Rabbi Reuven Taff

This isn’t about academic freedom. This is about a calculated deception. You knowingly submitted one speech to the administration and delivered another, using a university commencement ceremony as your political platform. That’s not principle—it’s a willful breach of trust and responsibility. @UMich @AAUP @nytimes @WSJ @chronicle @StopAntisemites @_SAFECAMPUS @DrMichaelOren @dsuissa @freep @detroitnews @CBSNews @ABC @NBCNews @CNN @FoxNews @TimesofIsrael @JoshKraushaar @J_Insider @Jerusalem_Post @StandWithUs @andersoncooper @bariweiss

The @AAUP & the AFT have just issued a strong & helpful statement defending academic freedom and condemning the ridiculous campaign of intimidation that has been launched against me. I am most grateful for this. Here is the statement: aaup.org/news/aaup-aft-…

Professor, you hijacked a commencement for your own 5 minutes and 31 seconds of attention. Telling graduates to “make good trouble” after turning their ceremony into a political platform says it all. You had one job—to honor the graduates—and instead you made it about yourself. You hijacked their moment. You failed them. This is exactly the kind of self-indulgent behavior that undermines trust in higher education. @freep @nytimes @nypost @annarbornews @bariweiss @CBSNews @TimesofIsrael @DavidSuissaJJ @JNS_org @JFNA @StandWithUs @StopAntisemites @_SAFECAMPUS @ADL @JGreenblattADL @AlanDersh @detroitnews @latimes @sfchronicle

After much prevarication @UMich has now made the video of the 2026 commencement available. My talk can be seen below. Congratulations to all of those who graduated last weekend. Go out there and make good trouble. youtu.be/ciDNaDCnW-k?t=…

Apology? Too little, too late. Commencement isn’t a soapbox. Students deserved a celebration—not a political lecture applauding unrest. Accountability matters. Derek Peterson should resign and if he refuses, he should be terminated. Not holding my breath.@_SAFECAMPUS @StopAntisemites @JNS_org @TimesofIsrael @UMich @AlanDersh @StandWithUs @TheFP @JoshKraushaar

The University of Michigan apologized after faculty senate chair Derek Peterson praised "pro-Palestinian student activists" and denounced "the injustice and inhumanity of Israel's war in Gaza" at Saturday's commencement. @HaleyCohen19 reports: ji.news/42wx4

Senator Wiener, The New York Times article you “gifted” (May 3) reads less like balanced reporting and more like a one-sided indictment. Yes, the images of destruction are painful. Any decent person feels that. But where is the context? Where is the mention of Hezbollah’s vast arsenal—tens of thousands of rockets and drones deliberately embedded in civilian areas, hidden in homes, schools, and mosques? Where is the acknowledgment that this Iran-backed terror group has turned southern Lebanon into a launching pad targeting Israeli civilians? That omission is glaring. Senator, I have family in northern Israel, within eyesight of the Lebanese border. Their reality isn’t theoretical. Its sirens in the middle of the night, children sleeping in bomb shelters, and counting seconds to reach safety. That, too, is part of the story—yet it doesn’t register in your comments or the article you’re promoting. War is tragic. No one disputes that. But reporting that omits the nature of the threat doesn’t inform—it misleads. Senator, you have already publicly characterized Israel’s actions as “genocide.” Now you compound that by promoting one-sided coverage from The New York Times that leaves out critical context. That isn’t moral clarity—it’s selective outrage. And it doesn’t just distort the story—it misleads the public and ignores the reality faced by Israeli families living under constant threat.@JNS_org @DavidSuissaJJ @JewishJournal @nytimes @RabbiWolpe @TimesofIsraelFR @TheFP @CalMatters @sfchronicle @ADL @StopAntisemites @_SAFECAMPUS @Jerusalem_Post @theJCPA @JFNA @StandWithUs

The Israeli government’s bombardment & destruction of southern Lebanon — modeled on its devastation of Gaza & leading to the displacement of a huge number of people — must end immediately. And the U.S. must not fund it or enable it in any way. nytimes.com/interactive/20…

