Rabbi Asher Margolis, HaRav of Rokishok

Son of Eliahu (Elijah or Eliash) Margolis. Grandson of Mordechai Margolis. Born 1833 and died 1904 in Rokishok. He was the author of "Halachot Gedollot" (Vilna, 1894).

He married (1) Rocha Leah Kleyf, daughter of Leyzer Kleyf, the chazan of Suwalki, in Suwalki in 1851. She was born circa 1833 in Suwalki and died circa 1875, probably in Rokishok.

He married (2) Chaya Sarah Verebaitchik, born 1840 daughter of Hillel Verebaitchik of Plock, and died 1905 in Vilna. They married circa 1880. Their daughter Sheina (Shaina, Sheyna) married a Lubavitcher, Rabbi Shmuel haLevi Levitin, who later became the rabbi of Rokishok. Rabbi Levitin came to New York in 1938 (see his About Me), but his wife perished in Europe in the Holocaust.

Children with Rocha Leah Kleyf:

1. Jacob Margolis, born 1856 in Suwalki
2. Hinde Bayla Margolis, born 1859 in Suwalki, married Moses Altman
3. Liba Sula Margolis, born 1860 in Suwalki, married Mordechai Feigelman
4. Markus (?Mordechai) Margolis, born 1862 in Suwalki
5. Gitte Riva, born 1873 in Rokiskis (1897 Lithuania Census)
6. Malka Margolis, married Solomon Knapp

Children with Chaya Sarah Verebaitchik:

1. Chava Rishe Margolis, born circa 1883, married Elijah Samuel Kahanov
2. Sheine (Shayna, Shaina) Margolis, born circa 1883 in Rokishok, married Rabbi Samuel HaLevi Levitin

He was the rabbi of the mitnagdim of Rokishok. The Rokishok Yizkor book (South Africa, 1952, 164, translation in Rosenstein below) says "... he was already old and weak, with a grey beard and sat mostly in his home, taking little interest in the affairs of the town."

A prominent scholar from Kalvarija according to the Jewish Encyclopedia 1912 edition.

Rav of Rokishok, Lithuania.

Lithuania Census 1897

• Osher Margolis, age 63, head of household and Roskiskis rabbi. Father Eliash. Born in Kalvaria. Registered in Kalvaria. Living in Rokiskis.
• Sarah-Chaia Margolis, age 54, his wife. Father Hillel. Born in Polotzk. Registered in Kalvaria. Living in Rokiskis.
• Gitta-Riva Margolis, age 24, their daughter. Born and living in Rokiskis. Registered in Kalvarija.
• Sheina Margolis, age 16, their daughter, Born and liking in Rokiskis. Registered in Kalvaria.
• Rishe Margolis, age 12, their daughter. Born and living in Rokiskis. Registered in Kalvaria.

Source

The Margolis Famiy, Dr. Neil Rosenstein, 1984 (Out of print), page 7 in narrative and following excerpt from Rokishok Yizkor Book (Yiddish). Available online at Center for Jewish History Digital Collections .