Rabbi Moshe Hauer, Executive Vice President of the Orthodox Union (OU), who aided Chabad Shluchim in Ukraine since the war began, passed away from a heart attack on Shemini Atzeres at his home in Baltimore. Full Story
By COLlive reporter
Rabbi Moshe Hauer, Executive Vice President of the Orthodox Union (OU), suffered a massive heart attack on Shemini Atzeres at his home in Baltimore, Maryland, and passed away.
He was 60.
A respected Torah scholar and sought-after teacher, Rabbi Hauer received his Semicha and Doctor of Talmudic Law from Yeshivas Ner Yisroel, and earned a Master of Science from Johns Hopkins University.
He was also a founding editor of the online journal Klal Perspectives and mentored countless rabbis and lay leaders.
For 26 years, he served as the Senior Rabbi of Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation in Baltimore, where he was deeply involved in communal leadership and education, particularly in helping children at risk and strengthening Jewish social service institutions.
In 2020, he joined the rabbinic leadership of the Orthodox Union, an umbrella group for Orthodox Jews and operator of the largest kosher certification agency in the world. In this role, he guided the OU’s communal and policy efforts with wisdom, warmth, and moral clarity, becoming a respected voice of Torah and faith for Jews around the world.
In a statement, the Orthodox Union wrote: “Rabbi Hauer 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.”
His deep admiration for Chabad and its global mission was reflected in a powerful essay he published last year on COLlive.com, titled “Chabad and the Antisemites.” In it, he wrote movingly about the dedication of the Rebbe’s Shluchim, describing them as “angels of Chabad” who “work fearlessly anywhere and everywhere to bring light to a darkened world.”
Rabbi Hauer regularly attended the gala banquet of the International Kinus Hashluchim, where he was greeted by its organizer Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky OBM, as well as Russia’s Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar, Rabbi Dovid Mundshine of the Ohr Avner Chabad Foundation and Rabbi Shlomo Peles of the Jewish Relief Network Ukraine (JRNU).
Since the onset of the Russian-Ukrainian War, Rabbi Hauer took a personal interest in assisting the Chabad Shluchim who lead the embattled Jewish communities of Ukraine. He personally oversaw the transfer of significant funds to provide local Jews with food, shelter, and lifesaving support during the war’s darkest days.
“Rabbi Hauer constantly mobilized on behalf of the Rebbe’s Shluchim, and especially for those in Ukraine,” said Rabbi Peles. “Rabbi Hauer acted with genuine care, a broad heart, and a shining countenance. He was in constant contact, always seeking ways to help and support the Shluchim. Throughout the past years of the war in Ukraine, he sent containers of food to tens of thousands of Jews in the communities. We saw in him a faithful partner in our mission.
“His office maintained regular communication with us to provide food, donations, generators, and every type of equipment that could assist the Shluchim and their community members. Only a few weeks ago, we sat together discussing another joint project between Chabad and the OU. His passing is a tremendous loss to the Jewish people.”
The levaya will take place on Thursday, October 16, 2025, at 8:45 AM at Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion, 6602 Park Heights Ave, Baltimore, MD 21215. A livestream will be available beginning at approximately 8:30 AM at ou.org/rabbi-hauer-levaya
Burial will take place in Israel.
Baruch Dayan Haemes.
