Reuven H. Taff, at The Blogs

Sep 3, 2024, 12:17 PM

This combination of six undated photos shows hostages, from top left, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Ori Danino, Eden Yerushalmi; from bottom left, Almog Sarusi, Alexander Lobanov, and Carmel Gat (z"l). (The Hostages Families Forum via AP)--From Times of Israel

Late Saturday night, here in California, my wife Judy and I were stunned into silence upon hearing the breaking news of the brutal murders of Hersh, Eden, Carmel, Alex, Ori, and Almog (z"l). I was immediately transported back to...

Jul 23, 2024, 7:40 PM

An Eleventh-Hour Appeal to the Prime Minister—Get Back on the Plane!

Photo-of-Israeli-Prime-Minister's New Plane (Times-of-Israel)

Dear Prime Minister Netanyahu, I wrote to you on May 26, 2024, imploring you to decline the invitation to address a joint session of Congress. Since I have not received a reply, I assume my letter did not reach you....

Jun 11, 2024, 12:20 PM

The ultimate sacrifice: Remembering Arnon Zmora ז”ל

Chief Inspector Arnon Zamora, who was killed in a mission to rescue hostages held in the Gaza Strip, June 8, 2024. (Israel Police)

I awakened Shabbat morning to the jubilant news of a daring, risk-filled mission to rescue four Israeli hostages held by Hamas, carried out by an elite force of the Israel Defense Forces. Glued to the live English broadcast on...

May 26, 2024, 9:38 AM

An Appeal to Israel’s Prime Minister: Stay Home!

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks before a joint meeting of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 3, 2015 (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik), Times of Israel, March 3, 2015

Dear Prime Minister Netanyahu, I write you as a concerned American rabbi with years of experience dealing with antisemitism in greater Sacramento. In 1999, three synagogues in our community were firebombed, causing millions of dollars in damage. The psychological scars remain to...

Dec 14, 2023, 4:28 PM

Featured Post

Congressman Jamie Raskin: Find your moral conscience

US Rep. Jamie Raskin speaks during the final US House Select Committee hearing to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the US Capitol, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on December 19, 2022. (Mandel NGAN / AFP)

The US Rep’s call to stop the operation in Gaza reveals a profound failure to appreciate Israel’s current existential crisis

Jul 26, 2023, 7:06 AM

A Tisha B’Av Lamentation for These Times

As a Jew who lives in America, my heart breaks for my family in Israel. I speak with my brother and sister who live in a community close to the border with Lebanon and in a moshav near Jerusalem. ...

Jul 6, 2022, 5:33 PM

Jew against Jew – It needs to end now – before it is too late!

Pages torn from a siddur by young Orthodox men at the egalitarian section of the Western Wall on June 30, 2022. (Masorti Movement) Times of Israel Photo

Of the many synagogue trips I have led to Israel over the years, many of them included my officiating at bar or bat mitzvah ceremonies at the Kotel, the same holy venue where last week's ugly incidents occurred. Judah Ari...

Oct 1, 2021, 9:05 PM

The Governor of California has the power of the pen. Will he use it to fight anti-Semitism?

California Gov. Gavin Newsom gives an update to the state's response to the coronavirus, at the Governor's Office of Emergency Services in Rancho Cordova Calif., Tuesday, March 17, 2020. At right is California Health and Human Services Agency Director Dr. Mark Ghaly. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, Pool)

Nefarious forces in California are working behind the scenes to lobby the 1300 school districts as they promote the teaching of an Ethnic Studies Curriculum that is laced with anti-Semitic and anti-Israel material. Governor Gavin Newsom has until October...

May 14, 2021, 12:44 AM

The Jews of silence: A message to America’s Jews

My niece, who lives in Tel Aviv, just gave birth last week to a baby girl. The baby is spending a good part of her second week of life in a bomb shelter. My brother, who lives by the border...

Sep 2, 2020, 9:55 AM

A COVID-Inspired Jewish Musical Collaboration

Since most synagogue campuses have been closed due to the pandemic, Cantor Ben Rosner of Sacramento’s Mosaic Law Congregation, has been thinking outside the box to create meaningful High Holyday musical experiences for his community. He envisioned a collaboration...

About Me

Reuven Taff has dedicated his career to serving Jewish communities. For 25 years, he was the rabbi and spiritual leader of Mosaic Law Congregation in Sacramento, California, and now serves as Rabbi Emeritus. As a Hazzan and Jewish Educator, he has held positions as Cantor and Educational Director at Beth El Congregation in Phoenix, Arizona, and Headmaster of Gesher Jewish Day School of Northern Virginia. In addition to his blog on Times of Israel, his opinion pieces have been published in The Sacramento Bee, Sacramento News and Review, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Dallas Morning News, The Albany Times-Union, The Algemeiner, The Jerusalem Post, The Jewish Forward, Jewish Journal and other publications. He can be contacted at rabbitaff@mosaiclaw.org.

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