Yes, it’s true. Papal Nuncio Archbishop Antonio Franco met Moshe Katzav, Israel’s President who is now well known for refusing to call Conservative and Reform rabbis by anything other than their first and/or last names. It turns out Katzav has also refused to call Archibishop Franco, “Rabbi.” The disappointed Archibishop is returning to the Vatican quite angry at the affront and has vowed to tell the Pope that Katzav has done wrong by him.
In his own defense, Moshe Katzav told the press that he would have called the Archibishop, “Rabbi,” had he grown up calling anybody who isn’t an Orthodox Jew “Rabbi” and anyway, how dare Franco the non-Rabbi complain in public or to the Pope for that matter when he should first have had a coffee with Mr. Katzav to talk it over. It wouldn’t have made a difference, but at least Katzav would have had coffee.
Okay, not really. Papal Nuncio Archbishop Antonio Franco did visit Katzav and was apparently addressed as Archibishop because in Katzav’s home growing up, they would always call an Archibishop, “archibishop” even if he were Greek Orthodox.
Now I’m certainly no Miss Manners, but I was taught to address people as they wish to be addressed, not as what you think their title should be.
So for example, when the Judge in my divorce case wishes to be addressed as “The Honorable Judge J.D.” or “Judge D.” for short, I call him “Judge D.”. I do not call him “waste of taxpayer dollars”, as I think he should be called. Example 2: when my ex-husband asks to be called “D.”, I call him, “D.”, not “Motherfucker” as I think he should be called.
Therefore, if someone asks to be “Dr., Lawyer, Indian Chief, or Rabbi” you call them what they request, and you don’t do a background check to discover whether they went to Med. School, passed the bar, lived on a reservation OR what branch of Judiasm they practice! A title is not supposed to entail a moral,political or spiritual judgement.
Signed,
The Most Jewlicious Hot Diva Blogger, Her Royal Highness, Princess Chutzpah of Plifton(but you (can just call me “Chutz”)
maybe I’ll remember to spell Judaism correctly oneday!