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Assault Trial of Gellis Worker Turns into Lesson in Religion

November 21, 1934
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Spectators in the Essex Market Court yesterday were treated to the sight of Magistrate Jonah J. Goldstein studying the kosher dietary and inspection laws of the Scriptures under the guidance of Rabbi Isaac Leib Epstein.

Rabbi Epstein, testifying in behalf of Joseph Langsner and Samuel Glass, who are charged with assaulting Maurice Goldstein, Board of Health inspector, at the Gellis Provisions Company, decided to give Magistrate Goldstein a lesson in Jewish inspection laws.

Armed with a huge volume of inspection laws, Rabbi Epstein left the witness stand and joined the judge behind the bench. Then, in rabbinical monotone and with eloquent gestures, the rabbi explained the text while Judge Goldstein paid strict attention. The rabbi read the laws in Hebrew and explained them in Yiddish. Occasionally Judge Goldstein like an apt student, aided the rabbi when he was at a loss for a word The astonished stenographer was assured that the discussion behind the bench was “off the record.”

###viously, Judge Goldstein had

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