Why the Samaritans believe Mount Gerizim, not Jerusalem, is the true holy site
In short: Often known through biblical parables, the Samaritan people are a distinct, ancient community that traces its lineage to the original Israelites. While they share roots with Judaism, they maintain a unique faith centered on Mount Gerizim, a preserved Pentateuch, and the hope for a future restorer known as the Taheb.
Samaritanism is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion that views itself as the authentic continuation of the faith practiced by the Israelites under Moses. Unlike Judaism, which identifies Jerusalem and the Temple Mount as the sacred center of worship, Samaritans hold that God chose Mount Gerizim near Shechem as the true sanctuary. This divergence is rooted in a historical schism attributed to the High Priest Eli, who allegedly abandoned the original altar on Mount Gerizim to establish a competing site at Shiloh, which later evolved into the Jewish focus on Jerusalem.
The religious identity of the Samaritans is defined by their exclusive adherence to the Samaritan Pentateuch. This version of the Torah contains approximately 6,000 differences from the Jewish Masoretic Text, most notably the inclusion of a tenth commandment that explicitly mandates the construction of an altar on Mount Gerizim. Because they reject the authority of the rest of the Tanakh and rabbinic literature like the Talmud, their legal and liturgical traditions remain distinct. For instance, they continue to practice the ritual slaughter of lambs on Passover and observe the Sabbath with rigorous restrictions on electricity and travel.
Today, the community is remarkably small, with approximately 900 registered members as of 2025. This population size is interpreted by the faithful as a fulfillment of the prophecy, 'You will be left few in number.' Despite centuries of mutual hostility with their Judean counterparts—a dynamic famously reflected in the New Testament—the Samaritans maintain a resilient identity. They look toward a future era of divine favor when the Taheb, a prophet-like figure from the Tribe of Joseph, will miraculously reveal the hidden tabernacle of Moses and restore Mount Gerizim to its former glory.
Genetic studies conducted in 2004 suggest that modern Samaritans share a common paternal ancestry with the Jewish priestly caste, supporting their claim to be descendants of the historical Israelite population. While they were once closely intertwined with the Jews, the destruction of the Mount Gerizim temple by the Hasmonean king John Hyrcanus around 120 BCE solidified the separation between the two groups. Today, the community resides primarily in Holon and on Mount Gerizim, preserving ancient traditions while navigating the modern world.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Samaritanism
- Also: Samaritan | Definition, Religion, & Bible | Britannica
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