Meir Dizengoff was among the founding fathers of the small settlement of Ahuzat Bayit, from which Tel Aviv was soon born - one of the largest cities in Israel. For his active participation in the development of the settlement and his organizational talent, Dizengoff was elected first head of the residents' committee, and then mayor of Tel Aviv.
Meir served as mayor in the city he founded until his very death, and even after it he did everything he could for Tel Aviv - he bequeathed all his property to the municipality.
Meir's personal life turned out rather sadly: he and his wife Zina lost their only daughter in infancy. Zina could no longer have children, and they lived together until the very end. After the death of his beloved wife, Dizengoff gave the lower floors of his house to the Art Museum, keeping only the top floor for himself. It was in this museum that in 1948 David Ben-Gurion proclaimed the Declaration of Independence of Israel.
The residents of Tel Aviv felt very warmly toward their mayor, for he loved the city he governed and did everything for its prosperity. Dizengoff inspected the results of his work while riding through the streets on horseback.
For the centenary of Tel Aviv, sculptor David Zundelovich created a monument to Meir Dizengoff. This minimalist monument does not tower above the street on a pompous marble pedestal, it does not shine with gold and does not seek to impress with its size. The mayor simply patrols the streets of his native city on his faithful horse named Bystraya.
