Rabbi Shaul Yisroel Bolotnikov
שאול ישראל ב"ר שמריהו אליהו
Chief Rabbi, Sioux City, IowaDate of Death:
Fri. March 31, 1995 -
Adar II 29 5755
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Directions to Kever: Independent Farane is a Jewish cemetery that is adjacent to Graceland Cemetery in Sioux City. Independent Farane has its own gate, accessible from within Graceland.
Name Listed on Cemetery Database: Name listed on marker: Rabbi Saul I Bolotnikov
Biographical Notes:
Bio Information:
Rabbi Saul Bolotnikov came to Sioux City in 1936 and served all three of its Orthodox congregations, alternating his attendance each Saturday. This arrangement was in place until 1955 when the three congregations merger. He served the community until his death in 1995 at the age of 88.
Photo Credit: Moreshes Chachmei America Archives
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1) From the following article, we can discern that he passed away on Thursday March 30, 1995 (either 28 or 29 Adar II depending on the time of day)
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/130816702/
Rabbi Saul I. Bolotnikov, 88, of Sioux City died Thursday at Marian Health Center from complications of a stroke. Services were Friday at the United Orthodox Synagogue, with burial at Independent Farane Cemetery. Rabbi Bolotnikov had been an orthodox rabbi in the Sioux City area since 1937. Surviving are his wife, Reva Kaplan; a daughter, Rochelle; and two grandchildren.
2) Maybe the following contact will yield more exact results re: the yahzeit:
http://www.iajgsjewishcemeteryproject.org/iowa-ia/sioux-city-woodbury-county.html
Independent Farane: administered by the Sioux City Jewish Federation, which holds the burial records. Federation’s postal address is 815 -38th Street, Sioux City, Iowa 51104-0141, (712) 258-0618.
3) His kever is here:
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Bolotnikov&GSiman=1&GScid=636929&GRid=8219903&
The wife listed in the obituary was from a subsequent marriage. The following matzeiva (born 1905) lists הרבנית near the name of Gertrude Bolotnikov
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Bolotnikov&GSiman=1&GScid=636929&GRid=8229571&
Their 1940 census record of the Rabbi and Rebbetzin is over here: https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/2442/M-T0627-01215-00438/126011404?backurl=&ssrc=&backlabel=Return
4) Two more links with interesting info re: this rabbi:
http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19940821&slug=1926355
http://www.ottmall.com/mj_ht_arch/v22/mj_v22i74.html
הגר”מ פיינשטיין זצ”ל כתב תשובה אליו (אג”מ או”ח ג:כד) בענין מחיצה בבית הכנסת:
http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=14676&pgnum=316
R Bolotnikov came to the US the same time as Rav Moishe Feinstein. Needs to be verified but I once heard that he gave a Shiur in Ponevezh (Ponevitch) and that after the Ponevitcher Rov passed,a mishlachas came to him from EY to see if he would consider becoming RY and he declined.
He turned down the request that his “rebbi muvak”, the Ponevitcher Rav, in his will to be his successor Rosh Yeshiva. 3 times they came & 3 times he said no. His reasons were: his hakoras hatov to Sioux City, there would be no replacement for him and finally he wouldn’t compromise his own personal Torah learning for such a responsibility.
Yosef (Jules) Harlow became a well-known author (in the Conservative movement) and told in a video of his most important childhood memory. He grew up in Sioux City Iowa and would go once a week with his zeide to the gemora shiur of Rav Biletnikoff. He describes the excited discussions as they talked in learning, and how even though he was just a child, the rov would try to include him in the learning.