone gets everyday). You would think that people would put some thought into the meaning of their tattoo. Tattoos in the United States often tell a story - a loved one lost and forever memorialized on your skin. Or a way of exposing your political and religious beliefs to the world.
Granted, people in the U.S. do get severely misguided tattoos and yes, exceptionally stupid ones as well. But, Israelis who are seemingly new to the tattoo culture seem to get them at an exponentially higher rate (ill-advised tattoos, that is). Common locations for tattoos seem to be the ever-popular tramp stamp - on the lower back, the leg - where ankle meets calf, and the back of the neck/upper back.
According to a passage from the Torah tattooing is prohibited in Judaism, "You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead, or incise any marks on yourselves: I am the Lord" (Leviticus 19:28) This passage has been contested and debated on its merits ever since. The one question that always remained in my mind was, can a Jew with a tattoo be buried in a Jewish cemetery?
The answer is yes. Though, every Jewish burial society has the right to decide whether or not they will place a person with a tattoo in their cemetery. Still, certain burial societies will not bury Jews who voluntarily got tattoos on their burial grounds.
Seriously, if Israel upheld the biblical passage and applied it in prohibiting Jewish burial - most of the people in Israel wouldn't be buried in this land. On one hand the tattoo craze seems to be more of a statement here. To say, see I'm hip, I fit in. Perhaps, even a post-military rite of passage.
In short, if you're going to permanently brandecate ( a fusion of brand and decorate) yourself, please resist the dragon and the butterfly and do it in good taste. If I see one more butterfly or pixie like mythical character, the crocodile tears will start flowing -- and I probably just gave some dolt an idea for a "rad" tattoo. Shutter.
Hii I figured out how to comment without reading the hebrew! I miss you lotsa Tamarz. Yay for being blog buddies. And typing from right to left is trippy!
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