A gifted leader, with a brilliant mind and a unique approach, Rav Meir Simcha of Dvinsk (1843–1926) author of the acclaimed Ohr Somayach stands out among the personalities of his day. The 1910 Rabbinical conference in St. Petersburg, was a testing ground for how modern Jewish leadership would grapple with the hot button issues facing the Jews of the Russian Empire. Rav Meir Simcha was one of the respected participants, and he weighed in on the challenges of the time. With panoply of voices and opinions, it wouldn't be a simple matter for his view to hold sway. His Rabbinical leadership in the waning days of the rule of the Czars, gives a glimpse into the challenges of traditional Jewish life at the turn of the century.

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