Upcoming Festival

Shavuot - Sunday, June 20, 2010. Pilgrimage: 3AM - 8AM

Samaritan Passover Sacrifice on Mount Gerizim

The Passover Sacrifice was on Wednesday April 28, 2010, another beautiful day on the mount. Visitors came from all over to watch the festival as in past years. Plenty of photographers were also there coming in from Israel, France, the UK and the US.

National Geographic Magazine is preparing a feature story on David and Solomon and where also at the event. This would be a rare opportunity for them to photograph the new High Priest Aaron b. Ab-Hisda b. High Priest Jacob at the head of the Passover Sacrifice.  He is the son of Ab-Hisda that is on page 8,13,15 and the grandson of Jacob on page 14, 20, 30 both from the January, 1920 (Vol XXVII, number 1) The National Geographic Magazine, in the article 'The Last Blood Sacrifice, A Samaritan Rite in Palestine. We are looking forward to the photos and article.

(Photo of High Priest Aaron courtesy of Joseph Fathi)

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Links to articles & photos of the 2010 Passover

Please note that the Samaritan Israelite Passover Sacrifice was on the evening of Wednesday April 28, 2010. On Thursday Morning the Samaritans proceeded to the top of Mount Gerizim on the 1st Pilgrimage of the year. Some visiting attendees of this Pilgrimage have called this event Shavuot, which is not correct, The Samaritan Israelite's Shavuot will be June 20, 2010 according to the reckoning of the Samaritan priests.

The Samaritan Passover

Samaritans' pilgrimage by Reuters

http://www.reuters.com/news/pictures/slideshow?articleId=USRTR2DJ5Y#a=4

Sacrificial lambs by By BEN HARMTAN http://www.jpost.com/LandedPages/PrintArticle.aspx?id=174877

The Samaritan Passover

Passover (sunset) Samaritans Minority

http://abudheer.blogspot.com/2010_05_01_archive.html

Visit to Samaritan Passover Sacrifice

https://gath.wordpress.com/2010/04/29/visit-to-samaritan-passover-sacrifice/

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THE DEATH OF A WOMAN OF EDUCATION, A MOTHER AND DEVOTED WIFE, THE DEAREST PERSONALITY OF THE CITY OF HOLON (Batia Tsedaka 1925-2010)
Written by : Her son, Benyamim Tsedaka

