Behind Greatness: Rebbetzin Tobi Kaplan’s Role + Wally Klatch on Living with Dementia | Rabbi Yisrael Motzen

Host Rabbi Gil Student is joined by Rabbi Yisrael Motzen (Ne’er Tamid; Assistant to the OU EVPs; Director, Kol Echad) to unpack two standout pieces from the Summer 2025 issue of Jewish Action.Part 1 — Rebbetzin Tobi Kaplan:Beyond the legend of Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan zt”l is the remarkable story of his wife, Rebbetzin Tobi Kaplan—from the Mississippi Delta to Boro Park—whose hospitality, editing help, and unwavering partnership powered his prolific impact.Part 2 — “Living with Dementia”:Through Wally Klatch’s first-person reflection, we explore humility, identity, and gratitude in the face of cognitive decline—what’s lost, what opens up, and how Jewish sources help us honor and support loved ones with dignity.Themes we coverWhat makes a rebbetzin’s partnership essential—and viable—todayProduction vs. charisma: why clear Torah thinking winsMemory, identity, and kavod: shattered luchos and respecting a talmid chacham who forgot his learningGratitude (Modim) as a daily practice—and a path through hard timesWhy support groups matter, Jewish and generalAlso mentioned: A teaser of the Fall 2025 issue: Building a Community—profiles of people who moved in and made an outsized impact.Listen & subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and YouTube.Read the Summer 2025 issue at jewishaction.com.