John Johnson
@johnrjohnson.bsky.social
Former agency creative director
Former LA County Ocean Lifeguard
Pro-Choice, Pro-Vax, Anti-Antisemite
Former LA County Ocean Lifeguard
Pro-Choice, Pro-Vax, Anti-Antisemite
Similar descriptions can be read about every other community highlighted on the Nefesh website. The notion that such a description, which does not include any listings, violates international law is laughable.
November 24, 2025 at 1:57 AM
Similar descriptions can be read about every other community highlighted on the Nefesh website. The notion that such a description, which does not include any listings, violates international law is laughable.
OK you're just muted by any reasonable definiton😀
November 24, 2025 at 1:50 AM
OK you're just muted by any reasonable definiton😀
American citizens who decide to move to Israel don't make that decision because somebody "encouraged" them to do it. That's an enormous personal choice. Neither the synagogue nor Nefesh B'Nefesh "encourages" anybody to take advantage of the Aliyah program or move to Israel, much less the West Bank.
November 24, 2025 at 1:25 AM
American citizens who decide to move to Israel don't make that decision because somebody "encouraged" them to do it. That's an enormous personal choice. Neither the synagogue nor Nefesh B'Nefesh "encourages" anybody to take advantage of the Aliyah program or move to Israel, much less the West Bank.
Is English your second language?
November 24, 2025 at 1:18 AM
Is English your second language?
Neither the synagogue nor Nefesh B'Nefesh violated any laws during that event, yet Mamdani suggested that both were guilty of committing a much worse sin, i.e. encouraging people to buy "stolen" property in the West Bank.
November 24, 2025 at 1:17 AM
Neither the synagogue nor Nefesh B'Nefesh violated any laws during that event, yet Mamdani suggested that both were guilty of committing a much worse sin, i.e. encouraging people to buy "stolen" property in the West Bank.
Mamdani is smart enough to know about Aliyah and he's also smart enough to know that Nefesh B'Nefesh doesn't promote moving to Israel, much less moving to the West Bank. It provides information about Aliyah requirements and describes communities where housing is available. It promotes nothing.
November 24, 2025 at 1:17 AM
Mamdani is smart enough to know about Aliyah and he's also smart enough to know that Nefesh B'Nefesh doesn't promote moving to Israel, much less moving to the West Bank. It provides information about Aliyah requirements and describes communities where housing is available. It promotes nothing.
The issue here, which has been obscured by a lot irrelevant accusations, is that mayor-elect Mamdani's statement implied that the NY synagogue was promoting an activity that is a violation of international law, that "activity" the sale of Palestinian land in the West Bank to Jews.
November 24, 2025 at 1:17 AM
The issue here, which has been obscured by a lot irrelevant accusations, is that mayor-elect Mamdani's statement implied that the NY synagogue was promoting an activity that is a violation of international law, that "activity" the sale of Palestinian land in the West Bank to Jews.
Just to be clear, Nefesh B'Nefesh does not "promote" moving to Israel, much less moving to a specific location in Israel. No listing addresses ever appear on its website and it makes no money when someone decides to move to Israel. There is literally no incentive for it to promote specific areas.
November 24, 2025 at 1:04 AM
Just to be clear, Nefesh B'Nefesh does not "promote" moving to Israel, much less moving to a specific location in Israel. No listing addresses ever appear on its website and it makes no money when someone decides to move to Israel. There is literally no incentive for it to promote specific areas.
The ICJ ruling only applies to state actors, not NGOs, Furthermore, the only communities described on Nefesh website that are outside the "Green line" are Ma'ale Adumim and Gush Etzion, which would likely become part of Israel in any plausible settlement because so many Israelis live there.
November 24, 2025 at 1:04 AM
The ICJ ruling only applies to state actors, not NGOs, Furthermore, the only communities described on Nefesh website that are outside the "Green line" are Ma'ale Adumim and Gush Etzion, which would likely become part of Israel in any plausible settlement because so many Israelis live there.
I get it. You fancy yourself an expert polemicist. The ICJ ruling is what it is, regardless of how you much you wish it wasn't. But, even with your biased interpretation of the law, neither the synagogue nor Nefesh B'Nefesh violated international laws.
November 24, 2025 at 12:50 AM
I get it. You fancy yourself an expert polemicist. The ICJ ruling is what it is, regardless of how you much you wish it wasn't. But, even with your biased interpretation of the law, neither the synagogue nor Nefesh B'Nefesh violated international laws.
When a mayor-elect who happens to be Muslim condemns a local synagogue for hosting an event that is, by any reasonable definition, 100% legal, he's inviting controversy, if not worse. That became very evident outside the synagogue that night.
November 24, 2025 at 12:34 AM
When a mayor-elect who happens to be Muslim condemns a local synagogue for hosting an event that is, by any reasonable definition, 100% legal, he's inviting controversy, if not worse. That became very evident outside the synagogue that night.
Nefesh doesn't "advertise" and it doesn't promote one community over another. It simply describes communities in which housing is available. Furthermore, the ICJ's ruling applies to state actors, not NGOs. So, the insinuation that Nefesh or the synagogue was violating international law is false.
