A Woman called Golda

If you would ask me which is my first ever model of woman politician I heard about and found inspiring the answer will be: Golda Meir. If you ask me now, after many years of observing, reading and thinking by myself the first answer continue to be Golda Meir, definitely when it is about the Israeli political scene.

The book dedicated to her by Elinor Burkett reminded me of anything I liked and appreciated about Golda Meir. Although not a critical approach and not a monumental academic piece (the lack of a serious section of bibliographical references is notes is frustrating sometimes) - I was curious to find some serious critical analysis, but my curiosity wasn't satisfied - the book is a fair account of the life of one of the most important woman who contributed at the creation of Erez Israel. First and foremost, by her stubborn decision to leave the relatively calm America for almost nothing. Growing up in the Russia of the pogroms she continued her evolution in the United States (she is quoted - p.25 - as saying: "The America that I knew was a place that a men could ride on a horse to protect marching workers; the Russia I knew was a place that men on horses butchered Jews and young socialists") and dedicated her life to Israel. With an impossible family life and without high education credentials, she was a person of action, the first woman Foreign Minister and higher-profiled politician in the aftermath of the WWII, sometimes difficult, sometimes weeping, but always dedicated to her country. Speaking her mind, fighting loneliness, making humanly political mistakes, but hardly giving up. It is how the country was built.

A popular politician beyond Israel's borders, she was played by Ingrid Bergman (her last movie) in the TV series "A woman called Golda" released at the beginning of 80s. I wasn't very convinced of Bergman's play - showing maybe too much weakness in some situations - and in many fragments I felt as there were full quotes from the book. As the book, isn't too much criticism, but is interesting to observe the appreciation Golda Meir enjoyed for being the character of a movie aimed for wide distribution outside Israel.

Thinking at all those moving back to Israel those days, this quote from Golda's letters (p.48) might give the dimension of a new phenomenon: "We don't know what will it be, but there is only one way. Whoever calls himself a Zionist and hasn't found comfort in his soul in exile must immigrate to the land of Israel...Of course, this is not America, and one may have to suffer a lot economically. There may even be pogroms again, but if one wants one's own land, and if one wants it with one's whole heart, one must be ready for this".

Who will be the next Golda?

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