NOTKIN, NATA (Nathan Note of Shklov, also Nathan Shklover; d.
1804), Russian merchant and army contractor. Notkin was a
champion of the improvement of the status of Jews in Russia at
the beginning of the 19th century. Born in Shklov, he lived in
Mogilev and later in Moscow and St. Petersburg. He was
introduced by General Zorich, the squire of Shklov, to Count
Kurakin, and used this opportunity to act in behalf of his
fellow Jews. He presented the count with a project for the
establishment of large-scale agricultural colonies for the Jews
of "New Russia" as well as plans for industrial plants near the
ports of the Black Sea, which he hoped would direct the Jews to
productive labor. Toward the end of 1802 he was invited by G.R.
*Derzhavin to be a member at the Committee for the Betterment of
the Jews. In all of his writings and projects Notkin tried to
demonstrate to the government ways to improve the condition of
the Jews, e.g., the gradual removal of Jews from the liquor
business, the establishment of Jewish