There are promises the directive compelling IDF soldiers to shave is going to be changed amid growing controversy between commander and religious military personnel.

IDF Chief of Manpower Branch Major-General Chaggai Tupolinsky last week met with MK (Bayit Yehudi) Moti Yogev to discuss the directive. The senior officer is quoted telling Yogev he intends to change the directive, ‘שביעי’correspondent Yishai Friedman reports.

The decision to give permission to a soldier to sport a beard used to be in the hands of military rabbonim but about a half year ago this changed, placing the authority in the hands of commander. This resulted in thousands of soldiers being instructed to shave, including frum soldiers who are bearded for religious reasons. Some have shaved while others have been punished for refusing to comply with orders.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-General Gadi Eizenkott during a session of the Knesset Foreign Affairs & Defense Committee acknowledged that a beard is often part of the lifestyle of a religious soldier, promising that one will not be compelled to shave against his will. However, his promise was not actualized as this has not been the case for the past half year.

In his report, Friedman writes that the meeting between Tupolinsky and Yogev was held in a “positive atmosphere” and the senior commander is well-aware the current regulation is harmful to many soldiers and he has indicated it would be changed to accommodate beards for religious reasons.

The IDF spokesman unit reports that the directive prohibiting a beard is part of the overall discipline of the military. To date, 24,000 soldiers were given permission to have a beard for religious reasons, clearly signaling the IDF is attentive to the needs of soldiers. That said, the spokesman explains at times mistakes do occur and the IDF learns from these mistakes.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)