On the anniversary of former Prime Minister Golda Meir's passing, Nativ has released a striking new photograph from her historic 1948 visit to Moscow's great synagogue. The image shows the overwhelming reception that marked a pivotal moment for what became known as the "Jews of Silence" behind the Iron Curtain.

Meir, serving as Israel's first ambassador to the Soviet Union, visited the Choral Synagogue in Moscow on September 10, 1948, just one day after presenting her credentials. While this first visit was quiet, word that the representative of the newly established Jewish state was in the Soviet capital spread like wildfire among Moscow's Jews.

During her next visit two weeks later, Jewish crowds were already waiting, as news of her expected arrival had spread by word of mouth. On Rosh Hashanah 5709 (October 4, 1948), tens of thousands of Jews streamed to the Great Synagogue, despite Soviet authorities' prohibition on religious activities in general and Jewish observance in particular. They flooded the streets around the synagogue, hoping to see Meir, who was born in Kyiv and was already the highest-ranking woman in the new state.

Overwhelmed by the enthusiastic reception, she could only say to the crowd, "Thank you for remaining Jewish." She later described the experience: "As we approached (the synagogue), we couldn't recognize the place. The street was filled with people. Representatives of all generations were there: Red Army officers, elderly people, youth, babies in their parents' arms. There were tens of thousands of people. At first, I didn't even realize what was happening and who they were. Then I understood, they had come. Good, brave Jews had come to show us their belonging and to celebrate with us the establishment of the State of Israel. They surrounded me, almost crushed me, almost lifted me on their shoulders, repeatedly calling my name."

The historic event was photographed by an 18-year-old Moscow Jew named David Khabkin. Soviet security services later harassed Khabkin for his Zionist activities, and in 1957, he was sentenced to three years in prison. Nevertheless, he managed to preserve the photographs.

Khabkin immediately passed the first photograph from Meir's synagogue visit to Israeli representatives. This documentation, showing her somewhat blurred, later entered the pantheon and was immortalized on the 10-shekel note bearing her image. In the mid-1960s, he passed a second, clearer photograph to Nativ representatives in Moscow. This is the image now revealed. Khabkin himself immigrated to Israel in 1969, the same year Meir became Israel's fourth prime minister.

On Sunday, December 8, it will be 46 years since her passing. Regarding the occasion, Nativ Chief Alon Shoham says, "Golda Meir's arrival at the Moscow synagogue wasn't necessarily intended as a religious gesture, but rather demonstrated Israel's solidarity with Soviet Jewry. Today, on the eve of the 46th anniversary of Golda's death, we are publishing this photo as a testament to Israel's strong connection with Jewish communities worldwide. As head of Nativ, responsible for maintaining ties with diaspora communities in the post-Soviet space, I want to emphasize that even today, these connections continue to strengthen and develop. Israel supports these communities, and the communities support us. In these difficult days for Israel, we truly feel the power of mutual Jewish solidarity. The support that diaspora Jews give to Israel exemplifies the Jewish people's resilience in the face of hatred and violence. The same resilience that will lead to our victory."

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In a comprehensive look at Jewish history, these five remarkable women have left an indelible mark on Jewish culture and society. From ancient Persia to modern-day America, these women exemplify courage, leadership, and a commitment to social justice.

Queen Esther of the Purim Story

In the 5th century BCE, there was a fateful beauty contest in the Persian Empire. Having just killed his wife, King Ahasuerus was in the market for a new one, so he hosted a beauty pageant to find his next queen. The winner was a Jewish girl named Esther, but before she met her new husband, her cousin Mordechai gave her some important advice: don't tell anyone you're Jewish. The king spent most of his time partying and drinking while his second-in-command, Haman, ran the show. When Mordechai refused to bow down to Haman, Haman asked the king for permission to kill every Jew in the empire. Unaware that his queen was Jewish, the king agreed. But when Esther revealed her identity to the king, Haman was publicly hanged. The date Haman had chosen for the genocide became a day of celebration, the Jewish holiday of Purim, which commemorates that the Jewish people are still here, thanks to Queen Esther's courage.

