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“Samaritan”

You ran into one of my fascinations! These people still exist where they always have, Samaria! Enjoy!

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The Samaritans (also known as Israelite Samaritans) are a small ethnoreligious group who consider themselves the direct descendants and preservers of the ancient Israelites, specifically tracing their lineage to the northern tribes of the Kingdom of Israel (such as Ephraim and Manasseh). They practice Samaritanism, an ancient Abrahamic monotheistic religion based solely on the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Torah/Moses), which they preserve in an ancient version written in Samaritan Hebrew script.

They self-identify as Bene Yisrael (“Children of Israel”) or Shamerim (“Observant Ones”), emphasizing their role as the faithful remnant of the original Israelites. They reject later Jewish texts (such as the Prophets and Writings) and traditions that developed after what they see as a divergence from the true faith.

Historical Origins and Relation to Israelites, Jews, and Israel

The Samaritans trace their origins to the ancient Israelites who settled in Canaan (the biblical Land of Israel) centuries before the common era. According to their tradition, they are the true guardians of Israelite religion centered on Mount Gerizim (near ancient Shechem/Nablus), which they believe God chose as the holy site (based on their reading of the Torah, e.g., Deuteronomy).

• Biblical and historical divergence: After the death of King Solomon (c. 930 BCE), the united Kingdom of Israel split into the northern Kingdom of Israel (centered in Samaria) and the southern Kingdom of Judah (centered in Jerusalem). The northern kingdom fell to the Assyrians in 722 BCE, leading to the deportation of many Israelites and the resettlement of foreign populations who intermarried with remaining locals (2 Kings 17). This mixed population eventually became known as Samaritans.

• Jewish perspective (from biblical and rabbinic sources): The Samaritans are often viewed as descendants of these foreign colonists (called “Kutim” in Talmudic literature), resulting in a syncretistic or heretical faith, leading to deep historical enmity. Jews consider Jerusalem’s Temple Mount (Mount Zion) as the sole legitimate worship site.

• Samaritan perspective: They are the authentic Israelites who remained faithful, while the Jews (from Judah) deviated by shifting worship to Jerusalem under figures like Eli. The split is seen as ancient, predating the Assyrian conquest in their view.

This led to centuries of tension, including the building (and later destruction by the Hasmoneans in the 2nd century BCE) of a Samaritan temple on Mount Gerizim, mutual exclusion from each other’s communities, and New Testament references (e.g., the Parable of the Good Samaritan highlighting Jewish-Samaritan animosity).

Today, Samaritans and Jews share genetic and cultural links as closely related Semitic/Israelite descendants (genetic studies show shared ancient Hebrew/Israelite ancestry), but they remain distinct religions and ethnic groups. Samaritans do not identify as Jews, and traditional Judaism does not recognize them as such (though some modern interactions are more amicable).

Where They Live Today

The Samaritan community is tiny and split between two main locations for practical and historical reasons:

• Mount Gerizim / Kiryat Luza (near Nablus in the West Bank, under Palestinian Authority control): This is their spiritual center, home to their high priest and the site of annual pilgrimages (e.g., Passover sacrifices). About 380–400 live here.
• Holon (a city just south of Tel Aviv in Israel): Many moved here in the mid-20th century for better opportunities and security. About 460 live here, with a synagogue.

As of recent estimates (around 2024–2025), the total population is approximately 900 people worldwide (roughly evenly split between the two locations, with slight variations in sources). The community has grown from a low of under 200 in the early 20th century through careful marriage practices (including some acceptance of converts, often women from other groups) but remains endangered due to its small size and reluctance toward large-scale conversion.

They hold dual or flexible citizenship/status (Israeli for Holon residents; Palestinian/Israeli arrangements for West Bank ones), navigating the Israeli-Palestinian divide while maintaining neutrality and their unique identity. Their language includes Samaritan Hebrew for liturgy, Arabic as a vernacular in the West Bank, and modern Hebrew in Israel.