On Tuesday, the 6th of the 1st Israelite month, April 20, 2010, Batia Tsedaka, the daughter of Yefet ben Avraham Tsedaka Hatzafari, and the Editors' mother, passed away.    She was 84 years old.  With this came the end of a long and glorified life saga of a woman who was very strong in her spirit, her character, and her beauty - after a long chain of activities, most of them the result of her own initiative that had no previous precedent.  The title, "the Editors' mother" expresses the fact that she was our mother who escorted us from our births in Nablus in the years 1944 and 1946, and for the last two decades without our father, Ratson ben Benyamim Tsedaka Hatzafari, the community's sage - may the Almighty give him mercy.
She was the eldest of the six daughters of Yefet ben Avraham Tsedaka Hatzafari, the Head of the Samaritan Community, outside of Nablus, for 54 years.  She was born in Tel Aviv, on the border of Jaffa, the city where her grandfather dwelt, the wise and fruitful poet, Avraham ben Marchiv Tsedaka Hatzafari; and upon his poetry and tradition Batia was raised and spent her childhood and days of youth.
She said, "One Shabbat someone came to visit us who was a tall and handsome young man from my relatives in Nablus, accompanied by his uncle.  This was Ratson ben Benyamim and his uncle Asher ben Shelach.  During the Shabbat morning prayer I heard his voice singing correctly like my father, the hymn 'Abudeh Dahlama: Man Yehshom Rabyaanaak' (The Creator of the World, Who Evaluates Your Greatness).  His singing so touched my heart, that even after the reading of the Shabbat portion I said to my father quietly 'This is the fellow that the Almighty has chosen for me to be my husband and the father of my children.'
Batia was the first Samaritan young woman who studied in Israeli Public Schools, and many other Samaritan young women followed later in her example.  She married Ratson when she was eighteen years old, in the year 1943.  She left her parent's house in Tel Aviv and moved to Nablus  in order to dwell with her husband and his relatives.  The life in Nablus was very hard for the young women who were accustomed to a different style of life in Tel Aviv.  In 1951, thanks to the Family Unification Agreement between Jordan and Israel, she returned to Tel Aviv with her two sons, and a few months later her husband Ratson joined her.  At that same time, her father moved from Tel Aviv to dwell in the sands of the city of Holon.
Batia continued her studies and graduated with high honors.  Very soon thereafter she became the first Samaritan teacher.  After several years she became the first Samaritan principal, and continued with university studies at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem in order to adjust herself to her new position as a principal.  During her forty years of work as a teacher and principal she raised tens of thousands of students.  She directed the Yechi'eli School for Young Women in Neveh Tzedek, where she herself first began her own studies, and afterwards she directed the Droianov School in Tel Aviv, and then moved to a school in Beit Dagan, and from there for many years to come she directed several schools in Holon.  She was known as a very prudent principal who kept very strong friendships with the teachers under her jurisdiction.  The late city mayor of Holon, Moshe Rome, awarded her the title "The Educational Bride of Holon" and the current city mayor,
Motty Sasson, may he live long, awarded her the title "The Dearest Personality In Holon" and in addition he gave her a special plaque when she was 80 years old.  When she retired with a pension in 1991, the teachers of Moshe Sharet's school in Holon organized a special evening for her with the theme of "This Was My Life."  Three hundred admirers from all corners of the country came to attend that evening, including her teacher from her elementary school days, Ms. Nehchama 'Atzmon, who today is 98 years old, may she live long.
After her retirement, she offered her long experience in education to the voluntary education of the adult women and children of the Samaritan community.  With her sister, Tsipora, the two traveled to Mount Gerizim to teach the women there the reading of the Torah.  The cooperation between the two sisters Gave birth to the first Samaritan cookbook that contained hundreds of special recipes, of which a small part of them was published in cooperation with the Photographer and Land of Israel Researcher, Mr. Dan (Dansho) Arnon.  A book that was purchased by many in Israel.  Afterwards she volunteered to teach the reading of the Torah to the kids of the community in Holon.  Many of the children finished the reading of the Torah quickly thanks to the devotion of Batia Tsedaka.  Their parents were very hurt and stunned with eyes filled with tears due to her death. 
She was, more than anything, a woman who supported her husband and backed him in order to help him with significant accomplishments, such as composing many difficult hymns and publishing several books for the use of the community members for worship.  And he loved her and admired her.  He always said to her "Everything in the house is yours, the house, the furniture, the tools, the pictures, the jewelry, and the entire contents.  And you are mine!"
Only recently were we made aware of the fact that for many years Batia donated hundreds of thousands of shekels to Welfare and Help Organizations throughout the Land of Israel, and especially to the hospitals in which she was treated.  She was a frequent patient in several hospitals, having survived two open heart surgeries.  She was very well known for her generosity and gave gifts to all the children of the community who were taught the reading of the Torah by her.  She actively took part in all happy and sad events.  Her presence was very prominent at the Yom Kippur prayer in which she never left her place in the synagogue during the whole 25 hours of fasting.  The members of the community respected her greatly for this dedication of hers.  Despite the arguments, she always knew how to find the depths of the hearts of all members of the community, who will always remember her for that.
Almost one month ago when Batia was attending a show at the Holon Theatre she fell down due to someone who carelessly pushed the exit door of the hall without noticing her there.  As a result of this accident she broke her right thigh bone.  During the time of her healing and aftercare her situation deteriorated.  Despite the fact that in the years of 1993 and 2000 she survived two bypass surgeries, this time she lost her strength.  She died of a sudden heart attack.  All of the efforts of the physicians to reassociate her were unsuccessful.
On Tuesday, April 20, 2010, the casket of this mother: the grandmother, and the great-grandmother - who raised many grandchildren and great-grandchildren - was carried to the place of her grave in the Samaritan cemetery in Kiriat Luza on Mount Gerizim.  May the High Priest Aaron ben Ab-Hisda have long life, as well as Peleg Altif one of the Elders of the Mount Gerizim community, who both describe her as being a huge loss to the community.  All of the members of the community escorted her casket and paid their condolences to her sons and sisters.  She was buried near the grave of her husband.  At last our father and mother, who had such an interesting and active life and love for us and for our community, met once again.  There is no life that endures forever, but the Almighty by His Greatness.

