Times When Ancient Israel Ruled

 Nadene Goldfoot                                                   

        Ancient Israel and Judah originated as related Iron Age kingdoms in the Southern Levant. Following is a  period of united rule under 3 fantastic kings; Saul, David and Solomon. This history is like having gold  to have of people who lived over 3,000 years ago.  We have their history.  It's recorded right in the Tankah (Old Testament).  It's backed up by present day archaeology finds and clay tablets, many things;  even pictures on the walls of Egyptian tombs and Ur's excavations and so many other finds with writing. This is the bare bones of our ancestors literally  and the grounding of our Jewish religion.  We do not take this lightly.  

Life in 1000 BC was defined by the dawn of the Iron Age. Across a global population of roughly 50 million, most people were subsistence farmers. Society was increasingly dominated by powerful kings, religious temples, and expanding regional empires that were replacing earlier Bronze Age civilizations. 

 We know the best and the worst of these people who lived so long ago, and can see what we have inherited.  Kings are our best source.  They cannot live without everyone knowing their business in any era.                                          

A. 1st king Saul, son of Kish of the tribe of Benjamin (  1047 BCE  to 1007 BCE  ) had son, Jonathan, David's  best friend. He fought Philistines and Ammonites.  Prophet Samuel selected him to be king for the people.  Then he fought Moabites, Arameans.  Saul eliminated witchcraft;  Samuel later chose David to be king, who was very popular with the people.  Philistines won temporarily, but his work on national unity established a strong and independent Israelite monarchy.  

B. (David, son of Jesse of the tribe of Judah,  born in Bethlehem (1000-970 BCE) , armor bearer to Saul at 25, wrote psalms, successful soldier against Philistines,  married Saul's daughter, Michal.  Saul was jealous of David would do harm to him, David hid out with Achish, King of Gath.  Battle of Mt. Gilboa took Saul and his 3 sons.  David returned to Hebron as King-declared himself. We still admire David and sing his praises.         

                  Solomon the Wise

 C. Solomon, son of David (961--920 BCE) , the region split around 931 BCE into the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah. Had Temple built at expense of forced labor, his mistake causing division of Israel-Judah, weakening country. We know him for his wisdom, but he was in a panic mode to finish the Temple before his death and that was not wise for the people..    

1.  Jeroboam I, son of Solomon (933-912) (930-910) inherited Israel, divided from Judah. of Ephraim, did superintendent of forced labor job, but led the revolt against it; became king in Shechem, then in Transjordan, then in Tirzah.  Egyptians invaded 5 years later.  He set up shrines in Bethel and Dan.  worshipping golden calves.  He sinned.  

2. Nadab, son of Jerobom,  only ruled from 913-911 BCE  assassinated by fighting Philistines by rival Baasha. 

3. Baasha, son of Ahijh,   of the Tribe of Issachar  ruled from 908-885 BCE,  killed all of Jeroboam's family; made war on Asa of Judah in alliance with Ben-Hadad of Aram(Syria)  who changed sides so Baasha was defeated and ceded territory.  

4. Elah, son of Baasha,  only ruled from 866-885 BCE,  murdered by captain of chariots, Zimri when Israel fought Philistinian city Gibbethon.  

5. Zimri only ruled in the year 887 BCE for 7 days, General for Elah, Israel declared Omri king instead.  after 7 day reign, Zimri set his palace on fire and himself with it.

6. Omri ruled from 887-876 BCE, Elah's General, foraged Sidonian alliance ,subdued Moab, Assyrians called Israel  by his name; who besieged Tirah, capital, founder of a dynasty;

        Ahab and Jezebel     

7. Ahab, son  of Omri,  ruled from 876-853 BCE, wife was Jezebel, daughter of king of Sidon who introduced Baal worship, defeated Ben-Hadad of Damascus in battle;  killed fighting Damascus.  Palace excavated at Samaria.  

8. Ahaziah, son of Ahab, an Elijah said he was an idolator only ruled in 853 BCE

9. Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat,  ruled from 850-843 BCE, put brothers to death; wife was Athaliah who got him into Baal cult, then he spread it into Judah.  Edomites revolted, invasions of Philistines and Arabs came who plundered Jerusalem.  Died after long illness.  

10. Jehu ruled from 842-814.BCE, Commander-in-chief of Jehoram, then killed him and his family. Lost battles with Aram, paid tribute to Shalmaneser III of Assyria to get his protection, lost territory, his dynasty ruled for a century.     

11. Jehoahaz, son of Jehu,  ruled from 815-800 BCE, Aram reduced Israel  to a tributary restricting her army, controlled large tracts of land.  

