An Orthodox Jewish rabbi from Brooklyn sued the U.S. Army Wednesday for denying him a commission to serve as an Army chaplain because his faith prohibits him from shaving his beard.
Rabbi sues Army over beard ruling
An Orthodox Jewish rabbi from Brooklyn sued the U.S. Army Wednesday for denying him a commission to serve as an Army chaplain because his faith prohibits him from shaving his beard.
Menachem M. Stern of the Chabad-Luvabitch community, a Hasidic group in Brooklyn, alleges in federal court in the District that the Army at first approved his application to serve as chaplain in June 2009 and appointed him a reserve commissioned officer (first lieutenant), before rescinding the appointment that September citing the Army’s “no-beard” regulation.
Stern’s attorneys, Nathan and Alyza D. Lewin of the District, say that since then, the Army has granted a waiver to two Sikh captains and an enlisted man, who were permitted to wear a turban and beard in uniform, and an unnamed, bearded Muslim officer who has served as a surgical intern at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Stern says the Army rules, which only apply on entering service and can be waived for those who cannot shave for medical reasons, are discriminatory and violate the Constitution, especially because waivers have been granted to Sikh and Muslim soldiers. The federal courts in 1976 barred the Air Force from enforcing its beard ban against an Orthodox Jewish chaplain, his suit added.
A spokesman for the Army did not immediately return a telephone call for comment Wednesday afternoon.
Sens. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), Kirstin Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) wrote Army Secretary John McHugh about Stern’s case, the suit said, and were told that current Army grooming standards do not allow beards.
Proud of you
Our Maccabee! Crown Heights is proud of you, and you will, Please Hashem, soon be called “Chaplain Stern”, sir!
Bracha v’hatzlocha, and didan netzach!
FYI
What is this nonsense? We are in golus,התגרות באומות is a no-no.
huh
what are all those numbers
Milhouse
Some snag who thinks we should dance mah yofis before the poretz.
:)
cool guy!
moshe
Give me a break! What will he do when his gas mask doesn’t seal because of his beard? He is a rabbi, not some dentist who will never leave Walter Reed. He has to be able to deploy with the combat troops. There have been a half dozen poison gas attacks on American forward operating bases in Iraq alone. Mostly chlorine, to be sure, but if your gas mask doesn’t fit, it’ll kill you just as dead as VX. He can use an electric shaver like every other observant Jewish soldier. If this is against his personal Halacha, he can go argue with the Rambam, who rules scissors to be permitted.