Bearded Chabad Rabbi Can Join U.S. Army
A bearded Chabad rabbi has won his battle to join the U.S. Army without shaving his beard.
Rabbi Menachem Stern, whose approval to serve as an Army Reserve chaplain in 2009 was rescinded because he refused to shave his beard, will be allowed to serve after settling a lawsuit against the military, Chabad-Lubavitch News reported. Stern expects to be sworn into service next week and begin chaplain training in January.
Though army policy does allow religious waivers for beards on a case-by-case basis, the waivers had previously been granted only after the men entered the service clean-shaven.
In December, Stern filed a lawsuit against the military after attempts – aided by Senators Joe Lieberman, Charles Schumer and Kristen Gillibrand – to receive a waiver failed.
According to the Aleph Institute, a Chabad organization that assists Jewish military personnel, there are currently 37 Jewish chaplains in the U.S. military, including nine rabbis on active duty.
The Aleph Institute will be live streaming Stern’s swearing in ceremony on Dec. 9.
Did you know that only 2% of Forward readers donate to support our nonprofit newsroom? That 2% make it possible for millions to read the Forward without a paywall or subscription — removing any barriers to the full and fair Jewish story.
But while the Forward is free to read, it isn’t free to produce. Big stories — like deep dives into the antisemitism data, political scoops or reporting trips to college campuses — take months of research and fact-checking. All while we keep you informed of what you need to know each day.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Forward Publisher & CEO
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