12. Jehoash/Joash  ruled from 800-785 BCE, exploited weakness of Aram (Syria),captured Jerusalem, plundered the Temple, paid tribute to king of Assyria, reduced land to a vassaldom.    

13, Jeroboam II ruled from 785-745 BCE, did better, captured land from Joash, annexed Aramean towns, but was corrupt  with pursuit of pleasure and profit, so said prophets Hosea and Amos.

14. Zechariah, son of Jeroboam II,   died in 744 BCE, last king of house of Jehu, reigned 6 months, assassinated by Shallum.  

15. Shallum only ruled in 743 BCE, after 5 months he was killed by Menahem.  

16. Menahem ruled from 743-736 BCE, treated people brutally when they didn't open gates of Tiphsah, paid tribute to Tiglath-Pileser III invaded Syria and Israel.

17. Pekahiah ruled from 736-735 BCE, army wanted to fight against Assyria but he wouldn't go along with it so Pekah conspired against him.  

18. Pekah ruled from 735-730 BCE, from Giliad,?, Captain of army. Allied with Aram-Dammesek's Rezin, attacked Judah!  Murdered by Hoshea.                         

19. Hoshea ruled from 730-721(732-724) LAST RULER OF ISRAEL BCE. became king with Assyrian help; kingdom only around Mt. Ephraim.  Rebelled, put into prison by Shalmaneser who then captured Samaria.   Hoshea was the last monarch of the northern Kingdom of Israel. He did not have an Israelite successor . After the Assyrian Empire conquered the region and destroyed Samaria in 722 BCE, the territory fell under the direct rule of Assyrian kings like Shalmaneser V and subsequently Sargon II                    

This concluded 323 years of ruling as the country of Israel. Greeks and Romans will take over the land next. I was amazed at the failings of these kings after Solomon.  They just didn't get it right.  Wait till we look at Judah and see how that Tribe did.  

February 1953 with Wes, student at Reed and me, student at Lewis & Clark colleges in Portland, OR.  

   My son taking me hiking a few years ago in about 2021 evidently at Multnomah Falls.  I'm using a cane.  

Here the USA is enjoying their 250 years as a country, a milestone.  We can look back and see how far we've come in every which way.  So can the ancient Israelites, a line of 323 years of rule to celebrate before taken by the Assyrians.   Our line of Israel was 73 years longer than the USA timeline, back to 1953 when my son was born and here I am at age 92-almost by 2 months more.  Times have changed since then, I can verify.  

Our forefathers were obviously thinking of Israel's days of Saul, David and Solomon and what they had tried to teach to their people with the prophets at hand.  The struggles they went through were remembered and Israel II appeared on May 14, 1948 in Jerusalem once more with more understanding of their role in the world.  

Resource:

The New Standard Jewish Encyclopedia

                                                              

Miss Israel 2026 And The Trump Universe Contests

 Nadene Goldfoot                                        

Melanie Shiraz,  Miss Israel, born November 13, 1998 in Israel age 27, with the 2026 competition that has been heavily delayed and thrown into controversy after she accused the U.S.-based pageant organizers of attempting to predetermine a winner and stage a "fake" crowning ceremony. She is a data scientist and tech entrepreneur.  She's smart and after hearing her conversation on ISIL, when she was interviewed, wouldn't want any other woman to have this position.  She has seen through what's been happening. Her education has been at Univ. of Calif, Berkeley, and Tel Aviv Univ.  She wants Jews to be proud of who they are, and right now are being attacked for who they are.  Lebanon has been thrown up in our faces time and again.  

                   Melanie in 2025 Miss Universe Contest

Melanie Shiraz Asor is an Israeli beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Israel in 2025. She represented Israel at the Miss Universe 2025 pageant,  which took place on 21 November 2025 in Thailand .  She had been living in Miami as well as Israel and stated that Miss Israel should be someone from Israel that could speak Hebrew, and that wasn't the idea of the organizers of Trump  who had been running Miss Universe Contests for many years.  

The US-based organizers of the Miss Israel pageant were planning to appoint a winner of their choosing this year without the involvement of independent judges or holding a full-on pageant, the current titleholder, Melanie Shiraz, said this past week.

The accusation, backed up by video evidence, came alongside other charges from Shiraz, including that non-Israeli contestants had been encouraged to apply and acquire Israeli citizenship later, meaning that the contest would have little connection to Israel, despite Miss Israel representing the Jewish state on a major global platform.  She had left her start-up to enter the contest and felt she was helping Israel this way.  She has been in the midst of terrible antiSemitic slander that that she has tried to correct.  

