Reuven H. Taff, at The Blogs

Jul 6, 2025, 11:42 PM

Rabbis for Mamdani? Distressing, Divisive and Dangerous

When seven rabbis endorse a candidate who refuses to affirm Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state and minimizes his own antisemitic rhetoric, it’s not just a political misstep—it’s a betrayal of Israel and the Jewish People. As I...

Jun 25, 2025, 2:32 PM

Featured Post

Senator Schumer, the ‘shomer’ who abandoned his post

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, prepares to speak at the 2019 American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) policy conference, at Washington Convention Center, in Washington, March 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) (Times of Israel)

The leader of the Senate Democratic Caucus vowed to guard Israel. Then, last week, he walked away.

Jun 10, 2025, 12:10 AM

California Student Uses Graduation Stage to Shine a Light on the Hostages

At a time when graduation ceremonies have become platforms for protest and polarization—especially around Israel—an 18-year-old Jewish student in Sacramento chose a different path: one of inspiration and moral courage. Graduation season is often filled with joy, relief, and pride....

Sep 3, 2024, 12:17 PM

There Are No Words

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...

About Me

Rabbi Reuven Taff is a native of Albany, New York, and has devoted his career to serving Jewish communities across the country. He was the rabbi and spiritual leader of Mosaic Law Congregation in Sacramento, California, for 25 years and now holds the title of Rabbi Emeritus. Earlier in his career, he served as Cantor and Educational Director at Beth El Congregation in Phoenix, Headmaster of Gesher Jewish Day School in Northern Virginia, and for eight summers, Rosh Musika (Music Director) at Camp Ramah in Ojai, California. His opinion pieces have appeared in The Sacramento Bee, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Jerusalem Post, and other publications. The rabbi’s favorite quote is attributed to Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel (z”l): “When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people.” Contact him at rabbitaff@mosaiclaw.org.

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