Mea She'arim

Mea She'arim

Step back a century or two

Mea She'arim is a neighborhood north of the Old City, founded in 1874, and its name means a hundred gates, after a verse in Genesis. Its crowded lanes, small synagogues, and study halls are home to ultra-Orthodox Jews, many of whom dress as their ancestors did in Eastern Europe. Signs ask visitors to dress modestly and not to photograph residents. The community has long disagreed with secular Israelis over Sabbath observance and over military service, which remains a continuing political dispute.

Glossary: Mea She'arim