@Unseen_Archive A professor entrusted with a commencement speech has ONE responsibility: put students first. You did the opposite. By praising two years of campus turmoil, you chose to glorify division over unity and your own politics over their accomplishment. That’s not only a blatant failure of judgment and leadership—-it is a dereliction of your responsibility as a university professor. The graduates and their families deserved a moment about them, not about you, Derek Peterson. Shame on You Professor !!! @UMich @_SAFECAMPUS @StopAntisemites @ADL @nypost @nytimes @freep @annarbornews @WSJ @TimesofIsrael @Jerusalem_Post @StandWithUs

Yesterday I had the pleasure of addressing the graduates @UMich commencement. I spoke about the long history of student activism, which has moved the University toward justice. Here is a video. It has caused a furore on social media & in UM admin. youtube.com/watch?v=iu0xsQ…

I’ve long respected Steve Kerr—and sympathize with the loss of his father who was assassinated by terrorists—-which is why his comments are so disappointing. Calling Israel’s response to Oct. 7 “revenge” while citing raw casualty figures without distinguishing civilians from combatants—and barely mentioning Hamas, who launched the attack and operates from within civilian areas—isn’t nuance. It’s a distorted narrative that misleads more than it informs.@warriors @WindhorstESPN @MadDogRadio @SportsCenter @SInow @NBA @benmaller @StandWithUs @StopAntisemites @_SAFECAMPUS @Casspi18 @avdijaszn

The Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr on his future, coaching Draymond Green, the potential benefits of eliminating the three-point shot, and whether he might give politics a try. newyorker.com/news/the-new-y…

This is not just absurd—it’s indefensible. Pakistan cannot be treated as a legitimate mediator while its defense minister engages in openly hateful, dehumanizing rhetoric about Israel. This isn’t a diplomatic misstep; it reflects a deeper tolerance for extremism at the highest levels of government. Any country serious about peace must be held to a basic standard: you cannot inflame the conflict while claiming to resolve it. The United States should demand an immediate and unequivocal public condemnation of these remarks—and make clear that Pakistan has no place in any peace process until it does.@POTUS @JDVance @DavidM_Friedman @davidhorovitz @TimesofIsrael @nypost

BREAKING || US Vice President JD Vance departs for Pakistan to hold peace talks with Iran. - Vance: Looking forward to the negotiation. - JD Vance: Hoping for positive peace talks. @Madhavgk breaks down the details.

Great piece. That moment had nothing to do with basketball—just basic human decency. The OKC fan should apologize, and the league should seriously consider banning him. Good on Austin Reaves and LBJ for stepping in. Heckling a hurt player = instant ejection.
 Repeat it = lifetime ban.
Simple. @KingJames @NBA @stephenasmith @benmaller @RichEisenShow @richeisen @TurnerSportsEJ @_CharlesBarkley

Feel terrible for Cayden Boozer and his teammates—but he’s a freshman with limited postseason experience. The responsibility falls squarely on the head coach, who should have called a timeout and reset the team to execute what should have been a clear game-winning scenario. @stephenasmith @DukeMBB @benmaller

From @TheAthletic: Although Cayden Boozer is not solely responsible for Duke’s latest collapse, his turnover with six seconds left will endure as one of the all-time bungles in the history of the NCAA Tournament. “I ruined our team’s season.” nyti.ms/4uVzI4R

@RepRashida You cite Addameer to accuse Israel. Simple question Congresswoman: do you condemn the Palestinian Authority and Hamas for paying terrorists who murder Jews? “Pay-for-slay” is real. Yes or no? @RepRashida @StopAntisemites @StandWithUs

The Israeli government is about to pass a law mandating the death penalty, only for Palestinian prisoners. Mass execution by hanging, solely on racial lines. This is apartheid and the next step in the genocide of Palestinians, already systematically tortured in Israeli prisons.

Outstanding Piece by The Athletic’s Jerry Brewer: Tommy Lloyd’s bold halftime retreat sends Arizona to the Final Four —-Arizona’s breakthrough didn’t come from a speech—it came from silence. After years of “almost,” Tommy Lloyd stepped back and let his players step forward. Trust became freedom. Freedom became dominance—nytimes.com/athletic/71552… @JerryBrewer @arizonaBBfeedr @MarchMadnessMBB @finalfourcast @benmaller @stephenasmith @jimrome @Bruce_Jenkins1 @MarcosBreton @NCAA @SInow @CBSNews @TurnerSportsEJ @_CharlesBarkley @coachbrucepearl @nytopinion @nypost @NYDailyNews @sacbee_news @susanslusser

