Purim Then, Purim Now

 Nadene Goldfoot                                      

We have the holiday of Purim commemorating the rescue of Persian (Iranian) Jewry through the mediation of Queen Esther from the threat of annihilation engineered HAMAN.  Haman was the Chief minister of Ahasuerus, king of Persia (Est.3-9).  His resentment of the independent attitude of Mordecai (uncle of Esther) led him to detest all Jews and he planned their annihilation.  His scheme having been frustrated by Esther, Haman and his sons were hanged.  In memory of their deliverance, the Jews observe the festival of Purim.  Haman is called the "agagite" which was interpreted by the rabbis to indicate his descent from Agag, King of Amalek.  Haman has become synonymous with an enemy of the Jews.  Hitler was so much like Haman.  He even had the same goal.  Today we were facing another Persian king who wanted all Jews (Israel) killed. 

This was a huge empire, and held many Jews.  All were to be killed. Under King Xerxes I (reigned 486–465 BC), the Achaemenid Persian Empire was at its peak, forming the largest empire in the world up to that point. It spanned approximately 5.5 million square kilometers (about 2.1 million square miles) and covered parts of three continents: Asia, Africa, and Europe.  This would have been complete extermination !  

  According to the Book of Esther found in the Bible, the extermination was fixed by lot for the month of Adar 13, but the Jews escaped, successfully resisting their persecutions on that date and in the city of Shushan, also on the next day. Purim is observed on Adar 14, and the following day is observed as Purim in cities which have been walled since the time of Joshua (e.g.Jerusalem). 

Queen Esther, wife of King Ahasueros, (Megillata Esther). is the main character in this piece of history.   The date of its composition is generally placed in the Persian Period before 330 BCE.  In 2nd Temple times, the Scroll of Esther was already included in the canon.  Its reading on Purim was made obligatory, and a special talmudic tractate was written on the relevant regulations.  

Here we have a woman of power she didn't know she had who saved her people.  This event happened about 1,300 years ago or in about 350 BCE.  

                                The king greeting Esther

King Ahasuerus (Hebrew: Aḥašwēroš) in the Bible is identified as the Persian King Xerxes I (Greek: Xérxēs). Reigning from approximately 486–465 BC, he is best known historically for his failed invasion of Greece and for his role as the husband of Esther in the Book of Esther.

The Hebrew timeline never follows the historical, but here is off over 100 years.  

Between 350 and 330 BCE, the Achaemenid Persian Empire experienced extreme instability, internal power struggles, and its ultimate downfall to Alexander the Great. Following the assassination of Artaxerxes III in 338 BCE, a rapid succession of weak rulers and court intrigues culminated in the defeat of Darius III and the burning of Persepolis by Alexander in 330 BCE.                        

Ali Hosseini Khamenei was an Iranian politician and Shia cleric who served as the second supreme leader of Iran from 1989 until his 

assassination during the 2026 Iran war.  Iran has been held by a persecuting government for 47 past years,  causing threats against Israel of anhilation  by nuclear weaponry they had like an atomic bomb.  

Mossad watched their development of such and the USA bombed sites last year but may not have hit the right place. Besides that, many many young people were demonstrating in the streets for Khamenei to step down.  They wanted a new government.  They were bringing on a

 Revolution.   Thus was this window of opportunity;  a time with Trump and Khamenei and the people.  The government has been negligent.  There is no water, no food, no jobs, nothing for these people.  All the money has gone into arming the hateful groups in the Middle East.  .

Resource:

Resource: 

Book of Esther, Bible 

Twas A Ruse! No One Guessed ! Iran Is Free !

 Nadene Goldfoot                                                

                                                                            

Yesterday at around 5am my time, Israel attacked Iran.  Following were the American planes.  This is war.  One guess is that it will last about 6 days.   What a miraculous feat!  Every bit of it is spectacular, the secretiveness they kept, getting there and fueling, hitting exact places and people like the Ayatollah who is now dead, and with two countries, Israel and USA, not bumping into each other in the sky. 

The question comes up of WHAT NOW?  Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi (born 1960) is the exiled Crown Prince of Iran, serving as a prominent opposition figure against the Islamic Republic and advocating for a secular democracy. As the eldest son of the last Shah, he has lived in the U.S. since 1978 and is currently based in the Washington, D.C. area.  He's been guiding the Revolution youth from the USA, and said he would join them when he could get there, I presume, safely.  

I'm waiting for the main newscasters to say something about this as they all, including Trump and Netanyahu, seem to know nothing about it.  I can't imagine the Crown Prince not telling them of his plans.  

Becoming Displaced For What?