 "My path didn’t start and end with technology. At Berkeley, I was deeply involved in Jewish and Israel advocacy on campus—standing up for my community, making the case for Israel and learning how to tell a story in rooms where it wasn’t always welcome. That experience taught me resilience, conviction and the importance of representation. Those lessons stayed with me long after I left the campus quad and entered the startup world."

The allegations sparked a public dispute between Shiraz and the Miss Israel organization, which cut her off on Friday.

    Nadeen Ayoub, Palestinian model, trashing Israel, incidently, there is no Palestine as of this date.  No country of Palestine.  

Shiraz has been targeted with online abuse since being named Miss Universe Israel. She has criticized Nadeen Ayoub for using her platform to spread falsehoods about the October 7 attacks and the Gaza War.  Nadeen Ayoub is a Palestinian model, and beauty pageant titleholder. As Miss Universe Palestine 2025, she was the first representative of Palestine at Miss Universe 2025, where she reached the top 30.

            Donald Trump in 2012 at Trump Tower with ladies

Donald Trump co-owned and held the Miss Universe Organization (which also included Miss USA and Miss Teen USA) from 1996 to 2015 . He purchased the pageants from ITT Corp and eventually sold the organization to WME/IMG in September 2015 .  WME/IMG owned and operated the Miss Universe Organization from September 2015 through October 2022. During this "Endeavor/IMG Era" , the talent agency transitioned the pageant's image away from superficiality toward empowering female leadership, eventually selling the organization to JKN Global Group.

   JKN Global Group is a Thai multinational media, content distribution, and consumer products conglomerate. Founded in 2014 by CEO Jakkaphong "Anne" Jakrajutatip, the firm previously owned major brands like the Miss Universe Organization . The company has faced severe financial and legal turmoil in recent years, culminating in its delisting from the Stock Exchange of Thailand. 

Resource: but continuation below resources:

https://www.jns.org/opinion/melanie-shiraz/why-i-left-tech-entrepreneurship-to-become-miss-israel

https://www.timesofisrael.com/miss-israel-says-this-years-contest-will-be-bogus-sparking-break-with-organizers/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanie_Shiraz#:~:text=Melanie%20Shiraz%20Asor%20(Hebrew%3A%20%D7%9E%D7%9C%D7%90%D7%A0%D7%99&text=is%20an%20Israeli%20beauty%20pageant,21%20November%202025%20in%20Thailand.

Shiraz was born in Israel. She is the daughter of Israeli commentator Estee Shiraz.Shiraz has been targeted with online abuse since being named Miss Universe Israel. She has criticized Nadeen Ayoub for using her platform to spread falsehoods about the October 7 attacks and the Gaza War.The family moved to the United States when Melanie was young. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned a double degree in Data Science and Interdisciplinary Studies. She was also involved in Chabad, the campus Jewish Student Union, and Hillel. She returned to Israel shortly after graduating. After working in Silicon Valley, she earned an MBA at Tel Aviv University and co-founded a fintech startup in London.

Why King David Wrote The Psalms Loved By All Peoples

 Nadene Goldfoot                                                

King David (reigned from 1010 BCE-970 BCE ( wrote nearly half of the Psalms during periods of intense trauma, betrayal, and deep personal failure. His writings span his entire life, covering his years fleeing from King Saul, a civil war started by his son Absalom, and the devastating fallout from his affair with Bathsheba.

Many of the Psalms serve as poetic journals of his emotional and spiritual journey through these crises:

                                  David and Goliath 

• Hunted as a Fugitive: Before becoming king, David spent years hiding in caves and deserts (such as the wilderness of En Gedi) while a jealous King Saul sought to kill him. Psalms written during this era (like Psalm 23 or Psalm 34) reflect deep fear, isolation, and a heavy reliance on God for protection. "Hashem is my shepherd, I shall not lack, In lush meadows He lays me down, beside tranquil waters He leads me.  He restores my soul.  He leads me on paths of righteousness for his Name's sake.  Though I walk in the valley overshadowed by death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me ....... (The morbid "valley" is a characterization of all exiles.  Also it is a place so dangerous that it is as dark and forbidding as the grave.)   Hashem is the earth and its fullness, the inhabited land and those who dwell in it.  For He founded it upon seas, and established it upon rivers.  Who may ascend the mountain of Hashem, and who may stand in the place of His sanctity?  and has not sworn deceitfully.......                        
  
