One doesn’t normally think of American fraternities in the same breath as the Israeli army.
But they appear to have at least one thing in common: hazing.
And it’s a practice that the Israel Defense Force, at least, wants to get rid of.
The IDF chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Amnon Shahak, banned a practice known as “Zubur” — which occurs when soldiers in certain units are promoted or are about to be transferred — that often involves dousing a soldier with a mixture of eggs or flour.
But the practice is occasionally a form of punishment for soldiers who have failed to carry out their duties.
Previous attempts to ban the practice, which can involve violence and humiliation, have been unsuccessful.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
