In 1874 Meah Shearim was founded by members of the Yishuv Hayashan and was among the first neighborhoods established outside the walls of Yerushalayim’s Old City.
Living on the outskirts at that time was considered dangerous, as such areas were especially vulnerable to attack. Indeed, there were numerous incidents of robbery and even murder carried out by marauders.
To address these security concerns, the neighborhood was constructed in the style of a medieval fortress. The outer walls were thick and unbroken, with no doors or windows facing outward, providing protection for the residents within. In 1948, during Israel’s War of Independence, the area was heavily bombarded, and many homes were destroyed.
The name מאה שערים is derived from a pasuk, which describes how Yitzchak planted an area and was blessed with extraordinary success. Rashi explains that the land yielded one hundred times more than expected. The name was chosen because the neighborhood was founded during the week of Parshas Toldos, in which this pasuk appears. The name also alludes to the fact that the community originally had one hundred gates, giving the name Meah Shearim an additional layer of meaning.
