By Beth N. Rom-Rymer and Steven Stein
The AJP Annual APA breakfast was held this year at the Golda Meir House Museum in Denver. The Golda Meir House Museum on the Auraria Campus is her only known U.S. residence, a standing tribute to her commitment to freedom, peace, and human dignity.
The Golda Meir House and Museum is a hidden-away gem, nestled on the Auraria Denver campus, among honeylocust, oak, and fruit trees; a respectful tribute to a powerful, charismatic Jewish leader, a committed Zionist, who garnered the respect of the men around her and nurtured the idealists and hardy pioneers of her young nation, Israel.
Once situated in the Conference Room of the historic House, the 25 members of the Association of Jewish Psychologists, all attendees at the APA Convention in Denver, were not only treated to a delicious breakfast, catered by a local favorite deli (Rosenberg’s Bagels and Deli), but were enthralled by the historical narrative of the Museum’s Executive Director and chief docent, Lena Fishman, who bestowed a special honor on our group by coming to meet with us on Shabbat. Lena wove personal anecdotes about her involvement in the showcasing of the movie, Golda, and the targeting of the House for antisemitic graffiti and boundary violations during the era of the encampments on the Auraria campus, with fascinating facts about Golda’s political coming-of-age in this Denver home, that she shared with her sister and brother-in-law; the vibrancy of the Jewish community in Denver, in Golda’s time as well as today; and the years-long fight for the preservation of this house and its artifacts, championed by many, including our own Lenore Walker and the vaunted Congresswoman Pat Schroeder.
The house was relocated to the Auraria Campus from its original location in northwest Denver. Today, the 1606-side of the duplex serves as the Golda Meir House Museum. The adjoining side of the duplex currently serves as a conference room that can be reserved through the Department of Special Events.
At the conclusion of the historical lecture and discussion, we gathered for a group photo on the porch (above) and had the special pleasure of walking through the house, with Lena’s giving us additional narrative, and intimately experiencing the day-to-day life of this great woman leader of the 20th century.
The importance of Meir’s Denver experience is documented in her 1975 autobiography My Life, where she states, “It was in Denver that my real education began… my own future convictions were shaped and given form, and ideas were discarded or accepted by me while I was growing, those talk-filled nights in Denver played a considerable role.”
This early morning communal event deepened the ties with our AJP community and broadened our understanding of Golda and her era. A memorable and deeply satisfying touchpoint, we will continue to use this experience in building and honoring our community and our history.
