Major General Hagai Topolanski, the head of the IDF Manpower Directorate, ordered changes in the army shaving regulations so that military rabbis will now recommend to commanders whether or not to approve requests from soldiers tro keep their beards.
At a meeting with the soldier's religious rights organization, Tzav Echad, Major General Topolanski said that the regulation is being instituted following the public outcry several months ago over the change in the rules regarding permission for soldiers to grow beards. Under those rules, permission to grow a beard was to come from an officer in one of the four regional command centers rather than from the soldier’s local commander, and the military rabbis would play no role in the decision.
At the meeting, it was also agreed that requests received by Tzav Echad on behalf of soldiers would in the future also be handled by the military rabbinate.
Tzav Echad issued a statement in response to the meeting stating, “This is a significant achievement for our organization and good news for the religious soldier who wants to be allowed to keep his beard.”
The Tzav Echad organization was established several months ago to provide an address for soldiers who feel they are suffering religious discrimination.