Yisrael Motzen

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Mar 23, 2025, 9:42 PM

The Holiness and Stability of a Dining Room Table

There was a time, not that long ago, when I think many of us felt like world history was finally trending in the right direction. Maybe it was immediately after the beepers went off, maybe it was after Iran...

Feb 23, 2025, 6:14 AM

What Kfir and Ariel Represent

For the past year and a half, I have been wondering to myself, what is it about Kfir and Ariel Bibas that triggers such a strong reaction? Why is it that the entire Jewish nation held out, believing against all...

Dec 26, 2024, 9:54 PM

Remembering One Fallen Soldier at a Time

What does it mean to remember? This is a question every one of us have been grappling with since October 7th. The challenge is more acute for those of us living outside of Israel. We are not attending funerals of...

Oct 13, 2024, 4:48 PM

Time to Make Aliyah

This was delivered as a sermon at Ner Tamid Greenspring Valley Synagogue, Baltimore, MD, before Yizkor on Yom Kippur. I could not believe it; they were taking pictures of us. A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of taking a...

Oct 6, 2024, 1:25 PM

The World of (Unanswered) Prayer

The post below was delivered as a sermon at Ner Tamid Greenspring Valley Synagogue of Baltimore, MD, on the second day of Rosh Hashana. On this sacred morning, I want to share with you one of the deepest Kabbalistic secrets...

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...

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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.