R’ boruch kaplan was sent by rabbi herman to learn in Europe, he was a talmid of the Brisker Rov – R’ Yitzchok Ze’ev solovaitchik.
Although the Brisker rov was generally opposed to poeple going to the US, he told the kaplans that they could go.
Rebbetzin Kaplan was a talmida of Soro shenirer.
The families were eventually meshadech when R’ boruch kaplan’s son r’ nechemya was taken as a son in law by Haga’on R’ dovid soloveitchik, rosh yehsivas brisk.