 Nadene Goldfoot

  The Parchin military complex is located approximately 30 km (20 miles) southeast of Tehran, Iran. It is a massive facility focused on weapons production. Reports indicate it was struck by Israeli forces in October 2024, and later in June 2025 during conflict, with recent reports showing Iran rebuilding.

PARCHIN CYLINDER  Did the USA get these last year?  The Parchin cylinders are large, specialized metal chambers located at Iran’s Parchin military complex (southeast of Tehran) that the IAEA suspects were used to conduct high-explosive tests related to designing a nuclear weapon trigger in the early 2000s. The facility, involving a ~4.6 x 19-meter vessel, was allegedly designed for hydrodynamic experiments involving conventional explosives and potentially uranium, according to IAEA analysis.

Trump is at a dead end in deciding what to do now that Iran refuses to make a deal.  Trump is not happy with their stubborn decision.

In the meantime, everyone has been told to get to safer ground;  like Americans in Israel.  Trump has gone on and on for the past month, and still cannot face the fact of the Iranian insistence to have nuclear weapons so they can blow up Israel and of course, USA itself,   Yes, The Ayatollas are a hard one to fathom.  Trump is like the bully  who once he has to face his enemy is backing off and running.  I could be wrong and this could be a ruse to surprise Iran.  Now that is everyone has become displaced in this waiting game  of his, they may be off their guard.  It's getting old.  This window of opportunity is only open for a short time.  How long can the Revolutionaries keep up their strength?  

A Jewish lady by the name of Catherine Perez Shakdam has met senior Iranian officials and her experience tells her that they are more afraid of Netanyahu than anything.  Catherine Perez-Shakdam is a French journalist, political analyst and commentator. She specializes in West Asian and Islamic affairs. Shakdam is a former consultant for UNSC on Yemen and she is an expert on Islamic terrorism, radicalization and antisemitism.  During her studies at the University of London, she met a Muslim man from Yemen and later acted like she converted to Sunni Islam during their marriage. However, she later became a Shia Muslim and wrote several books and many articles about Shia Islam. She divorced her husband in 2014 and has custody of her two children. As of 2022, she now identifies as a Jew.  She was born a Jew.  She remains a Jew.  

Resource:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Perez-Shakdam

England and Sweden Ahead Of USA News

 :Nadene Goldfoot                             

Gothenburg rally marks 109 weeks of “No to Execution Tuesdays” and backs Iran uprising — February 24, 2025. " Gothenburg (Swedish: Göteborg) is in Sweden. Located on the country's west coast, it is the second-largest city in Sweden after Stockholm. Founded in 1621, it is a major industrial city, a significant port, and the capital of Västra Götaland County. '"  This picture shows that the Revolution (Uprising) was even known in Sweden, but in the USA???

The UPRISING of last year is called a REVOLUTION  by those involved.  Tousi (tousi.tv)   in England seems to be the only video involved. He was found by me on YouTube.  

Uprising/Revolution shown by Le Monde:  GalleryImages that capture the scale of the brutally suppressed protests that swept Iran between December 28 and January 11 are rare. Some NGOs report at least 18,000 people dead. Iranian photographer Yalda Moaiery managed to transmit her images of the January 8 demonstrations and the funeral of a man killed by the regime.

The 2025–2026 uprising in Iran has seen a broad coalition of social groups join the anti-regime movement, including labor unions (oil/gas workers), pensioners, and students. Critically, residents in the religious center of Qom and various ethnic minorities (Kurds, Baluchis) have joined protests, while five major Kurdish parties formed a political-military alliance against the regime   

The deal with Iran that Trump was up against a wall about was this: " Iran enters critical talks on its nuclear programme with the US on Thursday, insisting a deal is in reach as long as Washington sticks by its willingness to concede Iran’s symbolic right to enrich uranium, allow Tehran to dilute its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, and not to impose controls on Iran’s ballistic missile programme.'  

Tehran insists deal is possible if Trump abides by preconditions agreed with Witkoff and Kushner !!! Don't these two consider that the uprising/Revolution that was a buy-product of Trump saying he's come if lives were being taken was taken seriously and the young people of Iran are being slaughtered by the Ayatollah's henchmen?   NO DEAL CAN BE MADE WITH THIS AUTHORITARIAN REGIME !  IT IS LIKE MAKING A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL !  ALL THEY WANT TO DO IS WIPE OUT ISRAEL AND THE VERY BAD WESTERN USA ! Iran (Ayatollah present government) will say anything.  

                                               

View of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford arriving at the Port of Marseille, earlier in her deployment (Photo by Denis Thaust/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

The USS Abraham Lincoln and three accompanying destroyers left the South China Sea and began heading to the Middle East last week. (US Navy: Brian M Wilbur)

As of February 27, 2026, the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group is positioned near the coast of Iran/Israel, joining the USS Abraham Lincoln in the region. This massive U.S. naval buildup, including over 16 ships, acts as deterrence amid high-tension nuclear negotiations and threats of potential military action. 

