Q. A baal teshuva whose father was never given a Jewish name, although his father is Jewish - how should the baal teshuva be called up to the Torah, if he is extremely embarrassed to be called up by the secular name of his father, which is announcing to everyone that his father was never given a Jewish name? In the past, he invented a Jewish name for his father and that is how he was called up. May he continue being called up in this way, or should something else be done?
A. Horav Shlomo Millers Shlit’a suggested he should use his grandfathers name. A few names are similar to men and women, such as Simcha or Chone, if it applies he could use his mother’s name.
The Rov mentioned that sometimes the non-Jewish name may be close to a Yidish name (such as Yoni to Johny), and it could also be used.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a
Important Numbers
