The Samaritans, a small sect with ancient roots in Judaism, are a unique and fascinating community, specifically in that they study the five books of Moses. The community is divided between Mt. Gerizim and Holon.
The Samaritans see themselves as the keepers of the ancient Israelite religion and culture. One of their traditions is the celebration of Sukkot or the Feast of Tabernacles. The Samaritan holiday is different from the Jewish one in date and also in the booth (sukka) or Tabernacle that is built in honor of the festival.
This half-day tour will explore the Samaritan way of life, its faith, traditions and their relations with both Israelis and Palestinians.
The tour included:
Visiting a family and their traditional sukka
A meeting with Samaritan High Priest Abdallah Wasef
Tour of Mt. Gerizim
A visit to the Samaritan museum and briefing by director Husni Al Kahen
