OU’s Rabbi Moshe Hauer Appointed to DHS Faith Based Security Advisory Council

By Hamodia Staff

Rabbi Moshe Hauer, executive vice president of the Orthodox Union was appointed to the Department of Homeland Security’s Faith-Based Security Advisory Council, which advises DHS secretary on the needs of the faith community relating to security matters.

“I am very grateful to be included in this important group advising [DHS] Secretary [Mayorkas] on these critical issues,” Rabbi Hauer said in a statement. “As a member of the council, I look forward to making our country a safer place for people of all religions.”

Rabbi Hauer is the only Orthodox Jew on this advisory council, whose members were announced Monday. Nathan Diament, the OU’s Executive Director for Public Policy, had served on the council previously.

The advisory council provides advice to the DHS secretary on matters including enhancing the Homeland Security Department’s work to protect houses of worship; improving coordination and sharing information about security threats with the faith community; increasing access to DHS resources; and

preventing against and responding to acts of targeted violence and other threats.

The Council’s work “is instrumental in ensuring synagogues and other religious institutions receive the protection they need to keep people safe,” OU President Moishe Bane said in a statement. “This is especially important given the recent history of horrific attacks on Jewish communities in Pittsburgh, Poway, New Jersey, Colleyville, Brooklyn and beyond. Taking active steps to prevent future acts of violence is one of the most important things we can do for our community.”