Mea Shearim

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A wall plastered with "pashkevilim" in Meah Shearim

Meah Shearim, (Hebrew: מאה שערים), is one of the oldest neighborhoods of Jerusalem, bounded on the north by Meah Shearim St. It was established in 1874 as the second settlement outside the walls of the Old City by a building society of 100 shareholders. Pooling their resources, the society members purchased a tract of land outside the Old City, which was severely overcrowded and plagued by poor sanitation, and built a new neighborhood with the goal of improving their standards of living. Very few dared to leave the protection of the walls in those days. The terrain was rocky and uncultivated, and Arab marauders roamed freely. Hence the early inhabitants of Meah Shearim, whose families were descended from the Perushim, followers of the Gaon of Vilna, who settled in Palestine in the early 19th century, were pioneers in the true sense of the word.

A Haredi man holding his son (and his cellphone)

The name "Meah Shearim" was taken from a verse in the Bible - Genesis 26:12 - in the hopes that the neighborhood would thrive and expand: Isaac sowed in that land, and in that year he reaped "מאה שערים - a hundredfold"; God had blessed him.

The neighborhood remains an Old World enclave in the midst of a city that aspires to modernity. With its overwhelmingly ultra-Orthodox population, the streets retain the flavor of an East European shtetl. Life revolves around strict adherence to Jewish law, prayer and the study of Jewish texts. Traditions in dress may include black frock coats and black or fur-trimmed hats for men (although there are many other clothing styles, depending on the religious sub-group to which they belong), and long-sleeved, modest clothing for women. In some groups, the women wear thick black stockings all year long, even in summer. Married women wear a variety of headcoverings, from wigs to headscarves. The men have beards and some grow long sidecurls, called peyos. On the Sabbath, some wear light-color or striped robes.

Population

The area is populated almost exclusively by Orthodox Jews. Chasidic groups with a large number of followers in Meah Shearim include Breslov, Slonim and Toldos Aharon. Meah Shearim is also the stronghold of the anti-Zionist Neturei Karta movement. The "Edah HaChareidis", which supervises kashrut certification (hechsher), and operates a Jewish legal court, is also situated in Meah Shearim.

Neighborhood Regulations

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A sign at the entrance to Meah Shearim

To keep out scantily-clad women and prevent the neighborhood from being overrun by large groups of tourists, which they find offensive, "modesty" posters in Hebrew and English are hung at every entrance. To show respect, visitors to Meah Shearim should adhere to the following rules:

1. Modest dress for women and girls (knee-length skirts or longer, no plunging necklines or midriff tops, no sleeveless blouses or bare shoulders)
2. Tourists should avoid visiting the neighbourhood in large, conspicuous groups.
3. Residents should not be photographed or filmed without permission.
4. During the Jewish Sabbath (from sunset Friday until it is completely dark on Saturday night), refrain from violating the Sabbath in any way. That means no mobile phones, no cigarettes, no photo or video cameras.
5. Avoid wearing blatant Christian symbols or T-shirts with Christian slogans.

Transportation

Bus numbers 1, 3, 10 and 15 drive through Meah Shearim Street, a very narrow one-way street which borders the neighborhood. Line 2 goes down Shivtei Yisrael Street, on the edge of Meah Shearim. City buses that stop near Meah Shearim are 4, 11, 19, 23, 35, 36, 39, 40, 56.

References

• Halper, Jeff : Between Redemption and Revival: The Jewish Yishuv of Jerusalem in the Nineteenth Century (Westview Press, 1991)ISBN 0-8133-7855-9 (hardcover)
• Meah Shearim
• Meah Shearim