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Picture of the Day: Rivkah Would Not Bow

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin paid a visit to Pope Francis in Rome, accompanied by his personal secretary Rivkah – an Orthodox-Jewish woman. When a person usually greets the pope, they shake his hand and bow down. But when Rivkah’s turn came to greet the pope, she explained to him that for religious reasons she could not shake his hand, nor could she bow down since he was wearing a cross. The pope then covered his cross with his hand, and bowed down to her!

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58 Comments

  • check the facts

    that is not what happened, according to the presidents office, everything was arranged beforehand…

  • very honorable!!!

    very honorable of her!! however it’s no secret that this pope is a socialist and has no backbone. hardly christian.

    • Anonymous

      That’s one of the most disgusting things I’ve seen in a long time. And you wonder why so many people talk so disgustingly about Jews. Comments like that are why. Pope Francis is an amazing person, and cares about all humans, and after thousands of years of popes who have persecuted Jews, to have one with so much respect that he’s willing to not only take her declining to show him respect, but to commend it! And you insult him? You’re saying he has no backbone? Hardly Christian? He’s a better Christian than you are a Jew, considering how judgmental you are for no reason.

    • Anonymous

      #4 your ignorance is astounding. “And you wonder why so many people talk so disgustingly about Jews”

      Wow, such ignorance and so disconnected. Try keeping away from criticizing others, it’s clearly not your area of strength.

    • Shlomo

      [couldn’t reply-to-a reply so this is for Anonymous]
      1) You responded to one of the few (only?) negative comments about the Pope and use that to justify why people “talk so disgustingly (sic) about Jews.”
      2) She did not disrespect the Pope. She was part of an official delegation and the protocol officers worked it out ahead of time.

  • 48 yr in the hood

    wow big time kidush hashem
    whole klal yisroale should be proud of her
    kol hakovd to her and to those who taught her

  • Not A secretary

    Her name is Rivka Ravitz and she is President Rivlin’s Chief of Staff.

    She is an amazing Chareidi woman who entire life is an ongoing Kiddush Hasem.

    She has, KA”H, 11 children, and while raising her children and working this high pressure job, is also pursuing a PhD.

    In her position she meets leaders from all over the world, and has earned international respect from both politicians and the media for her uncompromising frumkeit.

    She is an exemplar for all of us.

  • Chaim H.

    When you stand up for your beliefs/principals/Morals, In other words, Torah and Mitzvot, you get respect.

    If you [as a Jew) think you will get respect by conforming to the world around, by showing them that you can be just like them, you are making a big mistake.

    Holiness means distinctiveness. A Jew must march to a different beat. It doesn’t matter what the rest of the world is doing. We are a people apart.

    Very proud of Rivkah’s commitment to Torah and Mitzvot. We can all learn from this.

  • Kol HaKavod!

    Thank you Rivka. Amazing kiddush Hashem. Soon all the nations will bow only to Hashem, and you have started the ball rolling!

  • the Pope gets it

    Bowing to real Royalty, covering his getshke in front of real Royalty. The power of a Jew revealed.

  • "Geon Yaakov"!

    If only everyone in the government would follow her fearless example in all areas, just as the Rebbe promised that the world would respect that.

  • Kiddush Hashem! However...

    Great Kiddush Hashem by showing her גאון יעקב!
    However, this post should’ve been without the picture of the pope, since he’s representing the greatest קליפה, and a Yid shouldn’t see/look at his face…

    • Greatest Klipa???

      It’s fine for a Goy to be Christian. The Rambam writes that Christianity is a “step” towards Moshiach since they no longer practice Avoda Zara.

      You can look more into it. It’s in the Shulchan Aruch.

  • Truth

    the current pope is bowing to every women in power, this is his style….

    covering the cross is actually a show of respect to their….

    there is no need to make a story of nothing

    • to truth

      if You really think this is nothing ( when everyone is praising her as a KIDUSH HASHEM either you don’t understand what it means doing such an act in front of dignitaries
      or jealous (probably both)
      in time of Mordechai there were
      also Yden that thought is nothing

  • Yankel Todres

    “Umordechai Lo Yichre V’lo Yishtachave”. Apparently the “Avi Avos Hatumah” then said that as it is now Meshiach’s times we (the Goyim) shall all get ready to go and bow down before the Aibeshter in the Bais Hamikdash Hashlishi in Yerushalim.

