The Scent of a Holiday: A Fascinating Tour of the Samaritan Sukkot

Everyone knows about Jewish sukkahs, but have you ever seen Samaritan sukkahs? Join us for a tour and lecture about the special sukkahs of the Samaritans in Holon.

Samaritan sukkahs are built—or, more precisely, hung—in the living room and made from a variety of citrus fruits. The Samaritan community numbers approximately 800 people today and is a remnant of the ancient Kingdom of Israel. The community follows what is written in the Torah of Moses, exactly as written, to this day, including observing the Sabbath, keeping kosher, the Passover sacrifice, and the Jewish festivals.

Today, Samaritans live in two main centers: Holon and Mount Gerizim.

During the tour/lecture, we will learn about the community’s life, tour the Samaritan neighborhood in Holon, and enter Samaritan homes to see the special sukkahs.

A little about me: I’m Guy, 44 years old, and a Samaritan. I have been guiding and lecturing about the Samaritan community and its way of life for approximately 20 years. In my free time, I develop a computer font for the ancient Hebrew script and copy Torah scrolls in the ancient Hebrew script according to the Samaritan tradition.