Rabbi  REUVEN H. TAFF

By Rabbi  REUVEN H. TAFF

(Published in The Times of Israel June 25, 2025)

I have always admired Senator Chuck Schumer. He has long presented himself as one of Israel’s staunchest allies in the U.S. Congress. He has spoken with pride about being the “Shomer Yisrael,” the “guardian of Israel”—a clever play on his name and his self-proclaimed role in protecting the Jewish state. He has addressed AIPAC conferences, authored a book on antisemitism, and often cites his Jewish upbringing as the moral compass guiding his political choices.

So, one might have thought that with Israel’s decision to take action to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, and President Trump’s courageous decision to join Israel in eliminating the threat, the senator from New York would enthusiastically applaud the operation and rally bipartisan support for the U.S. president’s show of strength.

Not What Happened

But no. In a moment that called for moral clarity and courage, Senator Schumer made a different choice. In response to US military action targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, Schumer issued a statement saying:

“No president should be allowed to unilaterally march this nation into something as consequential as war with erratic threats and no strategy.”

He added that he would urge lawmakers to support legislation to block further action and called for an immediate vote.

Ideological Retreat

With all due respect to the senator, when the stakes involve a genocidal regime on the brink of acquiring nuclear weapons, retreating into procedural posturing is not just misguided—it’s indefensible.

I would remind the senator that Iran is not some abstract or distant threat. It is a live fuse. For decades, the jihadist regime in Tehran has chanted “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.” It arms terror proxies across the region, from Hezbollah in Lebanon to the Houthis in Yemen to Islamic Jihad and Hamas in Gaza.

Senator Schumer knows this history. He has praised Israel’s right to defend itself countless times. So why the sudden reversal? Why seek to tie the hands of the U.S. government in confronting a regime that openly threatens the existence of the only democracy in the Middle East?

The answer, sadly, appears to lie in the shifting winds of political calculation. Like many in his party, Senator Schumer seems unwilling to break ranks—particularly when it comes to supporting an initiative associated with President Trump. Even Democrats who once backed decisive action against Iran now retreat into ideological bunkers.

Betrayal?

But this isn’t about President Trump. It’s about the values Schumer claims to cherish: Jewish life, Jewish safety, Jewish continuity, love for Israel.

When it comes to Iran, every hesitation is perilous. Every equivocation is deadly. And every vote that weakens America’s hand is a blow to Israel’s security—and a gift to the ayatollah.

To add salt to the wound, Senator Schumer publicly congratulated—and, according to JTA, endorsed—Zohran Mamdani following his recent primary victory in New York’s mayoral race. Mamdani blamed Israel for the October 7 massacre and has defended efforts to “globalize the intifada.”

Senator Schumer still has a choice. He can reclaim the mantle of Shomer Yisrael, or he can continue down a path that betrays both Israel and his own legacy.

I pray he remains faithful to the ideals that have defined his public life and shaped his identity.

History will remember what he chooses. So will the Jewish people.

Reuven Taff was born and raised in Albany, where his family were long-time, active members of Temple Israel. He serves as rabbi emeritus of Mosaic Law Congregation in Sacramento, Calif., where he served as senior rabbi for 25 years. Rabbi Taff has relatives in the Capital District and takes great pride in his family’s deep roots in the community, as part of the legacy of Abraham and Anna Solomon (z”l), longtime Albany residents. He can be reached at rabbitaff@mosaiclaw.org.