Rabbi Moshe Hauer, executive vice president of the Orthodox Union since May 2020 and former senior rabbi for 26 years at the Orthodox synagogue Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation in Baltimore, died reportedly of a heart attack on Oct. 14, on Shemini Atzeret, at his home in Baltimore. He was 60 years old, a spokesman for the OU told JNS.
The Orthodox Union’s president, Mitchel Aeder, and executive vice president and COO, Rabbi Josh Joseph, stated that the rabbi was “a true talmid chacham, a master teacher and communicator, the voice of Torah to the Orthodox community and the voice of Orthodoxy to the world.”
“He personified what it means to be a Torah Jew and took nothing more seriously than his role of sharing the joy of Jewish life with our community and beyond,” the OU stated.
“Rabbi Hauer’s leadership was marked by unwavering dedication, deep compassion, and a vision rooted in faith in Hashem, integrity and love for klal Yisrael,” the Jewish community, the OU said. “Whether through his inspiring words, thoughtful counsel, powerful advocacy or quiet acts of kindness, Rabbi Hauer uplifted those around him and made an impact on every person he encountered.”
Isaac Herzog, the president of Israel, wrote that he is “deeply saddened by the sudden passing of my friend, leader of the OU Rabbi Moshe Hauer, a true leader and teacher in the Jewish world.”
“Each and every conversation I was privileged to have with him was so very meaningful and showed his warmth and kindness, and his unwavering love for Torah, Israel, Zionism and the Jewish people,” Herzog stated.
Amichai Chikli, the Israeli minister of diaspora affairs and combating antisemitism, stated in Hebrew that “I don’t use the term ‘righteous’ often, but in my opinion, Rabbi Moshe Hauer was a righteous man.”
The minister added that Hauer was an “exceptional Jewish leader and scholar, who guided many with wisdom, courage and deep humility” and that nothing concerned Hauer more than instilling love of Torah, of Israel and of the Land of Israel in Jewish children.
“I was very privileged to work alongside him,” Chikli stated.
Per the OU website, Hauer was “active in local communal leadership in many areas, with an emphasis on education, children-at-risk and social service organizations serving the Jewish community.”
It added that the Montreal native, who was ordained at Ner Israel in Baltimore and held a graduate degree from Johns Hopkins University, was “an active teacher of Torah who led a leadership training program for rabbis and communal leaders, and was a founding editor of the online journal Klal Perspectives.”
Hauer spoke often with JNS and was a fixture on the Hill in Washington. On May 7, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) called the OU leader “my dear friend.” On Thursday, Hawley stated that he is “deeply grieved by the death of my friend, Rabbi Moshe Hauer, leader of the Orthodox Union.”
“His sudden death is a tremendous loss to America and to friends of Israel everywhere. Rabbi Moshe was a man of remarkable integrity and kindness and also foresighted leadership,” the senator wrote. “He was a true and dear friend to me. Erin and I are praying for the grace of the Lord for his family and the many people whose lives he touched.”
William Daroff, CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, told JNS that he is “shattered” by the “sudden passing” of the rabbi, whom he called “my dear friend and partner.”
“We just spoke this past Friday and texted on Monday, when he was overflowing with joy at the miracle of the hostages’ freedom and the unmistakable hand of Hashem in it,” Daroff said. “Rabbi Hauer was a trusted adviser, cherished colleague and wise counsellor to me, a bridge-builder whose faith, humility and moral clarity inspired all who knew him.”
“His loss leaves a void for all who loved and learned from him,” Daroff said.
Eric Adams, the New York City mayor, stated that Hauer was “a moral voice and leader who strengthened Jewish life across America.” Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) stated that the late rabbi’s “leadership and devotion to the Jewish people leave a lasting legacy.”
Agudath Israel of America stated that it was in shock and that Jews have “lost a leader who was universally respected as a talmid chochom of stature, a man of integrity, humility, vision, wisdom and depth.”
Hauer sanctified God “in all of his encounters with the outside world, and he leaves behind an impressive list of significant accomplishments. The loss to our community is incalculable,” Agudah said. “Rabbi Hauer always sought to promote achdus, unity, within the Jewish world.”
Rabbi Steven Burg, CEO of Aish, stated that he was “shocked” to hear of Hauer’s death. “He was a kind man and a great advocate for the Jewish people,” Burg said. “May the Almighty comfort his family and the OU during this difficult period.”
Jonathan Weisman, a Chicago-based New York Times national editor, called it a “tragic, sudden loss.”
“I turned to Rabbi Hauer for almost any story I was writing on American Judaism, Israel and Zionism,” the editor said. “He was an exceptionally thoughtful conservative voice, respectful and searching. May his memory be a blessing. I’m shocked.”
Sheila Katz, CEO of the National Council of Jewish Women, said “some leaders shape institutions. Others shape hearts. Rabbi Moshe Hauer did both.”
“To me, he was larger than any biblical figure, though knowing him, he would have immediately disagreed with me for saying that,” Katz said. “Like Moses, he spent his life blessing our people, guiding, teaching, comforting and uniting us. His leadership was rooted in humility, faith and love.”
“After Oct. 7, we found ourselves advocating side by side at the Departments of Education and Justice, in Congress and in the White House, determined to show what Jewish unity could look like,” she wrote. “It wasn’t unity for its own sake, but unity in service of the Jewish people, to advocate together for Jewish women, for the Orthodox community and for all of us. Him, an Orthodox male rabbi. Me, a Reform Jewish progressive woman.”
“Together, we were an unlikely duo that came together to advocate against antisemitism, to promote safety in Israel and for the return of the hostages,” Katz stated. “We learned Torah together. Debated each other. Disagreed often. But agreed even more when we took the time to hear each other. We always came back to our shared Jewish values and our deep love for the Jewish people. What began as simple coalition work became a true partnership and a profound friendship.”
Rabbi Gil Student, director of Jewish media, publications and editorial communications at the OU, stated that his “head is spinning over the magnitude of this tragedy for klal Yisrael,” the Jewish people, “for so many of my colleagues and friends and for me personally.”
“The few months I had of personal mentorship with him were eye-opening and inspiring,” he said. “The more I saw into his personal world and his thought process, the more I realized how truly great and inspiring he was. I cry over what we have lost and treasure what little I was able to learn from him.”
“His work station itself was inspiring,” Student added, noting that Hauer’s office desk had “biblical verses or talmudic sayings that serve as reminders about what is important.”
“The level of care that went into his every statement, the depth of his concern for everyone and everything, was so deep,” he said. “With all that, he had a mischievous sense of humor.”
The Jewish Agency for Israel, Rabbinical Council of America executive vice president Rabbi Menachem Penner, Cardinal Timothy Dolan and the Catholic Bishops of New York State, and evangelical leader and Gaza Humanitarian Foundation executive chairman Johnnie Moore were among those to offer public comments about Hauer after his death.
Rabbi Micah Greenland, international director of NCSY, stated that he is “absolutely stunned and devastated” by Hauer’s death. “He was a humble giant of a person, a leader, a scholar and visionary,” Greenland said.
Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, stated that she is “heartbroken” and that Hauer was “such an incredibly kind and thoughtful leader,” whom she “was fortunate to know and learn from over the last few years.”
The funeral for the former OU leader was scheduled for Thursday morning in Baltimore, with burial slated for Friday in Israel.
