Baltimore, MD - Mar. 12, 2019 - On Motzei Shabbos, March 2 approximately 600 people gathered to honor Rabbi and Mrs. Hauer, the Rav and Rebbetzin of Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion, with an evening of hakaras hatov and celebration for all that Rabbi and Rebbetzin Hauer have done for the shul, the community, and Klal Yisroel during their 25 years of service at the shul.
The evening of appreciation, held at Beth Tfiloh, began with a reception during which people lined up to personally thank Rabbi and Mrs. Hauer for the influence that they have had on their lives. The program included an a cappella performance by Moishe Abramson, Dovi Ziffer and Zevy Daniel, remarks by Mr. Moishe Bane, President of the Orthodox Union, and Rabbi Ahron Lopianksy, Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshiva of Greater Washington – Tiferes Gedaliah, both speaking on the impact that Rabbi and Mrs. Hauer have had, as well as a beautiful video presentation, prepared by Reches Creations, tracing Rabbi and Mrs. Hauer’s 25 years of leadership at BJSZ.
The highlight of the evening, though, occurred when a visibly moved Rabbi and Mrs. Hauer learned from Mr. and Mrs. Shimon Marciano, president of Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion, and Mr. and Mrs. Steve Storch that the shul would dedicate a Beis Midrash at BJSZ in memory of their parents, Rabbi and Dr. Joseph Baumgarten, who preceded Rabbi Hauer as rabbi of Bnai Jacob, and Rabbi Benyamin Hauer, who served as rabbi of Chevra Kadisha Bnai Jacob in Montreal, and in honor of Rabbi Hauer’s mother, Rebbetzin Miriam Hauer, who travelled from Israel to attend the evening. In announcing the dedication of the Beis Midrash, Mr. Marciano noted that whenever Rabbi and Mrs. Hauer teach Torah they convey the Torah of their parents, so it is only appropriate that the Beis Midrash bears their names.
Every speaker noted that during the past twenty-five years, Rabbi and Rebbetzin Hauer have built BJSZ into a shul which serves not only its members, but also the broader Jewish community, with Torah and Tefilah every day, all day. The Hauers teach Torah with warmth, simcha, and erudition that easily appeals to all types of Jews. All those qualities were on display that night.
The theme of the special event honoring the Hauers, Aleinu v’al Kol Yisroel, encapsulated their efforts over the past twenty-five years, as the joy, intelligence and inclusivity of their Torah has reached beyond the walls of BJSZ, spread across Baltimore’s Jewish community and reached into the land of Israel. Whether by teaching small chaburas, forging relationships with communal leaders across Baltimore, or leading missions to Israel, Rabbi and Rebbetzin Hauer share a sincere and infectious love of Torah and an appreciation of all Jews that has transformed lives around the world.
The evening of gratitude for Rabbi and Rebbetzin Hauer on the evening of March 2nd culminated a special Shabbos at BJSZ during which HaRav Moshe Mendel Glustein, Rabbi Hauer’s rebbe from his youth in Montreal, HaRav Yehoshua Hartman of the Hasmonean Beis Hamedrash in London, and Mr. Moishe Bane, President of the Orthodox Union, spoke about the rabbonim who have influenced Rabbi Hauer and the impact that he has had on Klal Yisroel.
