IDF Chief of Personnel Directorate Major-General Chaggai Tupolinsky has announced he is changing the regulations pertaining to soldiers sporting a beard, returning the policy to what it was prior to the controversial change. This permits an administrative officer to authorize a soldier to keep his beard for religious reasons. The change provoked a storm and protests, leading to the formation of the Tzav1 organization, which many credit for pressuring the IDF to return to the former status quo.

Tzav1 officials met with Tupolinsky and other senior IDF officers towards having the new regulation revoked and B”H they were successful. The meetings with Tzav1 officials have also led to an arrangement that complaints it receives from soldiers regarding religious matters would be probed by the IDF Chief Rabbinate.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)