Samaritans and Mount Gerizim

Hi,
For Sukot, Atzva and I took an organized trip to Mount Gerizim and the Samaritans community living on top of the mountain.

The Samaritans have been living in the land of Israel since the days of the bible. They consider themselves the original Jews: the language and writing are very similar to ancient Hebrew, the customs and holidays are the one presented in the bible, the religion, and traditions are as shown on the bible. The bible, by itself, is almost identical to the one we, the Jews, have (but it written in their writing).

Apart from it, they believe the temple was supposed to be built on Mount Gerizim, this is why they lived upon it. This is also the place the world was created, and not in Jerusalem.

By a group, they are around 840 people who live in Kiryat Luza on top of Mount Gerizim (around 550 people), where the community sits for thousands of years. And on Neve Pinhas in Holon (around 300 people), which was founded on 1954 by gathering all the Samaritan population from around Central Israel.

It is a Sukkot holiday, and the Samaritans are celebrating it, as this is one of the holidays from the bible. But they have their own way of building the Suka. First of all for their understanding it should be inside the house. Second it should be covered with fruits and not palm tree leaves. And not plastic fruit, but real ones. What makes a beautiful picture.

Take Care
Gad

A panoramic view over Nablus and Mount Ebal on the other side of the valley sits in.

Tell Balata,  which recognized as Shchem (anicent Nablus)

Joseph’s Tomb in the middle of Nablus

The private house of Munib Rashid al-Masri, a Palestinian billionaire watching over Nablus.

Looking down on Nablus and Wadi Tirzah to the East

The good Samaritan center and the Samaritan writing

The entrance to the house of the martian that housed us: a sign in Hebrew and a Mezuzah

The Samaritan Sukka – covered with fruits

The Sukka from another angle

The frame and all the fruits weight couple of hundreds of kilograms, and should be anchored firmly to the ceiling.

Our host reads from the Samrtian bible, written in ancient Hebrew. He should cover his head, like we do, so he put a hand on his hand (As Jews do when no Kippah as at hand)

The stairs from Kiryat Luza to the summit of mount Grizim

Climbing up

The pits for Passover sacrifice

Some of the archeological site on top of the mountain

Maria church, remains of an hexagonal byzantine church and Sehika Anam grave