A cat has nine lives; Kenneth Rothschild is not a cat but perhaps he has nine lives, owing to his powers of resiliency and perseverance. He worked for IBM, rising to the level of staff programmer, planning to spend his entire professional career at the Big Blue, the bastion of lifetime security. Unfortunately he was asked to take early retirement after being on the job for nearly 24 years.
It is not easy for a middle aged person, especially a deaf person to shift career gears, but Kenneth persevered. After leaving IBM he became an outreach manager for the New York Relay Service, supposedly another secure job since the TTY relay industry has become a permanent niche in the deaf community. But like with IBM a corporate downsizing move took place and Kenneth was let go. Still landing on his feet, he landed a position as a substitute teacher at the New York School for the Deaf – in essence three different employment scenarios within a time span, albeit a short one. Corporate, deaf consumer service, a deaf education setting, Kenneth has tasted and seen them all!
He could have despaired and become a job market drop out. To quit, he would not, even though just about half of friends his age have already taken early retirement from their places of employment. Eventually Kenneth was rewarded with a new position, and which he thoroughly enjoys to this day – Vocational Evaluator for the Fairlawn Deaf Program in New Jersey.
A degree in mathematics at Gallaudet propelled him to a career at IBM. “I was a member of the Great Class of 1968,” Kenneth proclaims, rather proudly. Speaking of computers, since it ties into mathematics, he was asked about it. “I do distinctly remember the big computers that took up a big room space at Gallaudet, ” Kenneth recalls with fond memories of the “good old days.”
What about Kenneth’s involvement with the Jewish deaf community? Much more extensive than what one would realize. He is the only person in the National Congress of Jewish Deaf (NCJD) history to be elected to every elective office in the organization, moving up each step of the way from board member right up to the Presidency! Not even Alexander Fleischman, known as the Mr. NCJD would claim such a distinction. The only missing position Alexander missed out was as a Secretary-Treasurer, but Ken was. At Gallaudet, Kenneth served as the president of the Hillel Club.
He keeps busy with his interests – stamp collecting and collection of deaf-related collectibles, such as the TRACI I Love You doll. Speaking of collectibles, he is in partnership with another deaf person, selling these such objects.
Speaking of stamp collecting, he is very serious with this hobby and which consumes much of his attention during his free time. How extensive is his expertise in the stamp collecting field? Well, he specializes in stamps with deaf personality and with deafness-related themes. His computer printout of “deaf” stamps he has collected and indexed lists nearly 12 pages long. And in the deaf community he is known as the “Deaf Postmaster” as many deaf stamp collectors defer to the depth of his knowledge. He has also contributed an article on deaf stamps for the Gallaudet Encyclopedia on Deafness.
Kenneth has been married to Karen for 28 years, having met her at the 1968 NCJD Convention. The family has two sons – Randall, who just picked up his JD from Yeshiva University’s Benjamin N Cardozo School of Law and Ira, still a high schooler.
Experience makes a person richer – stamps, collectibles, corporate ideology, educational problems, TTY relay consumer needs, organization leadership needs – Ken knows them all and can discuss these at length.
