“Epilady” Vs. The Israeli Army

The newest export from Israel — a kibbutz manufactured depilatory appliance imported to the U.S. by three South African Jewish sisters — is now vying with the Israel Defense Forces for the tiny metal spring necessary to its production.

Epilady removes body hair to a “revolutionary new way,” according to promotional materials. The product tears out hair at the root with a rotating spring — the same spring that the IDF uses in its production of army-issue rifles.

Epilady is made by a high-tech company, Mepro, that operates out of Kibbutz Hagoshrim in the Upper Galilee. Last year, export sales of Epilady, which retails in the U.S. for about $70, were estimated at $60 million. Over two million of the units were sold by the American distributor, EPI Products, which is headed by Sharon Krok Feuer, 30, Arlene Krok, 28, and Loren Krok, 23. They bought the distribution rights to Epilady after spotting the product while on a trip to Israel.