Asenath Barzani

While Queen Esther commanded an empire, Asenath Barzani commanded an entire Jewish community. Born in a medieval Kurdish community, Barzani was a trailblazer in a time when Jewish communities were led by men. Her father, Shmuel, had founded several yeshivas that were only open to men, but he had no sons to carry on his legacy. Hence, he did something revolutionary: he taught Barzani, hoping she would become his successor. Barzani got married, but she made her husband promise that he would never make her do any domestic work so she could focus on her Torah studies. When her father died, her husband took over the yeshiva, but it was Barzani who led the students through their rabbinic training. Barzani outlived her husband and eventually officially ran the yeshiva. According to legend, Barzani also had supernatural powers, like alerting angels to stop a synagogue fire and warding off evil by calling out the holy names of God.

Hannah Senesh

In the spring of 1944, three female parachutists from Mandatory Palestine fell from the sky in a remote part of Yugoslavia. One of them was a woman named Hannah Senesh. Senesh was on a mission to rescue whatever Jews she could from the Nazis. She had been born in Hungary and had escaped the constant antisemitism by moving to Mandatory Palestine in 1939. There, she joined the Haganah, the largest Jewish paramilitary organization in the region. The Jews of Palestine weren't going to let the Nazis ravage Europe, so they decided to send parachutists into Europe to rescue Jews. Senesh and her team linked up with Jewish partisans in Yugoslavia, but before she could save anyone, she was arrested and thrown into a Hungarian prison, where she was tortured daily. She refused to tell her captors anything or beg for mercy, and she was executed by a firing squad, facing her executioners defiantly. Senesh became a symbol of Jewish solidarity across borders, and her poem "Eli, Eli" is one of Israel's most famous folk songs.

Golda Meir

Golda Meir was the Middle East's first and thus far only female head of state. She led Israel during a difficult time, including the Yom Kippur War, when thousands died, and the public was seething, questioning why the country hadn't been better prepared. Meir was born in what is now Ukraine and remembered her father boarding up the front door and locking her in the cellar to keep her safe from the pogroms. She never forgot what it was like to hide from her neighbors' rage and refused to spend her life cowering. She moved to Mandatory Palestine in 1921 and watched as the world turned away increasingly desperate Jewish refugees, becoming even more convinced that the Jewish people needed strength, not just the world's sympathy. After the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, Meir became one of only two women to sign the country's declaration of independence. Though she faced controversies and ultimately resigned, Meir remains an icon, a complicated and fascinating figure who embodied strength and humanity.

Bella Abzug

Bella Abzug was a Jewish woman who campaigned tirelessly for social justice causes. Even as a young girl, she defied gender norms, refusing to accept that only boys could say the Mourner's Kaddish for their deceased parents. As she grew up, Abzug continued breaking down barriers by earning a law degree and fighting for labor and civil rights. In 1970, she ran for congress and won, and in 1974, she introduced the first-ever federal bill supporting gay rights, known as the Equality Act of 1974. Abzug was particularly interested in defending Jewish rights, including the right to self-determination, and she used her platform to argue that Zionism was a liberation movement when the UN declared it to be racism in 1975. Abzug fought for social justice causes until she died in 1998, mobilizing women worldwide to create a more just world.

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Joe Biden is undoubtedly an integral part of US politics with quite a lengthy career, having spent over half of his life in public service. After 50 years of consistent media coverage and famous quotes, is there anything you don't know about the president? There always is, which is why we've gathered 10 facts you should know about the Democratic candidate for the upcoming elections:

10 facts you should know about Biden pic.twitter.com/BNycS0TRRV

— Israel Hayom English (@IsraelHayomEng) June 27, 2024

1. Biden struggled with a severe stutter as a child but overcame this obstacle through perseverance and practice.
2. Biden and his wife Jill moved into the White House with their two dogs, Champ and Major. Champ passed away in 2021, and Major was eventually sent away after an incident where he bit security personnel.
3. Even at 81 years old, Biden has an insatiable sweet tooth. His favorite indulgence is chocolate chip ice cream.
4. Biden is fond of aviator sunglasses and frequently dons them during public appearances and even meetings with world leaders, a habit that has granted him the nickname "Aviator Joe" by the New York Times.
5. Biden loves football and was an accomplished player in high school. In his later years, he became an avid cyclist, though he was captured on camera falling off his bike on several occasions.
6. At 29, Biden was elected to the Senate, making him one of the youngest senators in US history. In 2020, at 78 years old, Biden was elected as President, making him the oldest president in US history.
7. Biden is enamored with trains; during his time as a senator, he commuted daily by train for 35 years, earning him the nickname "Amtrak Joe" after the American rail corporation.
8. Biden has endured numerous tragedies in his life. His first wife and infant daughter were killed in a car accident. When Jill, his second wife, entered his life, his sons immediately embraced her as their mother, and they were overjoyed when Biden and Jill married.
9. The Catholic Biden chose to use an ancient family Bible, dating back to 1893, for every oath of office, including his presidential inauguration. Over the years, his massive 5-inch thick, 14-pound Bible has garnered significant attention due to its extraordinary size and weight.
10. Biden identifies as a Zionist and enjoys recounting a meeting with former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir, during which she told him, "We Israelis have a secret weapon. We have nowhere else to go. " This quote profoundly impacted him.

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Oscar-winning actress Helen Mirren will play the role of iconic Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir in an upcoming biographical film Golda. 

The movie will be directed by Oscar-winning Israeli director Guy Nattiv. Production is to begin in October. 

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The screenplay, which was written by world-renowned writer and producer Nicholas Martin, focuses on the 1973 Yom Kippur War and the challenges it presented Meir, also known as the "Iron Lady" of Israeli politics.  

"As someone who was born during the Yom Kippur War, I am honored to tell this fascinating story about the first and only woman to ever lead Israel," Nattiv said. "Nicholas Martin's brilliant script dives into Golda's final chapter as the country faces a deadly surprise attack during the holiest day of the year, a core of delusional generals undermining Golda's judgment, all the while undergoing secret treatments for her illness."

Meir died of lymphoma in 1978, four years after resigning from office.

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These were the late Prime Minister Golda Meir's remarks to bereaved families just 24 hours before the State of Israel would embark on what was to be the most difficult war in the country's history, the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

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Thousands of Israeli soldiers would lose their lives in the fighting.

An official letter of condolence sent by Meir to the bereaved families is now up for auction at the Kedem Auction House in Jerusalem. Due to the timing of the letter, which was sent on Erev Yom Kippur, Oct. 5, 1973, bidding for the letter is set to start at $8,000.

In the decades following the country's establishment, Israel's leaders would maintain ties with the families of fallen soldiers, sending them condolence letters in the lead-up to state holidays. Meir in particular adhered to this custom, corresponding often with the bereaved.

As part of this correspondence, Meir also sent a letter on the High Holiday in which she wrote, "On Erev Yom Kippur, a day of introspection, we painfully recall the precious memory of Israel's heroes. At holiday time, the beloved figures of our dear fallen soldiers appear before our eyes, those who in their deaths granted us life."

Meir continued by sharing her hope that further killing would be avoided and peace established with Israel's neighbors, a tragic articulation given the historical context.

"Dear families," she wrote, "We owe you a great debt. Your pain is the pain of the entire nation, [it] encourages us to do everything for the achievement of the loftiest goals for which our loved ones gave their lives, and foremost among them – achieving peace for Israel. The memory of our loved ones motivates us to do everything so that there will be no more killing and for us not to know anymore bereavement."

Meron Eren, one of the owners and founders of the Kedem Auction House, called the letter "particularly exciting" as a reflection of the extent of the tragedy that befell the State of Israel 46 years ago.

He noted that "mere hours after the prime minister gave expression to her participation in the national state mourning, the war in which thousands more bereaved families joined the circle of mourning broke out."

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The documents, with many sections still redacted, were released for publication on Monday by the Defense Ministry's IDF Archives. The declassified sections reveal details about plans for an attack that would be lethal and change the rules of the game.

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In one section, then-IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. David (Dado) Elazar tells then-Maj. Gen. Rehavam Zeevi, "I have two moves. The first is to destroy Syria. There will be an outcry from the world [redacted], but as a first step, let's break one."

Zeevi responds: "Whatever hurts."

Most of what Elazar said next is still redacted, but two words have been authorized for publication: "4 cities," a hint at the targets of the attack.