When a former counterterrorism official resigns and CAIR—an organization tied in court filings to the Holy Land Foundation and notorious for supporting terrorists—rushes to his defense, it’s not a sign of support—-it’s a glaring warning. Americans should take note: the fact that CAIR stands by him should tell you everything you need to know. @StandWithUs @StopAntisemites @_SAFECAMPUS @AlanDersh @bariweiss @CBSNews @FoxNews @CNN @ABC @NBCNews @ChrisCuomo @andersoncooper

More than one thing can be true at once. Joe Kent deserves respect for his military service, and sympathy for the tragic loss of his first wife. However neither shield him from legitimate criticism for outrageously linking her death to Israel (she was killed by ISIS in Syria) and for falsely blaming Israel for starting wars that were spearheaded by the US. Just one look at the support that Joe Kent is now getting is proof that this was all just a political maneuver to transition into a career in the Antisemitic podcast space, the speaking circuit and a tell all book. It's not very original, but it is quite lucrative.

Joe Kent is a man of integrity. Whether you agree with him or not, he is acting on his conscience. He is a highly decorated combat veteran and Gold Star husband whose wife was killed in action in Syria in 2019. He has every right to feel the way he does. Thank you for your service @joekent16jan19

Another lecture at the Oscars by Javier Bardem. He can wear a “Free Palestine” pin on stage—but can’t say a word about Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre or the regime massacring its own people in Iran. Selective outrage isn’t courage. It is shame shame shame! @javierbardem45 @StopAntisemites @StandWithUs @oscars @_SAFECAMPUS

“No to war and Free Palestine.” Javier Bardem, smugly walking on stage wearing not one, but two pins, continued his role of shouting trendy slogans. But did he mention the tens of thousands suffering under the regime in Iran? Did the pins mention Hamas or the atrocities they committed on Oct. 7 to start a war with Israel? Of course not. Just another opportunity for cheap applause with no real-world knowledge.

This wasn’t a dinner. It was a disgrace. Welcoming to Gracie Mansion a figure elevated by protests that intimidated Jewish students sends a clear message: Jew hatred now has a seat at the mayor’s table. @NYCMayor @NYCMayorsOffice @nypost @nytimes @NYDailyNews @Newsday @StopAntisemites @StandWithUs

Opinion: The Gracie Mansion dinner controversy isn't just about Israel. It's about legitimizing a figure tied to a protest that turned Jewish students into targets at Columbia. jpost.com/opinion/articl…

@Jerusalem_Post Sympathy in a poll often reflects the last images people saw on their screens. It doesn’t change the underlying reality: Israel is defending itself against a Jihadist regime and its terror proxies openly committed to its destruction. @yaakovkatz @StandWithUs @StopAntisemites

Yaakov Katz argues that for the first time in 20+ years, Americans sympathize more with Palestinians (41%) than Israelis (36%). Just a year earlier, Israel held a 13-point advantage. Sympathy reflects where emotional center of American opinion is moving.

Opinion: The US-Israel relationship has never been static. It has always had high moments of cooperation alongside low moments of tension and disagreements. jpost.com/opinion/articl…

Senator Sanders, are you truly this naïve about the region? Hezbollah is not an independent Lebanese actor—it is an Iranian proxy, funded, trained, and directed by Iran. When Hezbollah wages war from Lebanon, Iran is the power behind it. @TimesofIsrael @Jerusalem_Post @TheDemocrats

It’s not just Iran. It’s Lebanon. In less than 2 weeks, Israel has killed 570 people and displaced 750,000 — over 10% of the entire country. Residential buildings are being bombed with no warning. The U.S. cannot continue to be complicit in Netanyahu’s wars.

@AC360 Fareed, when a regime calls for your destruction and arms your enemies on every border, stopping it isn’t extremism. It’s self-defense.

CNN's Fareed Zakaria says Israel wants to destroy the Islamic Republic in every sense, but the U.S. has major interests for peace and stability in the region. Fareed tells Anderson Cooper an Iran that collapses into civil war is bad for the Middle East.

@DrPhil @ReeannNnew @NYCMayor Thank you Dr. Phil for being spot on and speaking out against the NYC mayor's wife who glorifies in the atrocities committed to the Jews on the horrific Oct 7th. Then she tries to deny such horrific acts whilst hamas went viral with their atrocities. Pure evil.