The Samaritans Conference 2021
Multifaith Community Building, Peace, & Solidarity in Nablus, Palestinian West Bank
Made Possible By Abrahamic Reunion
Through support from the Topol Family Foundation
Graphic Version, Video, Photos, Click Here
CREATING COMMUNITY
14 December, 2021
NABLUS, PALESTINIAN WEST BANK
“Throughout the ages,” said Dr. Jacob Cohen in his introductory remarks, “we Samaritans have proven to everyone our love for peace and our constant desire to live in a country where there is no one is killed for their religious background.”
The First Annual Samaritans Conference was held in Lailuty Hall downtown Nablus, the 2nd-most populous Palestinian West Bank City, to build community and the multifaith peace movement in the Holy Land.
Over 85 people, including local, regional, religious, and national leaders, gathered to affirm the place of the Samaritan community in Palestinian society.
Samaritans have long occupied a position in Nablusi society, but are the smallest ethno-religious minority in the Holy Land, with no more than 800 today, and often confused as a sect of Judaism.
A historical documentary about the Samaritan faith recognizing them as a distinct religion (not a sect of Judaism) was shown at the conference, featuring scholars from across the Middle East.
Sheikh Zuheir Dabei of Rafidia Mosque said, to create a deep community based on equality and partnership we must, “call each other members of the community and fellow citizens,” and overcome sectarianism.
Sheikh Ghassan Manasra, Abrahamic Reunion International Director, said the AR will support any event spreading love and peace between people in order to reject violence. Abrahamic Reunion sponsored and organized the conference with Dr. Cohen and the Samaritan Legends Association.
Dr. Cohen’s Samaritan Legends Association organized the program with the Abrahamic Reunion, which made the event possible through support from the Topol Family Foundation.
The conference began with a moment of silence for Jamil Kayal, a man killed just the day before in clashes near Nablus. The conference was postponed 1 day due to this tragedy. Pictured: Greek Melkite Archimandrite Abdullah Giulio of Ramallah Parish.
PARTNERS IN PEACE
The Samaritan legends association
A nonprofit led by Dr. Jacob Cohen, the SLA has partnered in interfaith peacebuilding endeavors for many years including presenting and speaking at Abrahamic Reunion Multifaith Iftar Dinners, Peace Summits, hosting multifaith peace journey groups, international tour groups, and individual events.
The Samaritan Community
With only 800 members, the Samaritans are a small minority with ancient Judaic roots but largely identify as Palestinian. They live at Mt. Grizim, outside Nablus, which is divided between Area A, B, and C, making it one of few places possible for Israeli Jews and Palestinian Arabs to meet in dialogue in person without strict permitting requirements. Samaritans hold Israeli, Palestinian, and Jordanian passports, “reflecting the historical struggle over the Holy Land” (Al-Monitor). They often feel put in-between “sides”, seen by Palestinians as Jewish, and by Israelis as Palestinian. The Samaritan High Priest was a co-sponsor of event, opening and convening.
Governor of nablus
General Ibrahim Ramadan is Governor of Nablus, the 2nd largest West Bank Palestinian city, “Blessed the organizers of the conference and their role supporting coexistence and dialogue within [Holy Land] society, wishing success for all the Abrahamic Reunion’s work, and was “delighted to attend the conference talking about coexistance between Samaritans, Muslims, and Christians.”
Archimandrite Abdullah Giulio
Archimandrite Abdullah, Parish Priest in the Greek Catholic (Melkite) Church of Ramallah attended as a speaker, and offered words of solidarity. The Archimandrite has participated and spoken at several other Abrahamic Reunion multi-faith gatherings for peace, understanding, and community.
Sheikh Zuhair Dabei
Sheikh Zuhair is another religious peacebuilder near Nablus, and previous participant in Abrahamic Reunion’s ongoing Unity Prayer From The Holy Land.
Palestinian undersecretary Of awqaf and religious affairs, hussam abu al-rub
The Undersecretary’s participation showed a high level of cooperation and interest from the Palestinian government. He said that, “the Samaritans are an essential component of the Palestinian People.” He further emphasized the need for further dialogue and conferences to “remove inaccurate and incorrect visions and what is inherited towards achieving correct foundations for coexistence.”
The Abrahamic Reunion
The Abrahamic Reunion’s gathers diverse groups to foster understanding, cooperation, and connection towards creating a peaceful and harmonious Holy Land.
Mohamad Jamous, Palestinian Director, and Ghassan Manasra, International Director of the Abrahamic Reunion, have been actively organizing intra-West Bank peacebuilding programs since 2017, and this high-profile event showed the breadth of those connections.
1st Annual Conference of many
Numerous speakers called for regular meetings to continue dialogue and understanding in Palestinian Society.
With the Samaritan community positioned well to host dialogue, and as a bridge, both the SLA and Abrahamic Reunion will continue to develop community and connections in the Northern West Bank which has been the site of so much conflict the last year.
Photos
Click the links below to view the Arabic media coverage of the Conference. More photos are available on the AR Website and Samaritan Legends Association Facebook Page.
“We are really proud and honored to work with the Samaritans, to be part of this process, to support and hope that what comes out of this day will be the seeds of deep understanding.” David Less, AR Co-Founder and US Board Chairman, made an appearance by pre-recorded video.
Nablus Dialogue Coordinator for the Abrahamic Reunion, Hanan Shaban, was in attendance, here with an AR Young Peacebuilder.
Governor of Nablus, General Ibrahim Ramadan, “Blessed the organizers of the conference and their role supporting coexistence and dialogue within [Holy Land] society, wishing success for all the Abrahamic Reunion’s work, and was “delighted to attend the conference talking about coexistance between Samaritans, Muslims, and Christians.”
Sheikh Ghassan Manasra, Abed Manasra, and Shahed Bagdadi of the Abrahamic Reunion with the Samaritan High Priest, Husni Al-Samri
Financials
The 1st Annual Samaritan Conference was held in a renowned location in the center of Nablus, and was well attended by leadership despite deadly clashes nearby just the day before.
Organized by the Samaritan Legends Association and The Abrahamic Reunion, the AR provided 85% of the funding for this event, made possible by a generous grant from the Topol Family Foundation.
Contact
The Abrahamic Reunion
The Abrahamic Reunion (AR) is a team of spiritual, religious, academic, and cultural leaders from the Holy Land – Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Druze, Samaritan, Bedouin men, women, and youth – who build peace in Israel and Palestine through education, encounter, dialogue, and interfaith/intercultural undertanding.
Report prepared by Chris Miller, AR Executive Administrator, with quotes from the Adsaa Press Article written December 16, 2021: عقد المؤتمر السامري الأول بنابلس بحضور رفيع من شخصيات وفعاليات رسمية ودينية وجماهيرية, accessed on 6.1.2022; and written materials provided by Dr. Jacob Cohen of the Samaritan Legends Association. Info: chris@abrahamicreunion.org
The Samaritan Legends Association is based in Mt. Grizim, Palestinian West Bank.
Photos: Dua Al-Masry and Majda Toukhy, Samaritan Legends Association, and AR.
AR Contacts:
International Director: Sheikh Ghassan Manasra, ghassan@abrahamicreunion.org
Holy Land (Israel, Palestine): holyland@abrahamicreunion.org
Palestinian Director: Mohamad Jamous, mohamad@abrahamicreunion.org
Israeli Director: Abed Manasra, abed@abrahamicreunion.org
AR USA: info@abrahamicreunion.org
The AR is registered as a 501c3 Nonprofit Organization in the United States, as an Amutah (NonProfit) in Israel, as a Charitable Trust in the UK, and as a Charity in Germany.
