Golda Meir
First Woman Prime Minister of Israel
1898–1978 A.D.

Called by some the “Iron Lady” of Israeli politics, Golda Meir was her country’s first female Prime Minister, as well as the first head of government in the Middle East. She was actually born in Russia, then reared in America, and thus her skill with English made her a successful fundraiser for the early state of Israel. Also, her tenure in office as prime Minister during tumultuous times in the history of her nation, made her an internationally known figure.

She was born Golda Mabovitch to a Jewish family in May, 1898 in Kiev (in what is now Ukraine), at a time where Jews were often threatened with government persecution. In fact, she later wrote of an early memory of her father boarding up their front door, for protection after rumored threats against Jews. The Mabovitch family “kept kosher” (followed Jewish dietary laws) and their Sabbath meals included many in their extended family. Tragically many of these persons were later victims of Hitler’s Holocaust.

In 1905 her father traveled to the U.S. to find a better-paying job. He worked for a railroad and settled in Wisconsin. After a while and after saving his money, he brought his wife and children to America, where her mother operated a grocery where Golda assisted. As she attended the local school, Golda early demonstrated leadership skills, as she and her friends organized fundraisers to provide school books. She even rented a hall for their public meeting.

When she was fourteen, after finishing elementary school, she faced parental opposition to her attending high school. She wanted to be a teacher—they wanted her to get married. “It doesn’t pay to be too clever,” her father told her, “Men don’t like smart girls.” So she defied them in enrolling in high school and worked after school to pay her way.

In 1912 as she attended high school she worked in a department store and in a public library. The next year in 1913 she moved to Denver to live with a sister and to continue high school. Her sister hosted various meetings where the discussions exposed her to new political and social issues such as women’s suffrage, trade unions and Zionism (a nationalistic movement aimed at establishing a Jewish homeland). She later wrote that these “…talk filled nights in Denver played a considerable role…” in her way of thinking. She also met her future husband at one of these meetings, Morris Meyerson, a socialist sign painter. He was a quiet man, who appreciated poetry and music, and who helped her learn about literature and history. However, he never fully joined in her passion for Zionism.

In 1914 after disagreements with her sister Golda moved out and began working for a while before she returned to her Milwaukee home to resume high school. She graduated in 1915 and after joining other students in Zionist organizations, become identified with Socialist Zionism.

In 1916 she began to attend a local teachers’ college and in 1917 became a U.S. Citizen when her father was naturalized as was the policy then.

Golda and Meyerson were married in 1917, intending to move to live in what was then Palestine, yet World War I prevented it. They finally made the move in 1921. As it turned out the couple grew apart and separated though they did not divorce. They were to have two children, son Menachem was born in 1924 in Jerusalem and became a professional cellist, playing with several Music Schools. Their daughter Sarah was born in May, 1926. Golda’s parents followed them to Israel later. The family settled in a kibbutz (collective farm community) where Golda worked in the fields as well as the kitchen and she exercised her leadership skills. They soon moved to Jerusalem.

Two years later in 1928 Meir was selected for a Working Women’s Council and returned to the U.S. in 1932-1934 to raise funds as well as get medical treatment for Sarah. Upon returning to Palestine she continued to participate and advance in political organizations.

During World War II Meir worked with an organization called the Jewish Agency, which operated as a governing body for British Palestine. Then after the war in 1946, she became the temporary head of the Agency and involved in the political difficulties of the time. Also, she continued her fundraising efforts for the new nation, particularly in the U.S. One time, officials reasoned they might collect perhaps $7 to 8 million from American Jews, but after Meir’s tour there was raised nearly $30 million. Her efforts were so important that David Ben-Gurion, first Israeli Prime Minister, commented that she was the “Jewish woman who’s got the money which made the state possible…”

However, as the new Israeli regime took shape, Meir found herself excluded from the incoming cabinet and only occupying a position on the 37 person People’s Council.

In May, 1948 Meir was one of two women among the 24 signatories, of the new Israeli Declaration of Independence. She wrote later, “After I signed, I cried. When I studied American history as a school girl and I read about those who signed the U.S. Declaration of Independence, I couldn’t imagine these were real people doing something real. And there I was sitting down a signing a declaration of establishment.”

Later, Meir was appointed as minister plenipotentiary to the Soviet Union but as it turned out it was a difficult time for her. She spoke no Russian, was lonely, and also wanted to go back to Israel. Still, it was an important position because good relations with the Soviets were important, though they were anxious to increase their influence in the Middle East.

After her return to Israel from Moscow she ran for a position in the Knesset (Parliament) which she achieved and also joined the cabinet under Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion as Labor Minister. This was a position she held until 1956. Later the P.M. appointed her as Foreign Minister, a position she occupied until 1966. In 1956 when she became foreign minister, she changed her surname from “Meyerson” to “Meir” to comply with the policy of her predecessor, that his Foreign Service staff take a Hebrew surname. Hers meant “Illuminate.”

During her term as foreign minister in 1956 Egyptian President Nasser seized control of the Suez Canal, and the British, French and Israelis responded by reversing the seizure. The United Nations became involved and Meir, as head of the Israeli delegation, was involved in the heated discussions. Eventually the U.N. took control of the situation. Then Meir was stricken with lymphoma, and resigned her position in 1965 citing her illness and exhaustion.

However, when Prime Minister Levi Eshkol died in February, 1969 Meir was elected as his successor and she served as P.M. from March, 1969 to June 1974.

During her tenure Meir met with major international leaders such as U.S. President Richard Nixon and Pope Paul VI. Her dream was peace in the Middle East but she had much opposition from Palestinians.

However, when her party won elections in December, 1973 they had lost seats and could not form a majority in the parliament. Meir resigned from the newly formed government and also from the Knesset. She never again held public office in Israel.

The next year Meir published her autobiography My Life and in 1977 she spoke to the Knesset on behalf of her party on the important occasion of a visit to Israel by Egyptian president Anwar Sadat—the first Arab leader to do so.

She died in December 1978 of lymphatic cancer.

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Anne Adams is a retired church staffer. She lives in East Texas and has an historical column for a local newspaper. She has published in Christian and secular publications for more than 40 years.

References:
Wikipedia
The Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women