(1898-1978. Fourth Prime Minister of the State of Israel). Eleven Autograph Postcards Signed. All written to her friend, Regena Hamburger

A collection of uncommonly early correspondence from Golda Meir’s youth in America. Golda Meir was born Golda Mabovitchin in Kiev, Russian (today Ukraine). Aged eight she left with her family for the United States where they settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In Golda Meir's autobiography "My Life" (1975), the future Prime Minister of the State of Israel describes her close friendship with a fellow schoolmate in Milwaukee, Regena Hamberger (see p. 33), the recipient of these postcards Included is a card presenting a brief snapshot of the first American Jewish Congress in Philadelphia in 1918, where, Golda writes later, "my political career actually began." (My Life, p. 67). Golda writes exuberantly here to her friend, describing the atmosphere at the Congress as "the most wonderful thing imaginable." In another, more personal card from 1915, she writes with great excitement that the arrival of the man who she would marry two years later, Morris Meyerson, has made her "the happiest person alive." The marriage of the Meyersons (later shortened to Meir) was at first happy and they left together for Palestine in 1921. However subsequently, due to Golda's passionate involvement in the Zionist movement she found herself facing a "conflict between my duty [her family] and my innermost desires [working for the Zionist cause]." (p. 98) This early postcard, however, shows the shy excitement of Golda's youth and love, before she had to think about sacrificing individual happiness for a greater good. A couple of postcards from 1918 show how involved Golda was in her community even in her early years, working on a "drive" that was keeping her very busy, as well as a ball "for our shule." In the Intruduction to "My Life," Golda writes, "I have never kept diaries, nor have I ever been a writer of letters." Thus, this small group of postcards are truly a rarity, allowing a unique view into the personal life of this extraordinary stateswomen