88 Facts About Golda Meir

1.

Golda Meir was Israel's first and only female head of government, the first female head of government in the Middle East, and the fourth elected female head of government or state in the world.

2.

Golda Meir has been described as the "Iron Lady" of Israeli politics.

3.

Golda Meir had a reputation for being down-to-earth and a persuasive speaker.

4.

Golda Meir was educated there and eventually became a teacher.

5.

Golda Meir resigned the following year in response to public anger.

6.

Golda Meir Mabovitch was born to a Jewish family in downtown Kyiv, Russian Empire on May 3,1898, to Blume Neiditch and Moshe Mabovitch, a carpenter.

7.

Golda Meir wrote in her autobiography that her earliest memories were of her father boarding up the front door in response to rumours of an imminent pogrom.

8.

Golda Meir's mother ran a grocery store on Milwaukee's north side.

9.

Golda Meir attended the Fourth Street Grade School from 1906 to 1912.

10.

Golda Meir's employers included Schuster's department store and the Milwaukee Public Library.

11.

Golda Meir's mother wanted Golda to leave school and marry, but she declined.

12.

On 17 February 1913, Golda Meir took a train to live with her married sister, Sheyna Korngold, in Denver, Colorado.

13.

The Korngolds held intellectual evenings at their home, where Golda Meir was exposed to debates on Zionism, literature, women's suffrage, trade unionism, and more.

14.

In 1914, after disagreements with her sister, Golda Meir left North High School, moved out of her sister's home, and found work.

15.

Golda Meir spoke at public meetings and embraced Socialist Zionism.

16.

Golda Meir attended the teachers college Milwaukee State Normal School in 1916, and likely part of 1917.

17.

On 9 July 1917, Golda Meir became a naturalized US citizen, as her father had naturalized, and at that time children of naturalized citizens under the age of 21 received citizenship by descent.

18.

Golda Meir had intended to make aliyah straight away, but her plans were disrupted when all transatlantic passenger services were canceled due to the entry of the United States into the First World War.

19.

Golda Meir then threw her energies into Poale Zion activities.

20.

Golda Meir's duties included picking almonds, planting trees, working in the chicken coops, and running the kitchen.

21.

Golda Meir returned to Merhavia for a brief period in 1925.

22.

In 1928, Golda Meir was elected secretary of Moetzet HaPoalot.

23.

Golda Meir spent two years in the United States as an emissary for the organization and to get expert medical treatment for her daughter's kidney illness.

24.

In 1934, when Golda Meir returned from the United States, she joined the Executive Committee of the Histadrut and moved up the ranks to become the head of its Political Department.

25.

In July 1938, Meir was the Jewish observer from Palestine at the Evian Conference, called by President Franklin D Roosevelt of the United States to discuss the question of Jewish refugees' fleeing Nazi persecution.

26.

In June 1946, Golda Meir became acting head of the Political Department of the Jewish Agency after the British arrested Moshe Sharett and other leaders of the Yishuv as part of Operation Agatha.

27.

For most of the war, Golda Meir reluctantly played what she felt was a minor role in Israel's activities.

28.

An article published by the Golda Meir institute said "she felt she was being pushed aside to a secondary arena".

29.

Golda Meir went on to call the mass expulsion and flight of Arabs before the 1948 Palestine war "dreadful", and likened it to what befall the Jews in Nazi-occupied Europe.

30.

Golda Meir returned to Tel Aviv, and eventually to Jerusalem two weeks before the end of the mandate.

31.

Golda Meir proposed that Palestine be absorbed into Jordan, with autonomy granted to majority-Jewish areas.

32.

On 14 May 1948, Golda Meir became one of 24 signatories of the Israeli Declaration of Independence.

33.

Golda Meir suddenly lost her job and administrative responsibilities, as the Political Department became the provisional Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and her leadership role in Jerusalem was taken over by Dov Yosef.

34.

Golda Meir spoke no Russian and feared being lonely in Moscow.

35.

Golda Meir served as minister plenipotentiary to the Soviet Union from 2 September 1948 to 10 March 1949.

36.

Golda Meir was reportedly impatient with diplomatic niceties and using interpreters.

37.

Golda Meir did not drink or ballroom dance and had little interest in gossip and fashion.

38.

Golda Meir reportedly felt guilty for not achieving more for the Russian Jews, as she would have been in their situation if her father had not moved to the United States.

39.

Golda Meir planned to run for the first Knesset elections on 25 January 1949.

40.

Golda Meir was sworn in on 8 March, and continued to serve in the Knesset until 1974.

41.

Golda Meir found the title and responsibilities vague, and disliked the idea of needing to coordinate with so many government departments.

42.

Golda Meir enjoyed this role much more than her previous, calling it her "seven beautiful years".

43.

Golda Meir was one of the most powerful Israeli politicians at the time.

44.

In October 1950, Golda Meir announced in Washington a three-year-plan for Israel's development and stated a price tag of $15 billion over the next 15 years.

45.

Golda Meir assisted in building over a hundred ma'abarot, temporary immigrant camps with crude tin-roofed huts and tents for housing.

