Golda Meir: Can You Be a Zionist and a Progressive?

Best known for being Israel’s first (and only to date) female prime minister, Golda Meir, started life in Kiev before moving with her family to Milwaukee in 1906. After a quick stint in Denver, she immigrated to Israel in 1921. One of only two women who signed Israel’s Declaration of Independence, Meir served as a labor minister and as foreign minister, and in 1969 became prime minister.

Though some of her five years as prime minister were controversial, her commitment to helping the Jewish people and the State of Israel remain her legacy, earning her a spot as an integral part of Israeli history. 

Big Ideas

1. Liberalism and Zionism need not be in conflict. These two values complement each other.
2. Golda Meir had a complicated legacy of successes and challenges throughout her memorable career.
3. Golda Meir was, and continues to be, a role model for female leaders around the world.

Essential Questions

1. Can you be both a good liberal (universal commitment to healing the world) and a good Zionist (a particular loyalty to the Jewish people)?
2. What makes someone a successful leader?
3. How do the successes and failures of leaders impact their legacies?

video Transcript