Golda Meir
Born 1898 · Age 127
Israeli politician; signatory of Israel's Declaration of Independence; Minister of Labour (1949–56), Foreign Minister (1956–66) and Prime Minister (1969–74).
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Life & Career Timeline
Birth in Kiev (Goldie Mabovitch)
Born Golda (Goldie) Mabovitch in downtown Kiev, Russian Empire, to Moshe and Blume Mabovitch.
Father emigrates to United States
Moshe Mabovitch left for the U.S. (New York/Milwaukee) seeking work, leaving the family in Pinsk.
Immigrated to United States (Milwaukee)
Meir and her family moved from Europe to Quebec and then by train to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, joining her father.
Founded American Young Sisters Society (school fundraiser)
As a fourth grader she and a friend organized a fundraiser to buy textbooks for classmates, renting a hall and speaking publicly.
Begins North Division High School (Milwaukee)
Started studies at North Division High School while working part-time jobs to support herself.
Moves to Denver to live with sister; attends North High
Left Milwaukee to live with sister Sheyna Korngold in Denver and attended North High School; exposed to debates on Zionism and socialism.
Graduates North Division High School
Returned to Milwaukee, resumed studies and graduated from North Division High School.
Attends Milwaukee State Normal School (teacher training)
Enrolled at Milwaukee State Normal School (teachers' college), pursuing a teaching career.
Teacher at Yiddish Folks Schule (Milwaukee)
Took a position teaching at a Yiddish-speaking Folks Schule in Milwaukee; increased involvement in Labor Zionism.
Becomes naturalized U.S. citizen (by descent)
Obtained U.S. citizenship under derivative citizenship rules when her father naturalized.
Marriage to Morris Meyerson
Married Morris (Meyerson/Myerson), a sign painter and socialist; condition for marriage was to settle in Palestine.
Immigrated (made aliyah) to Mandatory Palestine (SS Pocahontas)
Golda and Morris emigrated to Palestine in 1921, sailed on the SS Pocahontas to Naples then traveled to Tel Aviv by train.
Joined Kibbutz Merhavia; representative to Histadrut
Accepted (after initial rejection) into kibbutz Merhavia; worked in agriculture and the kitchen and was chosen as the kibbutz representative to the Histadrut.
Birth of son Menachem
Her first child, Menachem, was born in Tel Aviv; the family moved to Jerusalem that year.
Brief return to kibbutz Merhavia
Returned briefly to Merhavia in 1925.
Birth of daughter Sarah; parents move to Palestine
Daughter Sarah born in Jerusalem; Meir's parents later moved to Palestine (in 1926).
Elected Secretary of Women’s Labour Council (Moetzet HaPoalot)
First significant public post in the Yishuv; move from domestic to organized public/political career.
Co‑founder/early leader of Mapai (Labor) party
One of the founders/early leaders in Mapai, the dominant Labor party in the Yishuv and later Israel.
Emissary to United States (1932–1934) for Pioneer Women
Spent two years in the U.S. as an emissary for the Women's Labour organizations and for daughter's medical treatment, fundraising and advocacy.
Elected to Executive Committee of the Histadrut
Elevated to Histadrut's executive committee and later head of its Political Department — key training for national leadership.
Jewish observer to Évian Conference (1938)
Represented Palestinian Jewry at the international Évian Conference on Jewish refugees; expressed disappointment at countries' refusal to admit refugees.
Testimony at Sirkin-Richlin arms trial
Gave testimony as a witness in a British-conducted arms trial, enhancing her public profile.
Acting head of Jewish Agency Political Department
After British arrests (Operation Agatha) she became acting head and principal negotiator with British authorities.
Secret meeting with King Abdullah I of Jordan
Met King Abdullah in Nov 1947 to explore possibilities of non-belligerence/cooperation ahead of partition and war.
Fundraising speech in Chicago raised large funds for Jewish Agency
Delivered an emotional speech in Chicago (22 Jan 1948) that helped raise a major share of funds for the Jewish war effort; initial campaign raised over $30 million.
Returns to Palestine after first US fundraising tour
Returned 18 March 1948 after extensive U.S. tour; funds instrumental for wartime needs.
Signatory of Israeli Declaration of Independence
Signed the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel on 14 May 1948.
Second U.S. fundraising tour raises ~$50M
Embarked on an additional fundraising trip (from 18 May 1948) raising around $50 million; total fundraising around $90M—about one-third of war costs.
Appointed Minister Plenipotentiary to the Soviet Union (appointed)
Appointed to the newly established post after Soviet recognition of Israel; initially reluctant due to language and distance.
Returns early from US despite injury (car crash)
Suffered a car crash that tore a ligament and fractured a bone; returned to Israel on 29 July despite doctor's orders to go to Moscow.
Begins term as Minister Plenipotentiary to the Soviet Union
Served as the Israeli minister plenipotentiary in Moscow (term given as 2 Sep 1948 to 10 Mar 1949); widely greeted by Soviet Jews.
Mobbed by Russian Jews at Moscow Choral Synagogue (Rosh Hashanah)
On Rosh Hashanah she was saluted by thousands chanting 'Nasha Golda'; later commemorated on Israel's 10,000-shekel banknote (1984).
First Knesset elections (Mapai wins; Meir runs)
Ran on the Mapai ticket in Israel's first Knesset elections (25 Jan 1949) as Mapai formed the government.
Sworn into Knesset
Was sworn in to the Knesset; subsequently offered but declined a nominal 'deputy prime minister' title.