                          David playing harp for King Saul
• Deep Personal Guilt: Following his moral failures involving Bathsheba and Uriah, David experienced profound remorse and spiritual agony . Psalm 51 is his famous plea for forgiveness and inner cleansing, written after the prophet Nathan confronted him about his sins. David's psalm of remorse includes the principles of repentance.  thus, it is a fitting prayer for any penitent. Show me favor, O God, according to him, when he came to Bath-sheba.  Show me favor, O God, according to  Your kindness, according to Your vast compassion erase my transgressions, Abundantly cleanse me from my iniquity, and from my sin purify me, For I  recognize my transgressions, and my sin is before me always.....  
  
                        Destruction of first Temple
• Betrayal and Grief: During his reign as king, David was forced to flee Jerusalem when his own son, Absalom, led a massive rebellion to steal the throne . Psalm 3, Psalm 55, and Psalm 63 were penned during this exile, echoing his heartbreak over betrayal by friends and his own family. Then He showed me Joshua, the Kohen Gadol, standing before the angel of Hashem, and the Satan was standing on his right to accuse him. "May Hashem denounce you, O Satan!  May Hashem, who chooses Jerusalem, denounce you!  Indeed, this man is like a firebrand saved from a fire!" ..... (The confrontation between Joshua and Satan represents the contention between the Jews who were trying to rebuild the Temple and the local chieftains, who tried to halt the constructions, as described  in the 4th chapter of Ezra. (Radak). Listen, O God, to my prayer, do not disregard my pleas.  Pay heed to me and answer me;  I lament as I speak, and I moan:  because of the shout of the foe, on account of the oppression of the wicked, for they accuse me of evil and hate me with passion, My heart shudders within me, and the terrors of death have befallen me, Fear and trembling penetrate me, and I am overcome with horror. (Despite the revolt of his son, Absalom and he defection of his intimate friend and adviser, Ahithophel,  David was unwavering in his faith that God would enable him to prevail.)  Oh God:  You are my God, I seek You, My soul thirsts for You, my flesh longs for you; in a parched and thirsty land with no water.  Thus to have beheld You  in the Sanctuary, to see Your might and Your glory.  For Your kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise you.  thus shall I bless you all my life; ....(Though a victim of malicious slander, exiled from nation, family, and home, alone in a desolate wilderness, David neve wavers in his love for God.) how many today can trust that there is a G-d?  Perhaps G-d himself knew when the end of times would be happening after all these 5,000-4,000 years and why !!!  
• Spiritual Despair: Beyond external threats, David occasionally battled intense periods of spiritual darkness, feeling as though God had abandoned him Psalm 13  captures his cries of despair and loneliness, ending ultimately with a declaration of trust in God's salvation. How long, Hashem, will You endlessly forget me?  How long will You hide Your countenance from me?  How long must I set schemes within myself?  My heart is melancholy even by day.  How long will my enemy triumph over me?  Look!  Answer me, Hashem, my God!  Enlighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death.  Lest my enemy boast...(Exile is like a long, dark, seemingly endless night.  David speaks prophetically on behalf of Israel in exile.) 
• Resource:
• The Stone Edition of the Tanach (Old Testament), the Torah, Prophets, writings...using Hashem instead of God since Jews don't like to use the word in vain.  "HaShem (הַשֵּׁם) is a Hebrew term that literally translates to "the Name". It is the most common substitute used by Jewish people in everyday conversation to refer to God, allowing them to speak about the Creator with reverence while avoiding uttering His actual, holy names in vain.  Respect: In Judaism, the primary four-letter name of God (the Tetragrammaton) is considered too sacred to be spoken aloud outside of specific Temple rituals.  
• The Third Commandment: The prohibition against taking God's name in vain extends to almost all casual or conversational speech. 
• Context: When formally praying or reading directly from the Torah, Jews traditionally use the name Adonai (meaning "My Lord"), but HaShem is used everywhere else."

We're In A Religious War That Blinds The West

 Nadene Goldfoot                                      

     Shiites in Britain today:  June 26, 2026  On Ashura In the Shiite tradition, Ashura is the solemn 10th day of Muharram (the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar) . It marks the tragic martyrdom of Imam Hussein , the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, at the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE , making it the most significant day of mourning and reflection in Shiite Islam

Fighting the terrorists in the Middle East, Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIS and such, is a never-ending war.  Why are they fighting the return of people, the Jews,  that have the Middle East in their veins, and if not their hearts by now.  They also have a religious reason for their return to Judea and Samaria, the former homes of their ancestors that were mis-handled by the British after World War I, though it's different from the Islamic law, but from the law of Abraham and Moses, the Jewish law.  

The Islamists'  goal it is  to spread their religion all over the world, and Israel is interfering by being in the way.  It is known they are a stolid people and will never convert.   The rest of the world looks like their oyster;  ready to be opened and swallowed up. 

