Israeli army lifts beard restrictions for all soldiers
The Israel Defense Forces announced on Wednesday that all their soldiers are now allowed to have beards without the need for special permission. Previously, individual exemptions from the shaving requirement were granted, but some Jews viewed this as discriminatory.
The Israel Defense Forces stated from now on, all soldiers can wear beards without needing to obtain special permissions. The previous system of granting individual exemptions from the shaving requirement was seen by some Jews as discriminatory.
In Judaism, wearing a beard holds deep religious significance, as it stems from the commandments of the Torah. The Torat Lechima organisation, which lobbied for this change in regulations, expressed satisfaction with the decision.
"After many years of struggle, we succeeded, with divine assistance, and under the leadership of our tireless colleague MK Keti Shitrit, in making an historic and significant correction that will put an end to the bizarre persecution of soldiers who want to grow beards," the organization stated in a declaration.
Bearded soldiers in the Israeli army
According to the new guidelines, every soldier, regardless of their religious affiliation, can wear a beard, provided it is neat and compliant with regulations. This change aims to enhance the comfort of service in the army.
Additionally, small changes regarding the appearance of women in the army have been introduced. The new rules now allow nail polish in colours beyond the previous palette, which was limited to black and pink.
