Tattoos and Judaism
Updated February 23, 2017 | Factmonster Staff
![Updated by an Factmonster Editor on February 23, 2017](/themes/ip/images/info-circle.png)
The Question:
Why can't people with tattoos be buried in a Jewish cemetery?
The Answer:
There is no such rule.
It is true that Jews are prohibited from getting tattoos under Jewish law; the rule in question is in Leviticus 19:28. With that said, violating this law does not disqualify one from burial in a Jewish cemetery.
While this alleged rule was a central plot point in a 1996 episode of The Nanny, it is a complete myth, of unknown origin. But you don't have to take our word for it. Here are opinions by an Orthodox rabbi and a Conservative rabbi.
-The Fact Monster
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