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A halakhic responsum regarding a matter of divorce and a matter of Kashruth - prohibiting the eating of sturgeon - to which is appended, according to the title page "2" brief articles in English, called "LeMa'an Tzion" and Le-Zichro shel Yaakov Shieff, z"l." [ Jacob Schiff] . In fact, there are a total of 3 pages in English, addressed to "Rulers of Europe" blaming them for the rise of Hitler and the second World War. Seemingly a continuation of that address are a few paragraphs about Mr. Jacob Schiff.
R. Louis Plotkin was born in Slutsk, White Russia in 1863. He studied there and in Bobroisk, and became known as the "Bobroisker Masmid" -the diligent student of Bobroisk. He received ordination from a number of distinguished rabbis, including R. Yankel David of Slutsk, known as "the Ridvaz". R. Plotkin served as the rabbi of Congregation Beth Israel in Bangor, Maine between 1906 and 1909. R. Plotkin mastered the English language so thoroughly that the Bangor Daily News regularly ran his columns. R. Plotkin wasn’t afraid to disagree with the conventional beliefs of the power elite. He did it so eloquently that his words were undoubtedly read with respect by the many Bangor residents who were interested in the newcomers. The articles were later collated into his book, "Some Talmudic Gems." After he left Bangor, he was the Rabbi at Cong. Adath Jeshurun in Brooklyn, NY.
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