Shalom and welcome to Judeo Talk. This week, we will be learning about one of the most important political figures in Jewish history, Golda Meir.
Golda was born in Kiev, Ukraine in 1898. Her father was Moshe Mabovitch, a carpenter. Life for Jews at the end of the Russian Empire was difficult. They frequently experienced pogroms, random attacks against their communities that were often State-approved, if not ordered. It was also very difficult for Jews in Russian territories to make ends meet. Golda's father emigrated to New York in 1903 to find steady work, sending his wife and children to live in Pinsk, Belarus where Golda's mother's family resided. By 1906, Moshe had saved up enough money working at a train yard in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to bring his family to America.
When not working in the grocery store her mother ran, Golda attended school at the Fourth Street Grade School. There she showed her early proclivities for politics and leadership by organizing student fundraisers for supplies and books. She later formed the American Young Sisters Society, an education outreach organization for poor children in Milwaukee.
When Golda's parents wanted her to quit school and marry, she decided instead to move in with her sister Sheyna who lived in Denver, Colorado. Sheyna and her husband were fixtures in the Denver intellectual world. Golda took very easily to the prominent discussions of the time, including women's suffrage and the Zionist movement.
Zionism was a loose political ideology centering around the development of a Jewish nation. There were many different stripes of Zionism, from peaceful, work-driven socialism called Labor Zionism to more radical and sometimes violent demonstrations. Golda was a dedicated and outspoken member of the Labor Zionist movement. Golda's husband, Morris Meyerson, was also a proud member of the movement. Together, they left the United States to join a kibbutz in the British Mandate of Palestine in 1921.
With her long involvement in the political world of Israel/Palestine, Golda became a spokesperson for the formation of the State of Israel at the end of World War II. She held numerous stations in the movement, including several diplomatic positions. Among the most prestigious was her selection to be the Jewish representative at the Evian Conference formed by US President Franklin Roosevelt concerning the massive refugee situation resulting from Nazi persecution of Jews during the Second World War.
In 1948, Golda Meir was one of the people to sign the Israeli Declaration of Independence. After the ensuing war resulted in an Israeli victory, Golda was made the Israeli ambassador to the Soviet Union. She held that position for one year, then returned to Israel to be its Labour Minister for seven years. She then became Israel's Foreign Minister under Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion. It was at this time that Golda altered her surname to the Hebraic "Meir" from the European "Meyerson". However, she and her husband divorced at this time, most likely due to the vast amounts of time the two spent apart because of Golda's political responsibilities.
In the early 1960's, Golda was diagnosed with cancer and decided to retire from public life. She didn't stay away for long. In 1969, Golda Meir was selected to be the successor to Levi Eshkol, the leader of the Mapai Party that later became the Israel Labour Party. She was then elected Prime Minister of Israel, a position she held until 1974. Meir's time as Prime Minister was plagued with violence. She was in office during the 1972 Munich Olympic Games when terrorist group Black September killed the Israeli athletes set to compete. She was also Prime Minister during the controversial Yom Kippur War. Though her party won the 1973 election, Meir resigned in 1974.
In 1978 at the age of 80, Golda Meir died of cancer. She was buried at the Mt. Hertzl Cemetery in Jerusalem. Few figures in Jewish history contributed more to the development of the State of Israel than Golda. Aside from her work in the Jewish community, Golda Meir is a prominent figure in the development of women's rights all over the world.