Samaritan

Samaritans are both a religious and an ethnic group. Ethnically, they are descended from a group of inhabitants that have connections to ancient Samaria from the beginning of the Babylonian Exile up to the beginning of the Christian era. Religiously, they are the adherents of Samaritanism, a religion based on the Torah. Samaritans claim that their worship is the true religion of the ancient Israelites, predating the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, but Samaritanism has historically been rejected by normative Judaism.

Related Topics:
Ethnic group - Samaria - Babylonian Exile - Christian - Samaritanism - Torah - Israelites - Temple in Jerusalem - Judaism

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Presently, there are no more than a few hundred Samaritans, living mostly in the city of nablus in the west bank and some in the city of holon in Israel.

Related Topics:
Nablus - West bank - Holon - Israel

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The Samaritans either speak Modern Hebrew or Palestinian Arabic as their mother language. For liturgical purposes, Samaritan Hebrew and Samaritan Aramaic are used.

Related Topics:
Modern Hebrew - Palestinian Arabic - Liturgical - Samaritan Hebrew - Samaritan Aramaic

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