Basic Information
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Menahem Meir |
| Birth Date | November 23, 1924 |
| Birth Place | Jerusalem, British Mandate of Palestine |
| Death Date | December 13, 2014 |
| Death Place | Tel Aviv, Israel |
| Age at Death | 90 |
| Profession | Professional cellist, music educator, author |
| Parents | Golda Meir (mother), Morris Meyerson (father) |
| Sibling | Sarah Rahabi (sister) |
| Spouse | Ayala Zipora Pinkerfeld |
| Children | Amnon Meir, Gideon Mordechai Meir, Daniel David Meir (and one private) |
| Notable Work | My Mother Golda Meir: A Son’s Evocation of Life With Golda Meir (1983) |
Early Life in a Turbulent Era
Menahem Meir arrived in Jerusalem on November 23, 1924, into a family already woven into the fabric of Zionist dreams. His mother, Golda Mabovitch, had fled pogroms in Ukraine and arrived in Palestine in 1921. She married Morris Meyerson, a quiet sign painter with a gentle spirit, on December 24, 1917. The couple briefly tried kibbutz life at Merhavia, but Morris preferred city routines. Menahem’s sister, Sarah, followed two years later on May 17, 1926.
The home pulsed with political fervor. Golda rose swiftly in labor movements, often absent for weeks. Menahem recalled neighbors and family friends filling the gaps left by her absences. The parents drifted apart. By the 1940s, they separated quietly. Morris died in 1951. Golda never remarried. Menahem grew up watching his mother balance personal life against national destiny, a tension that shaped his own path.
Grandparents Moshe Mabovitch and Blume Neiditch anchored the family tree. Moshe died in 1944, Blume in 1951. Aunts Sheyna and Tzipke Mabovitch carried socialist ideals from the old country. These roots ran deep, grounding Menahem even as history pulled his mother into the spotlight.
A Life Devoted to Music
Menahem found solace and a calling in music. After attending the Israel Conservatory in Tel Aviv, he traveled across the Atlantic to attend the Manhattan School of Music. He graduated from the University of Connecticut with a master’s degree. He was mentored by three masters: Pablo Casals, Antonio Janigro (whom he later helped at the Mozarteum), and Diran Alexanian. His touch evoked a deep, resonant response from the cello, akin to a real voice.
He gave a lot of performances. Israel, Europe, Canada, the US, Central America, and South America were all the locations of the concerts. He was the subject of compositions dedicated by Israeli composers. He added new notes to the repertoire by introducing modern works.
He oversaw the Israel Conservatory of Music in Tel Aviv from 1970 until 1980. During Israel’s early decades, ten years of leadership molded new artists. Following his resignation, he taught at Bowdoin College Summer Festival in Maine, the International Advanced Music Courses in Cividale del Friuli, Italy, and the International Summer Academy Mozarteum in Salzburg. In Trapani, Sicily, he was a juror in the International Chamber Music Contest. In order to be nearer to his sons, who were studying in Pittsburgh, he indicated in 1986 that he would like to play in the United States.
Family Bonds and Personal Life
Menahem married Ayala Zipora Pinkerfeld. Their union produced four sons: Amnon, Gideon Mordechai, Daniel David, and one who remains private. Family life unfolded quietly amid his mother’s public storms. Challenges surfaced. In the late 1960s, while Menahem studied in Yugoslavia, marital strains emerged. His wife, pregnant at the time, felt the distance keenly. Yet the family endured.
Sister Sarah chose a different path. She joined Kibbutz Revivim in the Negev early on and lived there until her death on January 30, 2010. The siblings shared memories of a mother whose heart belonged to the nation.
Menahem’s children pursued private lives. Amnon, Gideon, and Daniel carried forward the family name without seeking the limelight. Ayala supported his career through decades of travel and teaching.
The Memoir That Revealed a Mother’s Heart
In 1983, Menahem published My Mother Golda Meir: A Son’s Evocation of Life With Golda Meir. The book offered intimate glimpses into Golda’s world. He described her personal struggles, political battles, and quiet moments at home. Readers met a woman who balanced iron will with deep affection. The memoir sold steadily and remains a key source for understanding Golda’s humanity.
He wrote with a cellist’s precision. Sentences flowed like sustained notes, revealing layers beneath the public figure. The book captured the cost of leadership on a family.
Later Years and Lasting Echoes
Menahem lived his final years in Tel Aviv. He continued teaching and performing until health slowed him. He died on December 13, 2014, at age 90. Burial took place at the cemetery in Kibbutz Revadim, near his sister’s home.
His legacy lives in music rooms and family stories. The cello strings he once played still vibrate in the hands of students he mentored. His memoir preserves Golda’s voice for generations.
FAQ
Who was Menahem Meir?
Menahem Meir was a professional cellist, music educator, and author, best known as the son of Israel’s fourth Prime Minister, Golda Meir.
Who were Menahem Meir’s parents?
His mother was Golda Meir, a foundational Zionist leader and Prime Minister from 1969 to 1974. His father was Morris Meyerson, a sign painter and engineer.
What was Menahem Meir’s career?
He built a distinguished career as a cellist, studying with masters like Pablo Casals, performing internationally, directing the Israel Conservatory of Music from 1970 to 1980, and teaching at global academies.
Who were Menahem Meir’s siblings?
He had one sister, Sarah Rahabi, born in 1926, who lived on Kibbutz Revivim until her death in 2010.
Who was Menahem Meir’s spouse and children?
He married Ayala Zipora Pinkerfeld. They had four sons: Amnon Meir, Gideon Mordechai Meir, Daniel David Meir, and one who remains private.
What is Menahem Meir’s most notable publication?
In 1983, he published My Mother Golda Meir: A Son’s Evocation of Life With Golda Meir, a personal memoir about his mother’s life and challenges.
When and where did Menahem Meir die?
He passed away on December 13, 2014, in Tel Aviv, Israel, at the age of 90.
