Rebbitzin Libbi Kakon: The Extraordinary Life of a Deaf Rebbetzin
6/6/20261 hr 16 min
When I first heard about Rebbetzin Libbi Kakon, I thought the story would be about a remarkable couple who, despite both being deaf, built a yeshiva for deaf and hearing-impaired students. Then I heard the rest of the story. What I discovered was a woman who refused to let life's challenges define her. Together with her husband, Rabbi Chaim Tzvi Kakon, she helped build a unique yeshiva serving deaf students, raised a family, navigated extraordinary challenges, and continued finding ways to help others.
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✬ IN MEMORY OF ✬
This episode is in memory of:
• Shimon Dovid ben Yaakov Shloima
• Miriam Sarah bas Yaakov Moshe
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Lchaim.
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsLibby Kakon· Guest0:00
I was never part of a deaf community per se because I had not had that exposure. But when I got married and my husband introduced me to a whole new world, it was a, it was a shock. People are essentially good, and people want to do good, and people are compassionate. But when it comes to hearing loss, there's a certain, a little bit of patronization on the part of other people. Somebody came to me and she said, "Oh, Libby." And then she turned to my friends and she said, "Missus" and "Missus." And I said, "For your information, we're all the same age."
Yaakov Langer· Host0:35
[laughs] I thought this episode would be incredible because here you have a rebbetzin who she and her husband are both deaf, and yet they started a yeshiva for deaf and hearing-impaired students. But I quickly realized that this is only half the story. The full story really had me speechless. This episode is in loving memory of Shimon Dovid ben Yaakov Shloime and Miriam bas Rebbetzin Yaakov Moshe. Thanks to this week's sponsors, Wheel Selese, Kol HaKavod, BF Design, Tel Time, and the Tesla Raffle. Here we go. Rebbetzin Libby Kakon, thank you so much for being here. Let's take it back to your childhood. Where did you grow up, and what was it like?
Libby Kakon· Guest1:12
I grew up in Williamsburg until I was about 12. We moved to Flatbush. Uh, my whole family really started out in Williamsburg. They came from the war, and then the Bais Yaakov Williamsburg was operating then.