    • Thank you. ..so relevant

      Er don’t think ur rebbe’s opinion is relevant seeing as if there is any opinion it is one from 25 years ago and ur quote is a vague and gross generalisation. Such meetings are a chillul Hashem! Is that women meeting the Pope or jews meeting the pope or what exactly?. Thanks for the really intelligent post!

    • Milhouse

      The Rebbe was against rabbonim meeting the pope, because it puts his religion on the same level as ours, ch”v. But it should be obvious that it’s appropriate for the president of Israel to meet him as a fellow head of state.

  • MaDDinBklyn

    Sorry but nothing special here. This was a planned event and the women knew that she was too meet the pope and could not follow proper customs or protocol. she should not have not been included in the delegation meeting the pope or she should have refused to meet the pope to avoid any embarrassment to either party.

  • Doris Jaffe

    I am proud of Rivkah for not kowtowing to the protocol of other cultures. They respect us when we respect ourselves. The Pope certainly showed his respect for her religious beliefs.

  • mickael Cohen

    Besides the fact that she didn’t shake the hand she should of explain that is a reason for modesty and respect for her husband.and besides that this pope is an hypocrite.he is against Israel he is a double face a snake

  • a yid

    you know what? whether it is common for the dope, i mean pope, the guy with the weird yarmulke, to this– or ch’v if these things aren’t supposed to happen… it still is inspiring to see a religious jewish woman neither bow or share hands. i was touched reading some of the comments esp “go yidden!”
    Hashem Yerachem al kol am yisrael

    • Atkins Labourne

      Have you forgotten when Hitler got rid of 7 million Jews and now the Ayatollah of Iran claims that Israel will no longer exists in 25 years. I know I will not be here then. After all Jews are the chosen one so why worry?

  • Who wrote this story?

    The pope was merely holding his cross so it didn’t swing when he bowed. He wasn’t covering anything out of “respect”. Furthermore, what Rivka did was offensive to him and he merely bowed to show “while you feel your above me, I am happy to put my ego aside for you.”

    • What disrespect?

      You’re the one who’s disrespectful. Let others live by their standards. Judging and disrespecting others and then blaming them of that. Projection much.

  • brian pearl

    IF indeed she did say that to the Pope, about his cross, she was displaying dismal manners — & NOT representing the PEOPLE of OUR STATE !!! :(

    • Dismal manners

      Projection much. She has to behave according to your standards or she has dismal manners. That seems like dismal manners to me.

    • Milhouse

      You would have said the same to Mordechai. And to Chana and her sons. Kiddush haShem is more important than manners.

  • Lynn Sharon

    Yes, one can be proud of her in a private capacity. . However, she represents the STATE OF ISRAEL, and not herself. If she agreed to see the Pope, there is protocol involved. If the protocol offended her, someone else should have taken her place.
    She needn’t bow to the Pope, but, certainly, there is a modicum of respect involved in meeting a HEAD OF STATE, whether a RELIGIOUS STATE, OR RELIGIOUS HEAD OF STATE. She may see herself as a tzadekes, but, if that how she sees herself, then, she should also know there is such a thing as PROTOCAL AND PROPER BEHAVIOR. On the other hand, the Pope had the decency and courtesy to cover the cross. Whatever you think, would our head of state COVER THE MAGEN DAVID? Because of her behavior, she made the Pope appear as a TZADDIK. Was that her intention?

    • Critical much

      They knew beforehand and were ok with it. In addition according to you she and others with unique cultures must be excluded from certain affairs. Self righteous much. Not really nice of you.

    • Milhouse

      The protocol doesn’t just offend her, it offends AM YISROEL, and ELOKEI YISROEL. It’s a disgrace that other Israeli representatives don’t take the same stand.

  • Shai Solomon

    When Theodore (Binyomin-Zev) Herzl met with the pope, he, too, did not bow to him, nor did he kiss his hand. Kiddush Hashem!

  • to Lyn Sharon...........

    Would you take off the crucifix hanging on the wall of a room where a Jewish woman is giving birth. Or would protocol call for leaving the crucifix there so as not to offend the christian world and in the process have a Jewish woman give birth to a baby in a room with a crucifix hanging on the wall.

  • The Irishman

    Maybe this lady , however apparently beloved, shouldn’t be involved in meeting foreign dignitaries. It’s called diplomacy. Just sayin’

  • Vladimir Kaganovsky

    Thanks and the greate honor to our Rivkas for keeping Jews in this world forever! Such women
    are our life insurance for thousands of years in the past and thousand of years to come. Regardless of those who hate Jews and want to kill them all!