Welcome to a little tour of the old alleys just above our home in Northern Israel! I took these photos at dusk one evening and since I haven't had time to photograph any of the crafting that has been going on, I thought I'd inspire you with some interesting photos! Sure does look exotic, I must say!
The blue paint also is used to decorate the entire entrance in many cases.
Here doors have been painted blue since the 1600's! Of course the original door was made from wood, long gone......
My husband just looked up the reason as to why the doors are blue, and while people continue the tradition, because in the sephardic tradtion it wards off the evil eye, and in the ashkenazic tradition it is a sign of the connection to the gates of heaven, but it may have actually started like this: paint was expensive, and women were the ones that painted their homes. One day a woman decided to add some of her laundry soap, which was blue, to the white paint (which isn't really paint, it's really like chalk paint) and the results were so lovely that all the other women decided to do the same. How's that for creative jewish mothers using their heads to bring some color into our lives?
I have passed this gate for years, and am so curious to know what lies within, as it is not inhabited.
And here, in a home just up the steps from our home, the owners chose to purchase a new blue door, nice!If you're ever in the neighborhood, let me know!
