"growing a beard outside regulations constitutes an infringement of grooming standards and impairs the IDF image as it is perceived by the public." Yeah - they are scared that people will think that the army has religious standards.

Why do you do your daily, weekly, monthly, yearly checks on weapons etc? To see if they are fit for use. A soldier is a weapon and if a commander sees a deficiency then they have to instruct the soldier to better prepare himself. Perception is reality and if the soldier looks or perceives to be unshaven and ragged etc then he will perform that way also. In addition, you can't get a good seal on a gas mask if you are not shaven. If you want to have a beard then abide by the regulations. What's the problem?

Can they grow beards or is it a rascist policy?

Not only does it make them look FOUL, it is a symbol of religiosity - mostly among Muslims.

If it's strictly a safety issue, they really shouldn't be granting exceptions for any reason, should they?

And by wearing I mean also fancy beards and other fancy ornaments. At home and after Army service,everybody can do what they want,but while in the service of country ,they shouldn't. I think also uniform in schools is a must. At home and in the streets everyone can do what they want,but while being educated,Guevurah is an indispensable ingredient.I am sure about that.

Good point about women in the IDF with facial hair. It's about high time somebody took action against those ugly border police girls with their beards and moustaches. They need to shave them off!

"Neither shall you shave the corners of your beard" Lev 19:27. How can you expect to win wars fighting against G-d's commandments?! This is (anti) religious coercion. The people pushing this coercion will certainly be punished.

IDF claims it wants Hareidim to serve, but then adopts policies to make it clear they are unwelcome, suggesting the attempts to conscript yeshiva students are motivated NOT by a need for more manpower, but purely out of bigotry against traditional Jews.

Obviously you didn't read the article. They gave permission to those certain soldiers who don't shave for "religious reasons" and the others will probably have medical reasons ie: pseudofaliculitus barbae (in-grown hairs) etc. In additon, it shows lack of responsibility to be unshaven (regardless of what the rabbi's say). A soldier that takes care of himself daily is more likely to pride in his comrades and unit. Bottom line is that in case of an NBC attack (Nuclear/Bio/Chem for those that have never served) you had better be clean shaven.

good to see that there those who actually understand the reasons for the anti-facial hair policy within a military, as opposed to civilians who presume to be able to apply their standards of life to every situation in the world and #10, im sure you wont have to worry about this regulation. you know what i mean. and personally, ill take a well disciplined army with superior firepower over a verse from a bronze age religious text any day.

Lieutenant-Colonel Avshi Azulay is obviously understimulated. What a bunch of no-issue nonsense, forcing men to shave!

"Following in the footsteps of the Israel Air Force, the Navy and the Intelligence Corps have decided to run special recruitment programs for the hareidi-religious sector." These two articles seem contradictory, unless the IDF will allow Hareidim to keep their beards and will make teh chilonim shave

It was never an issue for my years of service. Making sure that all the equipment works and the soldiers know how to use them is far more important than beards.

For thousands of years, up until the last few generations, the forefathers of 99% of all the Jews alive today were observant of Jewish law, and believed in the divinity of the Torah. If a person is Jewish, and living in Israel, it is only because of the Torah and because of those that observed its laws throughout history. The vast majority of the people whose ancestors forsook the Torah more than three generations ago, are not Jewish, and do not consider themselves Jewish. Without the Jewish people, and without the historical connection of the people to the land of Israel, there would be no IDF today. The IDF and the State of Israel only exist because the Jewish people exist, and the Jewish people exist as a distinct nation only because of the Torah and the observance of its laws. Therefore for someone to defend the IDF’s coercion to defy the Torah’s commandments is insane. Wasn’t the formation of the IDF in order to protect the Jewish people in the land of their forefathers? If someone wants to deny the relevance of the Torah, what place does he have in the IDF? What is he fighting for? Why live in this land? To defend your people?!!! For that reason you need to kill?!!! To such violent people claiming self defense, I suggest you can live in safety without having to kill, by picking up your bags and moving out. If you have no respect for the Torah, than you have no justification for being here.

"Growing a mustache or a beard is allowed for medical or religious reasons only, but it requires special authorization"

PRESENTATION OF SOLDIERS IN UNIFORM IS PRACTICAL,BUT NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED , PRIDE OF.APPEARANCE DOES NOT MATCH THAT OF SERVICE PERSONNEL SERVING IN OTHER COUNTRIES E.G. MANY SOLDIERS ON DUTY IN" MACHENET YEHUDAH" TAKE DUTIES AND APPEARANCES FAR TOO CASUALLY.

Never mind the Iranian Nuclear Bomb which is hours away from being assembled or Hizballahs 40 thousand rockets,the beards are the real threat.

Jewish women are exempt. They can grow beards.

You will be allowed to grow beards!

To not allow beards for some is discriminatory. It also makes a clear division between those who wear kippot and those who don't. It does not allow for those soldiers brought up in traditional homes to not shave during the counting of the omer. These soldiers, who do not wear kippot but have never shaved during the counting of the omer, are now denied this being asked to shave. Just because the soldier does not shave, does not mean he is unkempt and a poor soldier. Aside from the beard that is kept neat, their hair is neat and they look clean and well taken care of as they board the trains to come home. This new rule has nothing to do with that. I have no idea what it has to do with. The soldiers will never all look equal because the kippah wearing soldiers will not be shaving and there are both men and women in the IDF. Many of the women wear skirts. What should we do about that? This is an army that defends the Jewish State. We need to abide by traditions.

What medical reasons are there for having a beard? Recently mine saved a little boy from cancer. Needless to say after my 45 days I will be shaving oh well... you know the best part about hair... It grows back...