November 24, 2025 at 12:28 AM
Nefesh doesn't "advertise" and it doesn't promote one community over another. It simply describes communities in which housing is available. Furthermore, the ICJ's ruling applies to state actors, not NGOs. So, the insinuation that Nefesh or the synagogue was violating international law is false.
The only West Bank communities described by Nefesh B'Nefesh that are outside the "Green line" – the armistice lines of 1967 – are Ma'ale Adumim and Gush Etzion, which will likely be part of Israel in any plausible peace settlement because so many Israelis live there.
November 24, 2025 at 12:28 AM
The only West Bank communities described by Nefesh B'Nefesh that are outside the "Green line" – the armistice lines of 1967 – are Ma'ale Adumim and Gush Etzion, which will likely be part of Israel in any plausible peace settlement because so many Israelis live there.
I "demonized"no one but Hamas. The only communities highlighted by Nefesh B'Nefesh that are outside the "Green line" (the armistice lines of 1967) are Ma'ale Adumim and Gush Etzion, which will likely be part of Israel in any plausible peace settlement because so many Israelis live there.
November 24, 2025 at 12:18 AM
I "demonized"no one but Hamas. The only communities highlighted by Nefesh B'Nefesh that are outside the "Green line" (the armistice lines of 1967) are Ma'ale Adumim and Gush Etzion, which will likely be part of Israel in any plausible peace settlement because so many Israelis live there.
A person doesn't do something like this unless they're deeply broken inside. MTG is not to be trusted.
November 24, 2025 at 12:07 AM
A person doesn't do something like this unless they're deeply broken inside. MTG is not to be trusted.
Oslo II Accords were agreed to in 1995, but never fully codified because Arafat reneged on the agreement in 2000. In the meantime, nearly a half million Israelis were living in Area C. If the Accords had been fully realized, the Palestinian National Authority would have taken 'juridiction' over it.
November 24, 2025 at 12:03 AM
Oslo II Accords were agreed to in 1995, but never fully codified because Arafat reneged on the agreement in 2000. In the meantime, nearly a half million Israelis were living in Area C. If the Accords had been fully realized, the Palestinian National Authority would have taken 'juridiction' over it.
The angry crowd that showed up at that synagogue had obviously concluded that there were illegal "activities" going on inside. Unless they were just there to scream about Aliyah.
November 23, 2025 at 11:18 PM
The angry crowd that showed up at that synagogue had obviously concluded that there were illegal "activities" going on inside. Unless they were just there to scream about Aliyah.
Mamdani's spokesperson said, "... he believes that these sacred spaces should not be used to promote activities in violation of international law.” This accusation was aimed at the synagogue and Nefesh B'Nefesh, which only promotes Aliyah, a program which has been around since 1950.
November 23, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Mamdani's spokesperson said, "... he believes that these sacred spaces should not be used to promote activities in violation of international law.” This accusation was aimed at the synagogue and Nefesh B'Nefesh, which only promotes Aliyah, a program which has been around since 1950.
Use of the term "Nakba", which means 'catastrophe', was a less than subtle attempt to equate what happened in 1948 to the Shoah.
November 23, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Use of the term "Nakba", which means 'catastrophe', was a less than subtle attempt to equate what happened in 1948 to the Shoah.
As promised, Arab League nations attacked Israel and that war lasted one year. Unfortunately for those who had left their homes, the League lost the war. The descendants of those who had chosen to remain in their homes are the Arab Muslims who constitute nearly 1/4th of Israeli citizens today.
November 23, 2025 at 10:52 PM
As promised, Arab League nations attacked Israel and that war lasted one year. Unfortunately for those who had left their homes, the League lost the war. The descendants of those who had chosen to remain in their homes are the Arab Muslims who constitute nearly 1/4th of Israeli citizens today.
After the UN Partition vote, Arab League nations alerted Arabs living in the region that they intended to invade Israel the day it was established and that they should leave their homes until Israel had been destroyed. Thousands fled to Syria, Egypt and Jordan, thinking they would be able to return.
November 23, 2025 at 10:52 PM
After the UN Partition vote, Arab League nations alerted Arabs living in the region that they intended to invade Israel the day it was established and that they should leave their homes until Israel had been destroyed. Thousands fled to Syria, Egypt and Jordan, thinking they would be able to return.
Hardly a fair comparison. Israelis have been living in the West Bank since the 6-Day War (1967). (Netanyahu began expanding the settlements in 2022, and the ICC ruled them illegal in July 2024). In 1995, Palestinians agreed to the Oslo II Accords establishing Area C for Israeli settlements.
November 23, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Hardly a fair comparison. Israelis have been living in the West Bank since the 6-Day War (1967). (Netanyahu began expanding the settlements in 2022, and the ICC ruled them illegal in July 2024). In 1995, Palestinians agreed to the Oslo II Accords establishing Area C for Israeli settlements.
I'm not here to defend that. I don't like what has been going on in the West Bank, especially Netanyahu's expansion of the settlements.
November 23, 2025 at 10:17 PM
I'm not here to defend that. I don't like what has been going on in the West Bank, especially Netanyahu's expansion of the settlements.