Yisrael Motzen, at The Blogs

Sep 12, 2024, 8:17 AM

Today’s ‘orphans’ and ‘widows’ belong in shul too

Rabbi Motzen in front of his shul, Ner Tamid Greenspring, Valley Synagogue, in Baltimore, Maryland. (via Facebook)

To include singles, divorces, and others in your more normative community, embrace them and give them a seat at the table. It worked for us

Sep 2, 2024, 1:41 PM

Rachel’s Masking Tape

How I hoped to hold up the sign that shouted, “Welcome home, Hersh!”…Or at the very least to be placed over Rachel’s heart; a heart that never stopped beating, that welcomed us in, and connected us all.I imagined feeling...

Apr 14, 2024, 8:56 AM

Eggshells at the Seder

There’s a well-known joke about a man who calls his son. “Son, I’m sorry to ruin your day but your mom and I are getting divorced.” “Divorced? You’ve been married for 45 years?! What are you talking about?” “Well son, we just...

Apr 7, 2024, 4:46 PM

How Can We Not Try?

“Will it really make a difference?” That was the question I heard over and over again this past week as I harassed every person I know to take part in the 180 for 180 campaign led by the Orthodox Union....

Mar 5, 2024, 11:06 PM

How an OU Mission Changed my Shul Forever

I was disappointed. We were supposed to go to Be’eri but we were told that the military was not allowing any civilian visits. Instead, our group of rabbis and lay leaders from all over the US visited Sderot on...

Dec 1, 2023, 12:58 AM

Featured Post

They turned us into monsters

A surfer carrying her board walks past posters, towels and flip-flops that are part of a protest organized by the Australian Jewish community at Bondi Beach in Sydney on November 2, 2023 to highlight the plight of hostages held by Hamas (David Gray / AFP)

The war is desensitizing us and our children to horror. Can our increased tolerance to antisemitism and murder be reversed?

Feb 15, 2015, 9:43 PM

An Open Letter to Jewish Bloggers

Dear Jewish Blogger, I envy you. I really do. When the latest scandal, controversy, or news item comes up in my newsfeed, I need to have not only the details, but opinions as well, and you, the Jewish Blogger have them...

About Me

Yisrael Motzen, a native of Montreal, Canada, serves as rabbi of Ner Tamid Greenspring Valley Synagogue in Baltimore, MD. He is also the Special Assistant to the EVPs of the Orthodox Union and Director of ASHIVA, a project of the Orthodox Union. Rabbi Motzen is a graduate of Ner Israel Rabbinical College and holds an M.A. in Clinical Community Counseling from Johns Hopkins University.