Image by Getty Images

By Maia Efrem July 30, 2015

Movember may be months away but the latest facial hair viral video is already here, courtesy of a Gillette campaign in Israel. With over a million views, the ad follows an Israeli man who shaves his beard after 14 years. Barely recognized by his father, he then gives a beardless surprise to his wife and children at the playground.

All this facial hair made us wonder: What other famous Jewish beards have caught our fancy?

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

Here’s a not-so-definitive list. Let us know what other ones you think deserve a mention.

1) Moses

Let’s begin with the beginning. This prince of Egypt probably kept his imperial face clean-shaven as per dynastic Egyptian norms. That is, until his chin bush was inspired by the burning bush.

2) Maimonides

Jumping a few millennia into the future we meet a Spanish philosopher so wise even his beard wrote books.

3) Karl Marx

Marx would have gladly divided his beard among the masses.

Image by Getty Images

4) Theodore Herzl

When it came to growing facial hair, this famed journalist and father of modern Zionism willed it and the beard was no dream.

5) Sigmund Freud

Sometimes a beard is just a beard. And sometimes a beard is a result of Oedipal love for your mother. Who knows? All we know is this fashionably trim beard has been described as the

6) Woody Allen

Legend has it that one is born into the Jewish tribe. That’s false. You receive your acceptance letter only upon seeing Woody Allen’s “Annie Hall.”

7) Mandy Patinkin

You came for Barbra, but you stayed for Mandy. We wanted to feature Barbra Streisand’s “Yentl” beard until we remembered that she didn’t actually have one. But look who did! Mandy is as much of a heartthrob now as he was then.

Let’s just take a moment.

8) Steven Spielberg

Behind all your favorite blockbusters, there’s this man. And his beard.

Image by Getty Images

9) Matisyahu

It was the shave heard ‘round the world when Orthodox singer Matisyahu made the bold move to nix his beard.

Image by Getty Images

Who knew he was hiding that jaw underneath all that hair.

Image by Getty Images

10) The Fat Jew

The beard with 5.4 million Instagram followers. This Jewish comedian’s irreverent humor and unapologetic style have helped him become one of the photo sharing app’s most popular account.

11) Jake Gyllenhal

We’ll just leave you with this photo. You’re welcome.

Image by Getty Images

12) Ryan Braun

In the matter of two years, the baseball outfielder for the Milwaukee Brewers was named the National League MVP and was suspended for 65 games for violating the MLB’s antidoping laws. But who cares — look at his just-the-perfect-length beard.

13) Seth Rogen

Even Kim Jong Un could not resist this funnyman’s fluffy beard. He had us at “Knocked Up” and is about to win out hearts with “The Night Before,” his new Jewish Christmas movie.

Image by Getty Images

14) Paul Rudd

Yes, we know this is not quite a beard but Paul Rudd’s epic handlebar moustache for “Anchorman” deserves an honorary mention and a spot on our list.

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$90 $180

$360

Other amount