Q. A shul has a rather recent takana that no aliya to the Torah should be given to someone who does not keep Shabbat. Recently a group of youngsters were engaged on being mekarev a friend who’s family are longtime members of that congregation, but are not frum yet. Since they feel that there is a great possibility that the still un-frum friend may become a true baal teshuva can they give him as a necessary encouragement an aliya? If he accepts, is that considered disrespectful to his father, who does not get one?
A. Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that as long as the son accepts to not desecrate Shabbos openly, he can be given an aliya. The fact that the son does get called to the Torah then, is an encouragement to his father to follow him.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a