n Today, Out Tomorrow
atees body piercing, tattoos and cigars are all the rage
,
for now.
LONNY GOLDSMITH STAFF WRITER
I
rends come and go all the a tattoo, she consulted a Conser- their initial disappointment of
time. Some last a few vative rabbi in Atlanta about con- their son's tattoo, had the mark-
ing inked onto his calf so that it
months, and some a little cerns regarding Jewish burial.
"He told me that no one would could be concealed.
longer.
"It's not as though I did it when
Four trends have gripped ever deny me a Jewish burial,
young adults over the past sev- and that I can interpret the des- I was young, drunk and stupid,"
eral years — tattoos, goatees, ecration of the body any way I he says. "I did it when I was 30
body piercing and cigar smoking like," she said. "How is a tattoo or years old. I knew better and still
-- and they seem to be here to body piercing any different than did [it]."
For Mike Jeziak, the owner
stay, beyond the trendy stature. a nose job?"
Rabbi Aaron Bergman of Beth and president of Ink Slingers tat-
But Jews may want to think
twice before paying for that in- Abraham Hillel Moses in West too parlors, a tattoo expresses in-
delible epidermal ink or piercing Bloomfield says, "You're not sup- dividuality.
"Tattoos are no longer a trend,
a belly button. Messing with our posed to get a tattoo, but you
but a way of life that is getting
bodies is not in
more prominent," he says. "I see
God's plan, ac-
the body as an empty canvas
cording to rab-
that's unfinished and waiting to
binic sources.
be painted."
"God gave us a
Cigar smoking is a different
body, but ulti-
story. The trend has popped up
mately we don't
in several Detroit-area bars, in-
have total control
cluding cigar-and-
of that body,"
martini bars like
says Rabbi
Goodnight Grade in
Steven Weil of.
Royal Oak and the
Young Israel-
Velvet Lounge in
Oak Park. "God
Pontiac. Egrin says
puts limitations
smoking cigars is a
on what we can
fun, social activity.
do; one of those is
`The trend to smoke
that we can't
cigars goes along
wound or mark
with the whole 'en-
up the body."
joy life' motto that
According to Above: Abby Rutheiser
people have taken
Rabbi Aaron
consulted a rabbi
on," he says.
before piercing her
Halevi's analysis
Rabbi Weil says
belly.
of Command-
the halachic (Torah
ment 253 from
observant) al-
Chapter 19 of
Above: Matt Egrin: Unfazed
lowance of cigar
Leviticus, tattooing is considered
by outside opinion
smoking falls in a
a sign of paganism. It was origi-
regarding his tattoo.
gray area. "It's not
nally forbidden philosophically
encouraged, but not
because the ink drawings on skin
symbolized pagan worship, he won't go to hell for it. Axe mur- discouraged either because it's
theorized. The interpretation has derers can get buried in a Jewish not addictive," says the rabbi who
enjoys a good cigar every so,often
cemetery."
since become accepted as law.
Rutheiser pierced her belly and leads an occasional cigar
Still, plenty of Jews are mak-
button and got her first smokers' schiur (study session).
ing permanent changes
tattoo, on her ankle, "In small, moderate amounts, it's
to the way they look.
four years ago. Her sec- alright."
Matt Egrin is a Hunt-
Another trend that can be seen
ond tattoo was added
ington Woods resident
on men young and old across the
last year, on her back.
who doesn't seem to care
"The navel ring was country is the goatee — a partial
what the community
a trend thing, but it's no beard covering the mustache and
feels about his decision.
different than other chin.
"I've heard the whole
Goatee-laden Kevin Bigman
trends," Rutheiser says.
`can't be buried in a Jew-
"I saw something I liked went hirsute because he thought
ish cemetery thing
it would make the shaving expe-
and wanted it."
[if you have a tattoo
Rabbi Weil couldn't rience an easier one.
or other self-inflicted
In actuality, "it made it more
desecration],' but I feel that comment on body piercing be-
when I'm dead, I don't care cause of the discrepancies in- difficult," Bigman says. "I wear it
now because it's fun, and I'm just
where they put me because volved.
"God says we cannot wound so used to it."
that's the end anyway," says
Bigmah acknowledges that the
Egrin. "The Jewish community our body, but piercing is just a su-
can look at it and disapprove all perficial wound that normally goatee was once a big fad, but he
it wants. That's the communi- doesn't bleed," he says. "It's al- doesn't think it's considered cool
lowed if done_for healing or med- anymore.
ty's prerogative."
"Anything John Tesh wears
But before Abby Rutheiser icinal purposes."
Egrin, who's parents got over can't be cool," he says.
pierced her belly button and got
C/)
0
.
Torah
says
no to
tattoos.
❑