Elazar said, "I want a dramatic turning point. I want someone to cry, 'Gevald!' Peoples are being wiped out, hold your fire, we'll all cease fire. We're in a catastrophe. If what I said is dramatic and stops the shooting – fine. It [will] stop Syria."

Documentation of a different discussion reveals a bit more while still concealing much of what took place in those early chaotic days.

Then-deputy chief of staff Maj. Gen. Israel (Talik) Tal, discusses bombing Damascus: "I know that we haven't agreed finally, it's too serious and fateful a matter either way. I don't accept the assumption about the effects that would break the enemy. That is to say, if I were 100% certain [redacted], I would say, 'Let's go.' It's possible this might not solve anything, and our situation would be a million times worse. I'm not sure that bombing Damascus will give us a ceasefire than not [bombing] Damascus."

In the same meeting, Tal suggests that Israel retreat from part of the Sinai Desert to concentrate its efforts on the northern front and in battles to check Syria.

"My operative proposal is to hold the Golan Heights steady with the ground forces and use the air force to help thwart [the Syrians]. Not desperate assistance, well-considered assistance in bad circumstances. In Egypt we need to fight wisely to hold them off," he says.

"I'm not saying it's impossible there, and [we could] use the air force to destroy tanks in those areas so that we could have a lot of forces here. We aren't using armor properly here, because we're doing things under pressure," Tal says.

One of the better-known quotes from the Yom Kippur War was uttered by then-Defense Minister Moshe Dayan, who voiced concern about the possible "destruction of the Third Temple [meaning the state of Israel]." The newly-declassified transcripts show just how pessimistic Dayan was.

On Oct. 7, 1973, 24 hours after the war broke out, Dayan is recorded saying, "What am I afraid of more than anything, in my heart? That the state of Israel will eventually be left without enough weapons to defend itself. It doesn't matter where the line is, there won't be enough tanks or planes and not enough people or well-enough trained people to defend the Land of Israel. In the end, no one will fight this war for us, and all the Arabs will swoop down on us from all sides. I want to tell that to Golda [Meir]."

That same day, the generals spoke among themselves. "At [the airport] Sde Dov, Moshe was talking to me about losing the Third Temple. He was very hoarse, it was painful to hear him. He was talking about a battle for the Land of Israel," Zeevi says.

Elazar replies that Dayan was in no way exaggerating: "This, friends, this is truly a battle for the Land of Israel."

Zeevi goes on to say that he believes that the southern Golan Heights had already fallen: "Maybe I'm being subjective because he [Dan Lener, a division commander] … told me this morning that the fighting in the southern Golan was over, and we lost."

In yet another discussion, Dayan does not keep the seriousness of the situation a secret.

"Anyone who still hasn't gotten a shock will get it now. We're at the number of tanks we had in the [1967] Six-Day War. This Hermon cost us 70 men once and 30 casualties and 70 wounded a second time, and that will destroy the people's morale … This is terrible, we need to make sure they're out of there and attack, and whoever is killed is killed…"

'If Jordan comes in, we're lost'

The senior commanders spend much time discussing what tactics can be employed to stop the advancing Syrians and Egyptians.

"Our situation is bad, very bad," Elazar says in a talk with his deputy. "I've said repeatedly [about] Moshe [Dayan's] option of starting to fold and withdraw – we can always do that. My plan is to try and break [them], at one point and possibly two. That might work, or it might not."

"Jordan is just about to come in. If we [redacted] Damascus, who knows what will happen if Jordan joins [the war]. If Jordan does, then we're lost. That's Jerusalem, 30 km, 400 tanks. Then the air force in Amman, another push by the air force [redacted] ... In Damascus economic targets go immediately, and if the air force goes to those divisions we'll see what happens," the chief of staff says.

Elazar orders then-GOC Northern Command Yitzhak Hofi: "You don't move from the ceasefire line. What will be will be, and I don't intend for us to retreat from there. We won't retreat. I'm coming up with a proposal to do all sorts of things in Syria that you were talking about yesterday because we're approaching a situation in which we must break Syria soon. I want Syria to want a ceasefire today."

'Call up children and the elderly'

On Oct. 9, two days into the fighting in the Gaza Strip, the General Staff already knew how grim things were. Dayan had made it clear to the generals that the Golan Heights must be defended "to the last man."

