"Take the woman whose hands are spattered with dough - she's
the mistress of the house" (Arab proverb)

Dough fermented with leaven or yeast is a symbol of fertility that is used in many wedding ceremonies. In Muslim, Druze, Circassian, and Christian villages throughout Israel, it is customary to escort the bride to the bridegroom's home in a joyful procession. There, on the threshold, the bride's mother-in-law gives her a piece of dough (il-khamire) that she sticks over the doorpost, leaving on it the imprint of her hand. That imprint in the dough is regarded as a protective charm against evil, while the dough itself symbolizes the bride's attachment to her new family, bringing with it good luck, fruitfulness, and prosperity. Sometimes the groom follows the bride's example, to the sound of the women's joyful ululations.