                                     Hamas hitting Israel

Christians in the process of learning about Muslim beliefs and practices may be aware that Sunni Muslims and Shiite Muslims (also known as Shia Muslims) make up the two major sects of Islam. If so, it’s helpful to understand how Islam came to be divided into these groups and how their history informs their distinct approaches to the faith today. First, it’s important to note that Sunnis and Shiites uphold the same essential beliefs and five pillars of Islam. In both sects, you will find individuals whose commitment to Islam ranges vary from quite secular to more fundamentalist.  Shiites are the ones who are more orthodox in their goal of spreading their culture and belief.  Actually, Jews were not regarded as infidels against whom a Holy War was to be waged, but like the Christians and others as the people of the Book.  They should enjoy religious freedom in Moslem territory in return for payment of a POLL TAX.  Of course, Shiites were more stern in their attitudes. The persecution of Jews by Moslems, for religious reasons, was rare, even discriminatory legislation often remaining unreinforced.   This was then, in the 1920s.  Today it has been replaced by a more Nationalistic reasoning in their religion.  As in Judaism, religion and law are interwoven in Islam.  

Hezbollah's primary, foundational goal is the total destruction of the State of Israel, which it views as an illegitimate state and an imperial outpost. The militant group treats all Israeli citizens and Jewish people worldwide as legitimate targets, combining its military operations with deep-rooted antisemitic incitement.

Hezbollah has adopted the anti-Zionist rhetoric of modern-day antisemitism.  (they push the Jews of Israel as the cause of their attacks).  

The Facts: Hezbollah was established on the ideology of antisemitism. Its founding principles are rooted in the hatred of Jews, the elimination of a Jewish state, and the determination to deny Jews their right of self-determination or nationhood. Hezbollah knows that more Jewish blood has been spilled in Europe than anywhere else, which makes the continent a fertile breeding ground to fulfill its mission.

However, Hezbollah has learned to manipulate  the guilt complex that permeates certain European countries whose Jewish communities were decimated during the Holocaust. Thus, its  rhetoric is framed as anti-Zionist rather than antisemitic. They overstate the oppression of the Palestinians that they say is perpetuated by Israeli policies, then use that fiction to justify delegitimizing a Jewish state.

Elimination of Israel: The group's 1985 manifesto and ongoing platform categorically reject recognizing Israel's legitimacy and call for the full "liberation of Palestine". 

Antisemitic Ideology: Leadership has frequently used vitriolic, antisemitic rhetoric and Holocaust denial to cultivate hatred against the Jewish people . Group leadership has previously stated that Jews who survive their envisioned "war of liberation" should be forced to leave the region, while only those present before 1948 might be allowed to live as a protected minority. 

Global Targeting: Operations are not restricted by regional borders . Hezbollah has a documented history of directing and carrying out deadly terrorist attacks against Israeli and Jewish civilian targets worldwide, including bombings and hostage plots in the Americas, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. 

Armed Attrition: Heavily funded and equipped by the Islamic Republic of Iran, Hezbollah acts as a proxy utilizing paramilitary warfare, cross-border infiltration, and massive rocket fire against Israeli towns and infrastructure. 

As long as Europe allows any manifestation of antisemitism, regardless of the rhetoric (i.e. “old school” or under the anti-Zionist cover), Europe is complicit in the violation of human rights within its borders. To stop this rising antisemitic tide, Europe has the moral and legal obligation to halt all of Hezbollah’s activities within its jurisdiction.                         

A coalition of Palestinian-American activists and advocacy groups has endorsed Senator Bernie Sanders for president, lauding the Democratic candidate as a "supporter of justice, equality and human rights for all, including the Palestinian people".  Sure, cause all his efforts are against Israel and its Jews.  

The worst thing that could happen is if any Jewish person should turn on their own people and join the opposing side and act in any way to destroy the people.  We already have senator Bernie Sanders that is not a friend, indeed.   He has already done enough to cause anti-Semitism thoughts in peoples minds.  "Senator Bernie Sanders has emerged as a leading Democratic critic of the Israeli government's military actions in Gaza, actively attempting to block U.S. arms sales to Israel. He has steadfastly maintained that holding the Israeli government accountable for its policies is not anti-Semitism."(NPR+2)  The people for Palestine in his group love him.  

Hezbollah is an arm of the Shi'ite country of Iran.  Their goal is to wipe out Israel.  Their behavior, attitude and war is based on this religious obligation.  Unless a miracle happens, this will not change unless Sunni Islam makes an inroad in their thinking  One way to do that is to support Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi and the young rebels of Iran left after thousands have been killed, machine gunned down  by the Ayatollah regime.