Today,I will recall my mother´s words again. She said to me a few times in my life,in certain special moments,that she wished(as a pray)for us,her children,to never go through what she and she´s and my father´s family went...Not even near. Youngsters in Israel are too spoiled.They are so spoiled that this fact puts them out of reality.They are not awake. This must change and quick.

I volunteered for IDF service and served in a combat unit and never argued about having my hair cut. But he has got a point - if the IDF strives for equality between the sexes, to the point where over 90% of IDF jobs are open to females, including front-line combat roles, why is there still a different standard for men and women in terms of haircuts? If there is an operational need for such haircuts then surely it is dangerous not to impose such haircuts on women, particularly in units such as Caracal. If there is no operational need, then why are they imposed on men? It's not like the IDF is an army that is incredibly disciplined, by the time soldiers reach deployment they are on first-name terms with their officers and usually very friendly with their commanders - why is the need for particular haircuts seen as so important?

After all, his clothes reflect his "self-expression" as well, right?

Next he will whine about having to wear the same uniform as everybody else. It's what I hated the most about being in the army, far more then the hard work and lack of sleep was seeing young, spoilt and arrogant children wearing the uniform with sneakers, or untucked thinking they look cool or are being defiant. Instead they are disrespecting those that serve with honor for their country and those that have and died. There's a point that is far too prevalent to Israeli Chudspa where it just becomes rude and pathetically arrogant.

Dress codes mean something. Jewish men have covered their heads for centuries and that was not only for the " religious". There was not such a thing as religious and not religious untill some to 150 years ago-all were Jews living in Jewish communities and covering the head had a meaning-a meaning of repect before G-d.The same for women. Haredim dress in black in a reminder of the sages they follow.When we see them,we are reported somehow to a time where a Truth was awake and prevailed.Haredim want to keep attached to that truth. Other religious in Israel also have some kind of dress code- a Torah,G-d related code. Every human being wears accordingly to a code. But what happens in the secular ,western ,world is that the dress code means nothing ,as a reflexion of the lack of a " philosophy", as a reflexion of the lack of a meaning. Boys want this or that hear cut that is like a footbal player or something like that;girls are full of make up;others are too provocative... So,indeed,this boy brought to light an important point which is the lack of meaning in Israel nowadays. I speak about Israell,but of course this is a worldwide phenomenon-the lack of true meaning and it is about THAT that the religious in the Knesset should be speaking and fighting for, for all People of Israel,inclusively re-giving meaning to their own dressing codes,a meaning that seems to be lost to them. The same goes to army:their dressing code should be attached to the meaning of their duty.

unfortunately, israeli children were always spoiled, though not to this extent. this boy has no idea what is important in life. it is all about "ME."

How about requiring the women to have a buzz cut as well?

It's a matter of hygiene. if he things he'll enjoy is long hair in the field he is sorely mistaken. Also if he gets lice, his whole unit will. Its like the people who don't get vaccinated; it's selfish and unfair to others, not a matter of personal taste. He just seems really vain for doing this.

LOL! Now, our new generation of IDF recruits are more interested in their hair-style than defending the homeland from a variety of existential threats. Oy vey! We've come so far these past 65 years. All the way from 'Us, Us, Us'...to 'me, me, me'! Sounds soooo.....oh, I don't know....American. lol. Pathetic little putzes. Let them keep their hair and give them 3 years of latrine duty...no pun intended.

The haircut is symbolic of joining an organization where a reasonable degree of conformity is required because one is joining a MILITARY organization. But this fellow has already demonstrated unusual abilities to think unconventionally and may well be an outstanding soldier, if he can complete the gibush, in the elite unit of Sayeret Schmuck.

side locks that are commanded in Scriptures for them to have. In battle, they will learn that the enemy will grab the locks and pull out the hair if possible. But General Joshua's army had beards and long side locks of hair since it was a disgrace for a man not to have a beard in Scriptures. King David told two soldiers to tarry until their beards grew out when an enemy king they were emissaries to forcibly had their beards shaved half off on one side. It is important to do things HaShem's way so having long side locks is allright and the sidle locks can be pulled back in a pony tail or braided down the back of the head. It is a problem in hand to hand combat, but it is God's preference for men to have long side locks. Remember Samson who lost his strenghth when his hair was cut short.

he's from Tel Aviv!

This boy simply has no understanding of one single fact: although Israel is a democracy, the IDF is NOT. No military is. The military doesn't give a pile of organic fertilizer for the individual's desire to "express himself". That's not what it's there for. Will this boy (his lack of maturity prevents me from calling him a young man) insist on color coordinating his own uniform and accessorizing it on his own? Perhaps, in later life, he'll demand the freedom to express himself in his workplace by rejecting their dress rules, too. This request is far too frivolous to be taken seriously in any way but by educating this eminently stupid and obtuse boy in what a military is.

They used to do this in the 50s to avoid lice contamination. It's 2013 people! We have shampoo in case you haven't noticed! Congrat to this kid who dares to stand in front of the institutions to fight for his rights. Free the people!

We all got our hair cut. True. But it wasn't a crew cut. They also didn't touch my beard or peiyot.

and we had the same restrictions as any other male soldier anywhere else in the army.

He'll be putting a foot in your arse day and night. Talk about an unwise move.

Would you feel the same if the ladies were made to get crew cuts but the men could grow their hair long and one of the ladies spoke out?

There was no need to mention that this brat is from Tel Aviv. Only a Tel Aviv teenager would have this problem.

there is no such thing as absolute equality, neither in nature, nor in society. for women, their hair is an essential ornament. for men, something else might be.the kid is just being immature and a contrarian. he can have long hair in civil life, but not in the army, where rules are set for everyone and usually for good reasons.

Put him into Krav Magazine training daily and let's see how long he keeps it. Anything your enemy can grab onto to control you is a weakness. THAT is why soldiers cut their hair. But by the sounds of things, the most combat he'll be doing is fighting with a faulty stapler

You are in the army now sony boy, you are known by your identity number, private xyz, never mind , on your holidays mummy will bake you a cake and stroke your mane. Man up and get a life already.

Drill Seargeant to new recruit: "you see the leaf on the tree 1km away...bring it to me". On his return: "wrong leaf, its the one below it " and so and so on x10 or x20. Nothing like a bit of sweating to wish you had had a crew cut! Alternate: dishonourable discharge from the army.

As a soldier of the late 60's when long hair was realy in, I dont remember having a crew cut. Certainly my hair at the beginning of service was shorter then what I was used to, and my hair at the end was shoulder length, as befitted a man of the flower power generation. But a crew cut, well we knew what marine style crew cuts where, and we certainly didnt get them. It does make sense of course to have it "neatened up" before one goes in.

The Army, any army, is Yes Sir, No Sir, three bags full sir and is not a democracy! I am sure that the High Court of Justice will call in the barber! Of course, the army DO NOT cut the hair of the Haredim! Hmmm!

Thank you for your answer. While I would not want to make women cut their hair I see it more as a luxury than an esential. I remember when women were first allowed to enter the military academy of West Point. The press and womens lib groups hailed the fact that the women were treated exactly the same as the men and that there were no differences in treatment. The first thing I noticed was the fact that the men all wore stiff uncomfortable dress shoes while the women all wore nice comfortable looking tennis shoes. In the past some womens libbers have demanded absolute epuality but then tend to complain when they get it. They want the good without any of the bad. It's human nature I guess.

and I did not cut my hair in the army. What kind of stupid comment was that supposed to be?