"If we need to switch the GOC to do that, we need to decide whether we will or not. This needs to be an order. We will bring in the armored forces, but we'll do so to finish off the Syrians' tanks. No matter what, there will be no retreat from that line. Not a single centimeter," Dayan says.

Dayan also makes unprecedented proposals to meet the lack of manpower caused by the many casualties and injured. "We need to look into the possibility of conscripting all those we release when the young people and reserves were enlisted – bring them into the tanks, the air, whatever is needed. We'll get tanks, and there won't be people. Take the older people we've released, and take the younger ones who haven't enlisted, from age 17. We need to … look into the feasibility of enlisting Jews from all over the world – Americans, British, South Africans, anyone who wants to. And if any of them have [military] professions – pilots, tank drivers."

Dayan has harsh criticism for the government and then-Prime Minister Golda Meir and suggests alternatives that she had not approved.

"The government has a different approach and a different spirit. I will have an obligation to you, to ourselves, to the army and to the people to say what I think needs to be done and we haven't done…. When I told Golda she was in shock – first, they don't know the facts, and second, some of them don't understand the facts and the military interpretation of the situation," he says.

Worry that mothers might 'invade' battlefield cemeteries

The senior commanders were dealing not only with immense difficulties on the battlefield, but with the need to keep the homefront from collapse. At one point, Elazar talks with the commander of the IDF Manpower Division Maj. Gen. Herzl Shafir how best to deal with the hundreds of casualties who had been given hasty battlefield burials, and that some of them were unidentified.

"I'm not telling the families of the casualties until Sunday … after that, we need to consider it," Shafir tells Elazar.

"We need to understand that we are burying everyone in temporary graves. There are no funerals. The problem we will face is how to tell the families. They'll want to come see the cemeteries, and we can arrange that," Shafir points out.

Elazar answers: "If we don't notify [them], we'll be invaded by mothers. They'll start walking around and looking at signs for names. Before you do anything, post a guard so they won't get in there."

A conversation between Elazar, Tal, and then-IDF Spokesman Col. Pinchas Lahav deals with how to present the difficult situation in the north and the south, especially given the plans to bomb Damascus.

Lahav says, "We wanted a scare reaction and to create a picture … we can hold off on that."

Tal responds: "Clear skies … and Arabs screaming as Damascus is bombed. It's no good for getting us Phantoms [referring to the air convoy from the US to Israel in which aircraft and weapons were being transferred]."

Lahav suggests framing what was taking place to avoid dramatic headlines: "Not lie about the facts, but we can lie in technique."

Elazar then asks Lahav if he had been too optimistic a day prior to the discussion, and Lahav answers in the affirmative: "Yes, I told you to be optimistic, because I think that if we make it out of this, the people of Israel will forgive you. The spokesman is a weapon. The defense minister, with all due respect, is rigid in his thinking."

Lahav was to be mistaken – after the war, Elazar was the target of extensive criticism for his handling of it as chief of staff.

Some of the transcripts deal with the internecine battles between the generals themselves. Elazar attacks how then-Mag. Gen. Ariel Sharon [who would go on to become prime minister] was handing the southern front, saying his tactics approached the level of a "war crime."

"I didn't say anything … as an order and today he, against orders, went all the way to the water, fought a major battle against orders, lied to [GOC Southern Command Shmuel] Gorodish [Gonen], and when I listen to him on the radio, I see he's lying to me. And now he wants permission to cross to the other side."

In still another conversation, one of the most sensitive of the war, Elazar informs Gorodish that he is to be replaced by former Chief of Staff Haim Bar-Lev.

"Worse solutions for you could have been found. This is a test of how much you trust me, that I'm trying to find a solution that is least harmful to you. You will remain GOC Southern Command, and Haim Bar-Lev will come down and be at your side. If you accept it with good grace, it will be an excellent solution," Elazar encourages him.

"You need to take it well, Shmulik. When we're down or when the war is over, you'll understand. There are [different] dimensions to this war. Shmulik, I want you to accept it. Trust me, that I'm doing my best for everyone in the circumstances. Take it in good spirit, but he is the commander and you'll work with him as such."

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