A new directive from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) came into effect this month, banning soldiers from growing beards unless they are granted permission to do so by their military rabbi, unit commander and the commander's adjutant. The decision was prompted by concerns that beard-growing was getting out of control and thus undermining military discipline and uniformity. The news of the directive sparked quite an uproar in Israel, giving rise to allegations of discrimination on the part of virtually every sector in the country. Hipsters, religious Zionists and the ultra-Orthodox have all rallied under a common banner, if only for the moment.
Members of the national religious sector, many of whom sport beards, protested that they were being discriminated against. They argue that the ultra-Orthodox are readily given permission to grow a beard, while they are required to obtain all sorts of approvals. Secular soldiers who grow a beard for personal reasons formed a Facebook group called "Free Will" just before the directive came into force, and went so far as to appeal to the Supreme Court Feb. 25, claiming that they were being discriminated against in favor of religious and ultra-Orthodox soldiers.
