the jewish community provided many commissions, as he became close to several business people who had factories in melbourne’s western suburbs including footscray and yarraville. plottel’s wife rachel was a doctor specialising in skin conditions. their only daughter, philippa may, married cpl rolf hallenstein (the brothers isaac and michael hallenstein established the vast tannery of michaelis hallenstein in footscray with their cousin moritz michaelis) and obtained a master of laws at the university of melbourne then went on to a prominent role in women’s affairs and law, as a member of the national council of women of victoria, the victorian women lawyers society, the australian local government women's association victoria and many other organisations.