The Ink and I, or,
IÕm History

 

 

I actually decided to get my first tattoo a few weeks after I watched the towers fall,
on September 11, 2001.

 

 

This is the tattoo I got:

 

 

 

 

 

It took me a long time to decide that this is what I wanted. You might wonder why I picked it.

 

 

This symbol is called a "chai".  ItÕs a Hebrew word that means ÒlifeÓ.

I liked that it was a symbol that meant life. I also liked that it was a symbol of my heritage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

All four of my grandparents were Jewish immigrants who came from Eastern Europe in the beginning of the twentieth century.

The Ashkenazi were the Jewish people who were scattered throughout Eastern Europe, in many countries. They were never allowed to become citizens of any country they lived in, but they were all united by speaking Yiddish,
a language that was common to all of them.

 

 

 

For some people, the word ÒJewishÓ means a religion,
and for some people it means a heritage. Although one of my
grandfathers was very religious

 

 

 

and although my sister was born on May 14, 1948, the very day
that Israel became an independent country

 

 

it was always more of a heritage thing to me.

 

For most of my life, I wore a small golden ÒchaiÓ on a chain around my neck.
I expected to wear it my whole life.

 

So when I decided to get a tattoo, I knew that this was the right design for me.

 

 

Number Two

Number Three

Number Four