I am writing in order to your attention a social phenomenon that should
worry us as Jews.
The writing is not "on the wall"- it is on the bodies of our
fine young men and women.
I am referring to the abundance of tattooing that that is going on nowadays,
especially among our youth.
It is well known that this is forbidden by our Torah, but it is important
to note that even Jews who did not consider themselves devout did
not widely commit this sin until this generation.
What is causing this phenomenon? Perhaps ignorance, perhaps emptiness,
perhaps other things. I am of the opinion that the people's chosen
representatives and the educational system must educate the nation that
"Tattoos are not for Jews."
In Sivan 5762 (May 2002), about three years after I published the above letter
the Israeli Knesset passed a law requiring anyone under the age of 16 to obtain parental consent in order to have a tattoo. If a minor wants to get a tattoo, he will have to bring a form signed by his parents to the
tattoo parlor.
I feel that this is a positive law, in that it may help prevent children from doing things
that they are almost certain to regret. However, it is a far cry from what needs to be done in the field
of education. The entire Jewish People must know that "Tattoos are not for Jews."
