‘Nobody can replace him,’ Jewish leaders say, marking year since death of OU executive Rabbi Moshe Hauer

Approximately 150 people gathered at the Orthodox Union’s Manhattan headquarters, with an additional 200 joining via livestream, to observe the first yahrzeit (one-year anniversary) of Rabbi Moshe Hauer, the former executive vice president of the OU. Speakers, including Sheila Katz of the Jewish Federations of North America, Mitchel Aeder, president of the OU, and Rabbi Josh Joseph, the new OU CEO, remembered Rabbi Hauer as a mentor, teacher, and communal leader whose influence transcended his denomination. Katz stated, "Nobody can replace him. He was a giant mentor, who never made anyone feel small." Attendees reflected on his "calm, moral presence" and his dedication to Torah, with his son, Rabbi Shlomo Hauer, also speaking at the event.