Appointed Minister of Labour
Took office as Israel's Minister of Labour (10 March 1949), a role she described as 'seven beautiful years'.
Announces three‑year development plan ($15B over 15 yrs)
In Washington announced a plan costing $15 billion over 15 years; U.S. loans and American Jewish contributions covered substantial portions.
Death of husband Morris Meyerson
Her husband Morris died of a heart attack in 1951; Meir returned for his funeral.
Effort to eliminate ma'abarot (transit camps) begins
As Labour Minister she worked to eliminate ma'abarot; by 1956 two-thirds were closed and 120,000 families moved to permanent housing.
Ran (and lost) for Mayor of Tel Aviv
Reluctantly ran for mayor in summer 1955; lost by two votes due to religious bloc withholding support because she was a woman.
Hospitalized; diagnosed with arrhythmia
Hospitalized after chest pains (3 Aug 1955) and diagnosed with arrhythmia.
Appointed Foreign Minister; Hebraizes surname to 'Meir'
Ben-Gurion appointed her Foreign Minister (18 June 1956); she adopted the Hebrew surname 'Meir' (from Myerson).
Serves as Foreign Minister during Suez Crisis
Foreign Minister during the Suez Crisis (Oct 1956); led Israeli delegation at the UN and was involved in secret planning trips to France.
Diagnosed with lymphoma (cancer)
Received a cancer (lymphoma) diagnosis in 1963; kept treatment largely secret while continuing public duties.
Becomes Secretary-General of Mapai
Took the role of party secretary-general to help unify the Labor movement (Mapai) and later helped merge parties into the Israel Labour Party.
Retires as Foreign Minister
Left the Foreign Ministry on 12 January 1966 citing ill health; Abba Eban succeeded her.
Six-Day War
June 1967 war altered geopolitics and affected Meir's relationships with Third World countries; she was not in government at the time of the war's outbreak.
Helps form Israel Labour Party (party consolidation)
Played a role in merging Mapai with dissident parties into the modern Israel Labour Party (post-1967 consolidation; 1968–69).
Prime Minister Levi Eshkol dies
PM Levi Eshkol died on 26 Feb 1969; his death precipitated leadership selection in which Meir emerged as consensus candidate.
Nominated as Labor's candidate for Prime Minister
Chosen by the party central committee as a compromise candidate (nominated 7 March 1969).
Becomes Prime Minister of Israel
Sworn in as Israel's Prime Minister on 17 March 1969, becoming the country's first (and to date only) female head of government.
Briefly Minister of Interior (acting)
Served as Minister of Interior from 16 July 1970 to 1 September 1970 while prime minister.
Named Most Admired Woman in America (Gallup Poll)
Became the second woman from outside the U.S. to top Gallup's Most Admired Woman list in 1971 (repeated in 1973 and 1974).
Elected Deputy Chairman of Socialist International
Elected Deputy Chairman of the Socialist International in 1972 while serving as Prime Minister.
Munich Olympics massacre response; authorized reprisal teams
After the Munich massacre (Sept 1972), Meir authorized the creation of assassination teams (post-Munich retaliation operations) to target perpetrators and planners.
Agranat Commission investigation and political fallout
Public anger over lack of preparedness prompted inquiries (Agranat Commission) and damaged Meir's political standing despite praise for wartime conduct; subsequent elections were difficult.
Yom Kippur War breaks out
Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on 6 October 1973; Israel suffered heavy early losses and suffered approx. 2,700 killed in the conflict.
Announces resignation as Prime Minister
Told party leaders she would step down on 10 April 1974 after being unable to form a new stable post-war government; served as caretaker until June.
Leaves office as Prime Minister; succeeded by Yitzhak Rabin
Officially left the premiership on 3–4 June 1974 and ended her Knesset service (3 June 1974).
Publishes autobiography 'My Life'
Released My Life (1975), an international bestseller co-written with Rinna Samuels (and others), describing her public career but avoiding private scores.
William Gibson play 'Golda' opens on Broadway
William Gibson's play 'Golda' opened at the Morosco Theater with Ann Bancroft starring; Meir attended the production.
Hospitalized and falls into coma
Hospitalized in Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center's Hematology Ward and lapsed into coma on 7 Dec 1978.
Death of Golda Meir
Died of lymphoma on 8 December 1978 at 4:30 p.m. in Jerusalem; widely mourned internationally.
Buried on Mount Herzl
Interred at Mount Herzl National Cemetery in Jerusalem on 12 December 1978; state funeral tributes from around the world.
TV film 'A Woman Called Golda' released (posthumous)
A two-part, four-hour television movie starring Ingrid Bergman as Golda Meir (Paramount Pictures); Leonard Nimoy played Morris.
Image commemorated on Israeli 10,000-shekel banknote
Israel issued a 10,000-shekel banknote (Nov 1984) bearing Meir's portrait on one side and the Moscow crowd image on the reverse.
One-woman show 'An Evening with Golda Meir' (tour begins)
Renee Taylor premiered a one-woman touring show about Golda Meir in 2001 — part of her ongoing cultural legacy.
William Gibson's 'Golda's Balcony' performed (regional)
Gibson's new one-person play 'Golda's Balcony' was produced in Massachusetts in 2002 (later moved to NYC).
'Golda's Balcony' opens in New York (off‑Broadway to Broadway)
Tovah Feldshuh starred in 'Golda's Balcony' off‑Broadway and the production moved to the Helen Hayes Theater on Broadway in 2003.
Key Achievement Ages
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