Not clean-shaven as usual, Herzog explains aveilus

As Israel’s first president to visit the United Arab Emirates, Yitchak Herzog”s trip was a historic one and he was greeted with great pomp and honor.

However, despite the novelty of his visit, what aroused the most curiosity on the part of the Emiratis was Herzog’s appearance. Why was the normally clean-shaven president growing a beard? In the course of the meetings, they questioned him about it.

Herzog, who is makpid on the halachos of aveilus and is still within the sheloshim after the patirah  of his mother, Orah, a’h, explained the laws of aveilus to them.

Later in the day, when Herzog met with the leaders of the Jewish community in Dubai, he recited Kaddish.