A Samaritan Codex (Torah in book form)

This Samaritan torah is from the 14th century and written in both the Samaritan language and Aramaic

Pits Used for the Passover Sacrifice

These are three of the six pits used for the Passover sacrifice. Eight to nine sheep are sacrificed in each pit. Approximately 80 sheep were slaughtered for Passover in 2014.

Samaritan High Priest Aabel-El ben High Priest Asher

The current High Priest is the 132nd since Aaron ben Amran, brother of Moses. Aaron promised the High Priesthood to his grandson, Pinhas, and his seed forever, thus remaining in the Pinhas family [Numbers, 24:12].

The duties of the High Priest are: to be the High Court regarding personal matters in the community; consulting with heads of households and other priests; to resolve disputes between individual and families; to calculate the calendar in six month periods; to circulate the calendar, twice a year, to members of the community who are 20 years and older; to direct all religious ceremonies including circumcision, concluding the reading of the Torah, weddings, divorces and burials; and officiate at personal events such as the benediction of the first born or witnessing oaths; to represent the Israelite Samaritans in dealing with the government; to bless the worshippers with Blessings from the High Priest each Sabbath, festival and three pilgrimages [Numbers 6: 3-4]. Above all, the High Priest directs the most significant event of the year, the Pascal sacrifice onMt. Gerizim.

Benyamim Tsedaka

Benyamim Tsedaka is an author, historian and elder in the Samaritan Community. He is often referred to as the unofficial Samaritan ambassador, given his yearly worldwide lecture program. Here, he is holding a copy of his book, The Collection of Samaritan Manuscripts in the Klau Libray of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institue of Religion (Cincinnati, Ohio)