46.

Golda Meir drew criticism from many new immigrants and contemporary politicians due to this, but responded by pointing to her limited budget and the time needed to construct proper housing.

47.

Golda Meir carried out welfare state policies, orchestrated the integration of immigrants into Israel's workforce, and introduced major housing and road construction projects.

48.

Golda Meir lost by the two votes of the religious bloc who withheld their support on the grounds that she was a woman.

49.

Golda Meir served as foreign minister from 18 June 1956 to 12 January 1966.

50.

Golda Meir planned and coordinated with the French government and military prior to the start of the invasion.

51.

Golda Meir believed that Israel had experience in nation-building that could be a model for the Africans.

52.

Golda Meir devoted much effort to convincing the United States to sell Israel weaponry.

53.

On 29 October 1957, Golda Meir's foot was slightly injured when a Mills bomb was thrown into the debating chamber of the Knesset.

54.

In 1958, Golda Meir praised Pope Pius XII's assistance of the Jewish people shortly after his death.

55.

Golda Meir served as prime minister from 17 March 1969 to 3 June 1974.

56.

Golda Meir maintained the national unity government formed in 1967 after the Six-Day War, in which Mapai merged with two other parties to form the Israeli Labor Party.

57.

Six months after taking office, Golda Meir led the reconfigured Alignment, comprising Labor and Mapam, into the 1969 general election.

58.

The Gahal party quit the national unity government in protest, but Golda Meir continued to lead the remaining coalition.

59.

On February 28,1973, during a visit in Washington, DC, Golda Meir agreed with Henry Kissinger's peace proposal based on "security versus sovereignty": Israel would accept Egyptian sovereignty over all Sinai, while Egypt would accept Israeli presence in some of Sinai's strategic positions.

60.

Kreisky did not change his position, so Golda Meir returned to Israel, infuriated.

61.

However, on 5 October 1973, Golda Meir received official news that Syrian forces were massing on the Golan Heights.

62.

Golda Meir was alarmed by the reports, and believed that the situation was similar to what preceded the Six-Day War.

63.

Consequently, although the Knesset passed a resolution granting her power to demand a full-scale call-up of the military, Golda Meir did not mobilize Israel's forces early.

64.

Six hours before the outbreak of hostilities, Golda Meir met with Minister of Defense Moshe Dayan and General David Elazar.

65.

Golda Meir made it a priority to inform Washington of her decision.

66.

Golda Meir decided wisely, with common sense and speedily, in favour of the full mobilization of the reserves, as recommended by the chief-of-staff, despite weighty political considerations, thereby performing a most important service for the defence of the state.

67.

Golda Meir's party won the elections in December 1973, but the coalition lost seats and was unable to form a majority.

68.

Golda Meir resigned as Prime Minister on 11 April 1974, and gave up her Knesset seat on 7 June 1974.

69.

Golda Meir believed that was the "will of the people" and that she had served enough time as premier.

70.

Golda Meir believed the government needed to form a coalition.

71.

In 1975, Golda Meir published her autobiography, My Life, which became a New York Times Best Seller.

72.

On 21 November 1977, Golda Meir spoke at the Knesset on behalf of the Labor Party to Egyptian President Anwar Sadat during his historic trip as the first Arab leader to visit Israel.

73.

Golda Meir said his visit was important for the sake of the next generations' avoiding war, praised Sadat for his courage and vision, and expressed the hope that while many differences remained to be resolved, that vision would be achieved in a spirit of mutual understanding.

74.

On 8 December 1978, Golda Meir died of lymphatic cancer in Jerusalem at the age of 80.

75.

Golda Meir's husband Morris Meyerson was born on 17 December 1893 in Chicago, Illinois.

76.

When Golda Meir took her children with her to the United States in the 1930s, Morris stayed behind in Jerusalem.

77.

Golda Meir's son, Menachem, was born on 1924 in Jerusalem and died on 14 December 2014 in Tel Aviv.

78.

Golda Meir was a professional cellist who studied at the Israel Conservatory and Manhattan School of Music.

79.

Golda Meir's daughter Sarah was born on 17 May 1926 and died on 30 January 2010 in Revivim.

80.

Golda Meir had two sisters, Sheyna and Tzipke, as well as five other siblings who died in childhood.

81.

Golda Meir strongly identified with Judaism culturally, but was an atheist in religious belief.

82.

In 1974, Golda Meir was awarded the honor of World Mother by American Mothers.

83.

In 1975, Golda Meir was awarded the Israel Prize for her special contribution to society and the State of Israel.

84.

In 1985, Golda Meir was inducted into the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame.

85.

Golda Meir's story has been the subject of many fictionalized portrayals.

86.

The play was controversial for implying that Golda Meir considered using nuclear weapons during the Yom Kippur War.

87.

Golda Meir was played by the Polish actress Beata Fudalej in the 2009 dramatic film The Hope directed by Marta Meszaros.

88.

In Israel, the term "Golda Meir's shoes" has become a reference to the sturdy orthopedic shoes that Golda Meir favored.