• U.S. Presence: The USS Gerald R. Ford arrived in the eastern Mediterranean/Middle East region on Feb. 27, 2026, following a four-day stop in Crete, bringing significant naval power to the area.
• Context: These movements are part of a major military build-up in response to ongoing tensions, with President Trump threatening action if Iran does not meet nuclear demands.
• Iranian Reaction: Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval forces have conducted drills in the Strait of Hormuz, threatening to disrupt oil routes. 

Simultaneously, a Chinese spy ship was reported tracking the U.S. carrier strike group in the Arabian Sea earlier in February 2026.

 

The Shah of Iran was forced to leave Iran when the Ayatollah took over  His son, now 65 years old, is the leader of the Revolution and says he will remain to do the job of getting elections available for the people.  It is to be a Democracy.  Reza Pahlavi (born October 31, 1960) is the eldest son of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran, and Empress Farah Diba. As the exiled Crown Prince and head of the House of Pahlavi, he resides in the United States and is a prominent opposition figure advocating for a secular, democratic Iran.  

Resource:  

The Guardian is a prominent daily newspaper from the United Kingdom. Founded in Manchester in 1821 as The Manchester Guardian, it moved its operations to London in 1964 and is now considered a leading British national newspaper, known for its centre-left, independent  journalism.  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/25/us-iran-nuclear-talks-critical-stage-trump  Patrick Wintour and Aram Roston Wed 25 Feb 2026 18.49 EST

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reza_Pahlavi#:~:text=Reza%20Pahlavi%20(born%2031%20October,Revolution%20led%20by%20Ruhollah%20Khomeini.

Business As Usual Making Money Hand Over Fist in Post Assad Era

 Nadene Goldfoot                                          

                       Old Russian Katusha rocket launcher                 

The Jerusalem Post headlines is that in post-Assad era, Hezbollah’s era shrinks to cells, smugglers, and cheap rockets - analysis.  The Iranian proxy group once helped sustain Assad’s war machine; now it stands accused of running deniable operations with cheap hardware.                         

     I'll scratch your back while you scratch mine:  Lebanon to Syria through Hezbollah

Now Syrian authorities say what Hezbollah left behind looks different: a small group operating near Damascus with drones, Katyusha rockets, and, according to officials, confessions that the weapons came from Lebanon. This is the period of selling weapons to each other, just as Omran has said.

On February 1, Syria’s new government announced it had dismantled a cell it accused of launching rockets at the Mezzeh district and the nearby military airport. 

Hezbollah’s media relations office rejected the claims, saying the group “has no presence or activity on Syrian soil” and denying any links to armed movements in Syria.

Believing any terrorist group is one's first mistake.  They cannot tell the truth.  They gain their power by being believed, so  they say what they want you to believe.                          

• Hitler's Concept: Hitler wrote that in the "big lie" there is always a certain force of credibility, and that if a lie is large enough and repeated constantly, the masses will fall for it.

Israeli officials have issued warnings that they would strike Lebanese civilian infrastructure, including an airport, if Hezbollah intervenes in a potential U.S.–Iran conflict. 

The U.S. is evacuating non-essential embassy personnel from Beirut. 

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Netanyahu addressed the Knesset saying the country faces “very complex, difficult days” amid rising tensions with Iran and reaffirmed Israeli readiness to respond forcefully to any attack.

Resource:

Jerusalem Post

israelAM

Omran Alhalabi

Syria is In Jeopardy

 Nadene Goldfoot                                           

Syria has become part of a supply chain of arms to Iran.  Money is made by those involved.  They sell back arms to Iran.  Following the collapse of the Assad regime in late 2024, the supply chain and geopolitical landscape involving Turkey, Syria, and Israel have undergone a major transformation, characterized by Turkey's growing influence in the north, Israel's targeted actions in the south, and an underlying, tense rivalry. Omran, a Syrian citizen,  is aware of all the nasty things that are happening to Syria as they are in the hands of Jolani as President.  The people are so tired of war that they have little strength left to fight against the man who pushed his way into the governing seat.  

Omran Alhalabi explains the business deals he has heard of that involve his country, Syria, putting it in Jeopardy with Jolani, a former terrorist who hasn't forgotten how to run things. 

   Claims say that Turkish girls were trafficked say investigating prosecutors 

Turkey has positioned itself as a key power broker in post-Assad Syria, aiming to stabilize the country, return refugees, and neutralize Kurdish militants, while Israel has focused on disrupting previous Iranian-Hezbollah supply lines and creating a demilitarized buffer zone.  Israel is doing that for their own defense, not for any gain like profit.  Also, Israel's friends happen to be the Kurds, and are trying to keep them from harm of other soldiers.  