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Another Great Samaritan Elder we have lost

Holon,  Israel. February 9. 2010 – Israel Tsedaka, An elder of the Israelite Samaritan Community died, at the age of 78.
Israel, son of Ester and Gamliel Tsedaka, was born in  1932 in   Nablus ,  Palestine  under the British Mandate. He was raised in the tradition of reading the Torah in ancient Hebrew from his early childhood. His family moved to Tel- Aviv and he graduated the famous Herzlia High School in Tel Aviv. He joined the Israeli Army and succeeded to become the first Samaritan military officer and afterward started his study at the  Hebrew   University  in  Jerusalem .  The economic hardship forced him to end his military service and study in order to help his father and younger brothers and sister survive the hard days that took place during the first years of the establishment of the State of Israel.
His natural talents led him to succeed in his work for the Governmental Israeli Company of Medals production and he was promoted until he became the deputy director general of the company in charge of the production of the State of  Israel Medals  until he retired in 1997 and thereafter continued to be its official advisor.
For most of his life Israel Tsedaka was involved in activities on behalf of the Israelite Samaritan community in  Israel . He served in the beginning as a member of the youth committee for the community in  Holon  and eventually became committee secretary serving for many years until 1974. Meanwhile he spent much of his time studying the history and culture of the Samaritans and was one of the few members of the community to make the initiative in 1956 to publish the books of the Samaritan Liturgy. When this publication research ended Israel Tsedaka continued to publish more books of the Samaritan literature. His most important works were the creation of a computer font in ancient Hebrew of the Sabbath and Weekday Book of Prayers, and developing a unique Ancient Hebrew Punctuated Torah that became a book of study in the reading and chanting of the Torah for all Samaritan young people in Holon and on Mount Gerizim.
Israel Tsedaka was also involved in the research of Samaritan Studies and for many years helped the most famous scholars, Prof. Z. Ben-Hayeem and his pupils: Prof. A. Tal and Prof. M. Florentin, with the Hebrew and Aramaic Languages of the Samaritan text as the greatest scholar of the Samaritan Studies of our times.  In the year 2000 Israel Tsedaka became a member of the Society of Samaritan Studies [SES] which was founded in  Paris  in 1985. Since that time he gave lectures about the history of the Samaritans from their perspective and loyally protected the historical truth.
The entire Samaritan community is shocked by the loss of two prominent sages from the community in one week, the High Priest Elazar on February 3, 2010 and Israel Tsedaka today.  These two men were very close friends and enriched one another with Samaritan wisdom.  Israel Tsedaka left four sons; all of them are grown and have families of their own. Israel Tsedaka was very devoted to his family. His wife Mazzal died from cancer in 1991.  Israel continued the education of his four children and 12 grandchildren.
May his soul rest in peace in paradise when the time comes. There is no one who lives forever but the Almighty.
Benyamim Tsedaka, editor - A.B. - The Samaritan News
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45 a Sleepless Gaza Jerusalem.divx

Day 45 a: Join Diana on Mount Gerizim in Nablus on an enlightening visit with the Samaritans on their New Year Day. What is the difference between the biblical Mounts Gerizim and Ebal? What do Samaritans, who consider themselves the true ancient Israelites who crossed from Egypt, think of Jerusalem from the religious angle? What do they consider themselves, Palestinians or Israelis? Is Diana allowed to enter the Temple and join the Samaritan men and children during their prayers for the New Year? Listen to the ancient Samaritan language in prayers and see what the script looks like. Diana wants her future read so she starts with Husni Wasef who explains to her how the Samaritans calculate whether you have success or failure in life through the names and astrology calculations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adsnIMCg8IA (First half, with Samaritans)

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Photos of the Samaritans by

http://www.adoramapix.com/hevronv2/book.mvc/samaritans-1

Samaritan Passover Sacrifice- 2009

http://blog.writch.com/2009/04/the-samaritans-passover-sacrifice.html

http://www.unc.edu/~werlin/Samaritan_Passover_Sacrifice.pdf 

http://media.theage.com.au/national/breaking-news/samaritans-passover-sacrifice-470692.html

http://www.superstock.com/stock-photography/Passover

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SAMARITANS LEGEND ASSOCIATION ج .الاسطورة السامرية ע. האגדה השומרונית غدا هو اليوم الاول من الشهر الثاني عشر لسنة 3648 حسب التقويم السامري وهو اليوم الاول من شهري المعاجيز______ Tomorrow is the first day of the twelfth month of the year 3648 Samaritan calendar , The first day of miracle month