Israel's History - a Picture a Day (Beta) |
Posted: 18 Apr 2014
The Samaritans worship the God of Abraham, revere a scroll comparable to the five books of Moses, and maintain Passover customs, including the sacrifice of the Pascal Lamb.
Jews ceased the Passover sacrifice with the destruction of the second Temple. Already in Talmudic days, Jewish authorities rejected the Samaritans' claims to be part of the Jewish people. The Cutim, according to rabbinic authorities, arrived in the Land of Israel around 720 BCE with the Assyrians from Cuth, believed to be located in today's Iraq. Over the millennia, the Samaritans almost disappeared. Persecuted, massacred and forcibly converted by Byzantine Christians and by Islamic authorities, the Samaritans' community today numbers fewer than 1,000 who are located on Mount Gerizim near Nablus (Shechem) and in Holon, Israel.
This year, the Samaritans celebrated their Passover on Sunday, April, 13, 2014.
The photographers of the American Colony photographed dozens of pictures of the Samaritans' sacrificial service. Their photos, and other early photographers can be found in the Library of Congress online archives.
According to Samaritan officials, the community totals 751 persons. Here is the breakdown with the first figure showing the number near Nablus (Shechem) and the second number showing the number living in Holon. On January 1, 2012, the Community numbered 751 persons [353 in Kiryat Luza-Mount Gerizim, Samaria; 398 primarily in Holon in the State of Israel: 396 males [190:206] and 355 females [170: 185]. These included 350 married persons [158:192], 215 unmarried males [104:111], 153 unmarried females [70:83]; 7 widowed men [4:3]; 23 widowed women [15:8]; 2 Divorced Men [0:2]; 1 Divorced Woman [0:1]. Color photographs of a recent Passover sacrifice on Mt. Gerizim can be viewed here. |