Unwanted Tattoos

Observant Jews do not tattoo themselves, to them such an act is a violation of scripture. However, in the days of the Nazi the Jews who were sent to the infamous Auschwitz concentration camp were forcibly marked with a crude tattoo. This tattoo was an identity number, a way in which the brutal authorities could track the victims of their hate. The tattoos were primitive and rough, a series of numbers, and sometimes a letter, most commonly seen disfiguring the forearms of people. Years ago, as a child, I had the honor of meeting a few people, Jews, who still bore the marks of ink indicating they had been held prisoner at the Auschwitz death camp. I was both humbled and honored to have been in their company. They seemed to have a kindness and a patience rarely seen, these who had suffered so much. And, they never brought attention to their pasts or to the ink on their arms. They just wanted to get on with their lives. These people, though just ordinary people, were heroes in my eyes and they bore the marks to prove it. They carried evidence of the world's hatred towards them and I couldn't help but to love them more as a result. I never wanted a tattoo of any kind, I never cared for the concept of permanently tainting oneself with ink, and scripture indicated the Almighty wasn't too thrilled with the idea either. However, as a kid, I wanted a tattoo like those I saw staining the arms of my heroes the Jews who had suffered in Auschwitz for the mere reason they were Jews. The crude number tattoo I longed to have would speak on my behalf and say to the world, "I will not be robbed of the Jews, and I will not sit quietly if they are ever hurt again." I wanted to show solidarity with these my precious Jews. I wanted to tell the world that I knew, that I knew what had happened to my heroes and why it happened. I wanted to shout the dream of Zion will not die; it won't, and I won't let it. My friends, the Jews, would live and prosper despite the world's efforts to kill them. I will be a witness to their lives, and to their memories. Yes, I wanted a tat' just like theirs, a mark saying I was an enemy of the evil in the world, an enemy of hatred, and an enemy of cruelty. The tat' would declare, "Am Israel Chai." I wanted a tat' like theirs, a tat' which would declare the Jew isn't alone in this world anymore. In the years since that time in my youth little has changed in my thinking. Those people are still my honored heroes, all those who suffered for simply being the people of God known as Jews. And, I still long for an ever present mark of solidarity with them. Although, instead of desiring a tat' on the arm I seek from HaShem a present and constant mark on my heart so that I can be faithful to the words, "The Jew isn't alone anymore." "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God." Isaiah 40:1 Thank God, Am Israel Chai.