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Is beard length a police department requirement or religious persecution?
An Orthodox Jew who was weeks away from becoming a New York City police officer says he has been kicked out of the police academy for refusing to trim his beard.
Former recruit Fishel Litzman of Monsey said he was fired on Friday after multiple confrontations with the department over the length of his beard.
“As an Orthodox Chasidic Jew it is absolutely forbidden in my religious beliefs to cut or trim my beard in any way.
“I am being disciplined only because I maintain my religious beliefs and observances.”
Isaac Abraham, an activist in Brooklyn’s Hasidic communities, said it was a shame that allowances couldn’t be made for Litzman’s beard. The NYPD’s chief spokesman insisted they made every attempt to accommodate Litzman.
“They knew from when he took the exam and applied that he would not trim his beard. He said from the outset it was a matter of religious observance. He never made a secret of it.”
Related articles
- Hasidic Jew fired from NYPD over beard length (news.yahoo.com)
- Hasidic Jew claims NYPD fired him over beard length (foxnews.com)
- Hasidic Jew fired from NYPD over beard length (wtvm.com)
- Hasidic Jew fired from NYPD over beard length (kansascity.com)
- Hasid Fired From NYPD For Not Cutting Beard (alan.com)
- NYPD fires Orthodox Jew over beard length (timesofisrael.com)