past exibition- Paula

Paula Ben-Gurion, née Munbai, was born in April 1892 in Minsk, in the western part of the Russian Empire. At the age of 13, she immigrated with her family to New York. After finishing high school, Paula began her studies at a nursing school, and upon completing her training, she worked as a surgical nurse at the Jewish Hospital in New York.

In 1916, David and Paula met through a mutual friend: “If only you could see his appearance—bleary eyes, worn-out clothes—but as soon as he opened his mouth, you could see he was a great man” (The Woman by His Side, Ilan Ben Ami, p. 28). David invited Paula to help him translate passages about the Land of Israel from Yiddish into English. They met several times at the city library, and a love story began to develop between them. About a year later, on the morning of December 5, 1917, they met at the city hall entrance and got married. David made their marriage conditional on her moving to the Land of Israel.

Paula was an anarchist, sharp-tongued, with a keen eye for people. She often warned Ben-Gurion to be cautious of exactly those individuals who eventually turned against him. She stood by David Ben-Gurion until the day she died, taking care of him in every aspect of life: ensuring his diet was healthy, that he had time to rest, that he wore clothing appropriate for the time, season, and occasion, and that no one she deemed unworthy was allowed to see him.

In addition, Paula took care of raising the couple’s three children and managing the household finances. She was also actively involved in public activities and always found time for social life, for giving attention to her friends, and of course, for the leisure and cultural pursuits she loved so much.

Today, when entering the Ben-Gurion House in Tel Aviv, Paula is everywhere: in the stories, in the photographs on the walls, and in the way the house is designed. Yet, at the same time, her presence is completely absent from the public historical space of the house.

Ahead of the 55th anniversary of her passing, the Ben-Gurion House and the Na’amat organization decided to establish an exhibition in memory and honor of Paula Ben-Gurion.

The exhibition will take place at the Ben-Gurion House in Tel Aviv and will feature new video clips, art installations by students, recent photographs of Paula, and educational activities accompanying the exhibition.

The exhibition is curated by the artist and filmmaker Yariv Mozar (who produced and directed the film Epilogue) and producer Sigal Rosh.

As part of the exhibition, and as already mentioned, for the first time the Ben-Gurion House opened its doors to young creators from various fields to tell Paula’s story. The goal is to place her complex and highly significant figure in the spotlight and give her the recognition she deserves.

The exhibition will focus on five central themes that depict Paula Ben-Gurion:

1. Paula, the Revolutionary – her relationship with Emma Goldman and with the anarchist movement.
2. Paula, the Family Woman – a mother and spouse, caring for the family’s well-being and responsible for managing the household finances.
3. Paula, the Woman by His Side – the correspondence between Paula and David at the beginning of their relationship, her move to Israel, their relocation together to the south of the country, her defense of Ben-Gurion, and her significance in his political life.
4. Paula, the Socialite – Anna Ticho, Paula’s best friend; Sonia Peres; Mira Averbach; her public activities.
5. Paula, the Hostess – from placing chocolate boxes on the living room table to her refusal to hire a cook and waitstaff for formal meals