Omran even mentioned the Epstein Files that Pamela Bondi hasn't shown involving Trump that could expose some of these deals.  We know how he likes a good deal.                

                             Putin of Russia, Trump of USA

Europe is in trouble, Omran related.    They have bunkers left over from previous war.  Germany, Austria and other countries have been getting ready for something big, like a biological or chemical attack, like anthrax, for instance. "As of early 2026, European nations, particularly in the east and north, are actively strengthening their civil defense infrastructure and upgrading emergency stockpiles due to heightened fears of a broader conflict with Russia. This preparation includes updating guidance on nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) threats, encouraging citizens to maintain 72-hour survival kits, and renovating aging bunkers or identifying new, rapidly deployable shelters. "  We know that Ukraine is fighting Russia alone; with no help at all from NATO.  Israel has been helping with medicines, etc.  If they ever take over Ukraine, the rest of Europe is exposed, and could cave in like France did in WWII.  Again, money is being made supplying arms, weapons of all sorts at this time.                                    

Out with the Squad and in with the Quad! Featuring Fleur Hassan-Nahoum (Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem), Emily Schrader (Activist and Journalist), Ashira Solomon (African American Jew & Political Moderator) and Vivian Bercovici (Former Canadian Ambassador to Israel) will give a voice to everything Israel and Jewish from a unique female perspective. Here - Everything is on the table.  This is from Israel, and I get this news on youtube.  

I am ashamed.  All I hear on our news is about Samantha of ABC's kidnapped mother that hasn't been found who now has a million dollar reward if someone can tell where she is and the information gets her back home.  Trump and his entourage seem to know nothing about the alternative people of Iran's Ayatollah government who have already created a REVOLUTION with the Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi at the helm, but still in the States.  They don't seen to understand that over 40,000 to even 120,000 or more, G-d forbid, have been slaughtered by the Iranian present government for their rebellious acts.  They haven't heard of them going into hospitals and shooting the injured from the REVOLUTION in the head.  All of this blood and gore is brought on by Trump saying that if they start killing people, he would come to their aid.  The people trusted him.  To this moment, and I'd like to see something happen right now, it hasn't happened.  So we hear how Trump wants to make a deal with the DEVIL, and one can't do such a thing.  To think that Syria will soon be in the mire of all this is very sad.  They could be the king pin to stopping it. 

That and Tariffs and buying countries such as Venezuela, Greenland, maybe Denmark, etc, Cuba,  when the East wing of the Whitehouse has been pummeled and destroyed, left a destroyed heap of trash with the promise of becoming a ballroom .  

Resource:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-9SE9mf2Rc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dS1cGdue_o&t=39s

https://www.iss.europa.eu/publications/commentary/global-risks-eu-2026-what-are-main-conflict-threats-europe#:~:text=Europe's%20top%20risk%20in%202026,as%20on%20traditional%20military%20instruments.

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/prosecutors-investigating-claims-turkish-girls-were-trafficked

Syria's Concerned Citizen, Jack

 Nadene Goldfoot                                           

I wrote a book about Jack Huffman, who dictated his life story to me.  He knew that I had written Letters From Israel, so thought that perhaps I could take on another story to write.  This time the communication was done, not in letters, but in messages.  It was just about at the time of the Syrian Civil War which started on March 15, 2011. Jack was about 30 years old then.  The Syrian Civil War began in March 2011,  originating from pro-democracy protests during the Arab Spring that were violently suppressed by the Bashar al-Assad regime. Following the initial unrest, armed opposition groups formed, escalating the conflict into a full-scale war by the summer of 2011.  "

I got to share some things in our messages, and he to me.  I thought he was from New York, and was surprised to find he was in Syria!  That was a shock because Syria and Israel were enemies.  Here we were, becoming friends through messages.

Jack felt he was in a dangerous spot.  He was an engineer working on a building project in Damascus.  He had gone to college in Damascus and in Lebanon.  He had a step-mother and step sisters to think about.  They had decided to leave Damascus temporarily and move to Egypt.  

Here is a hotel in Egypt.  He lived in a neighborhood of like people probably all from Syria. The chapter I remember best writing about was the dog in his neighborhood and what the head of a terrorist group was going to do with it.  Jack saved its life, having a cat of his own and loving animals.   

We kept on communicating.  He thought he might be killed in the conflict so asked me to write a book.  After that, it was several years before I heard from him again.

He was back in Damascus. His real name was Omran Alhalabi.   

In Syria he had lived fairly close to the President Assad and had gone to school with his daughter.  In those days he was concerned about finding his birth mother, and working in Egypt.  He was keeping up with Assad's government dealings as well as the USA's.