May 3 1898 – December 8 1978 Dates of office: March 17 1969 – June 3 1974

Golda Mebovitz (Meir) was born on May 3, 1898, in Kiev, the capital of the Ukraine. At the age of 8, her family immigrated to the United States, and she grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she excelled in her high school studies, and at a seminar for teachers. When she was young, Golda Meir joined the 'Poalei Tzion' youth movement. At the end of 1917, she married Morris Meyerson, and they immigrated to the Land of Israel in 1921, and joined the Merhavia group. Golda adapted to life on the kibbutz, but her husband could not. After two years, the couple moved to Tel Aviv, and later to Jerusalem. During those years their son Menahem, and daughter Sarah were born.

Golda Meyerson, later Meir, served as Secretary of the Workers' Council, and a member of the Secretariat of the Federation Workers' Council. Following the establishment of the Land of Israel Workers Party ('Mapai') in 1930 she was considered one of the party's central figures. At the end of 1940, following the death of Dov Hoz, Golda headed the Political Action Department of the Federation, and was among the most hard-line activists against British rule. After World War II, she focused on work in Israel and abroad to raise support for the immediate establishment of a Jewish State. During the War of Independence, she undertook several secret missions, including meeting with Abdullah, ruler of Jordan. At the end of May 1948, Golda was appointed Israel's envoy in Moscow. Following elections for the First Knesset in 1949, she was invited by Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion to serve as Minister of Labor. In 1956 she was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, and held that position for almost 10 years.

At the beginning of 1965, a rift began to form between Ben-Gurion and Prime Minister Levi Eshkol. Golda Meir sided with Eshkol. Following the Knesset elections, in which the 'Ma'arach' Party achieved great success, Golda Meir retired from the Government, but was asked to serve as party secretary, which she did for two years, and worked to unite the 'Ma'arach' Pary with the 'Rafi' Party. For eight months Golda Meir served as Secretary of the Labor Party, the unified party which included the 'Mapai', 'Ahdut Ha'avoda' and 'Rafi' parties. On August 1, 1968, she retired. In February 1969, Prime Minister Levi Eshkol passed away, and on March 17, 1969, Golda Meir was elected Prime Minister, being the sole candidate acceptable to the Labor Party and the other parties in the Government.

Golda Meir served as Prime Minister for five years. Under her leadership, Israel declared its willingness to accept the Rogers Peace Initiative, which included returning territory occupied by Israel. This declaration led to the dissolution of the National Unity Government, and to the resignation of the 'Likud' Party in August 1970. That same month, the War of Attrition, instigated by Egyptian President Gamal Abed Al Nasser in the summer of 1969, ended in a cease-fire . After the war the Egyptian front remained quiet until the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War on October 6, 1973.

Following elections for the Eighth Knesset, at the end of 1973, Golda Meir was re-elected as Prime Minister. However, due to active protest movements, the negative reactions to the Agranat Committee Report, and her failing health she decided to resign as Prime Minister in April 1974, at the age of 76. She retired from political life, and wrote her memoirs. When the President of Egypt, Anwar Sadat, arrived in Israel for his historic visit to the Knesset in November 1977, Golda was among those who received him.

Golda Meir died on December 8, 1978.

Her books include: My Father's House (1972), My Life (1975).