The seven Samaritans' delegation near the boat before the cruise in the port of Rotterdam

The delegation of the Samaritan Youth on Gerizim mountain [over Nablus/Samaria] has returned home at the beginning of October 2002 after 5 day visit to the Netherlands.

The youth delegation checks ancient Samaritan manuscripts in the library of the University of Leiden guided by Prof. Vitcum, the library director.

The delegation lead by Benyamim Tsedaka, co-editor of A.B. - The Samaritan and co-director of A.B. - Institute of Samaritan studies with Chairman of Mount Gerizim Samaritan Youth Club - Mr. Jacob Cohen, Deputy Chairman - Sami Altif, Treasurer - Mr. Avi Cohen, Sports - Mr. Avi Peleg, and Cultural Affairs - Ms. Badawiyyeh Cohen and Ms. Azizeh Altif had very important meetings in the Netherlands to promote their cultural and sport activities on the Gerizim Mountain. The delegation helped by Mr. Bonne Rook, local citizen, close friend of promoting Samaritan issues in the Netherlands [read his articles in the site] .

The youth delegation is visiting Mudaradam - a mini Holland exhibition near den Hague in the Netherlands.

The delegation met with Mr. W. Pijl and Mr. Ir. D. de Jong of the local government in den Hague and discussed the matters of their activities and finding financial help as well as cultural cooperation with local Jewish and Christian organizations. Mr. Pijl, an MP, has welcomed the delegation with a special speech after paying his full attention to the explaining words of Benyamim Tsedaka and Chairman Jacob Cohen about the Samaritan in general and their youth acticivities in particular.

Typical big houses in the Netherlands in mini Holland exhibition.

The Samaritan issue meant to be discussed by the local government financial commission at the second week of October 2002, but the sudden death of Prince Claus, Queen Beatrix's husband, has delayed any goverment activity and meetings for at least two weeks.

The youth delegation has paid very interesting visit to the Jewish Conservative synagogue in den Hague/Netherlands.

After the meeting, Mr. Pijl and Mr. de Jong invited the 7 Samaritans and their host Mr. Rook to raise a toast to the new contact between den Hague and the Samaritans. Later they invited all members of the deligation to a fabulous dinner in fish restaurant in the city.

The delegation with host de Jong [second left] in the entrance to the local government in den Hague.

This event was one of many highlights of the first visit of Samaritan Youth Club exsecutive to the Netherlans. The most memorable moment was a visit to the University of Leiden library, where Prof. Vitcum has showed the Samaritan visitors the five ancient Samaritan manuscripts. The first had been sold by the Samaritans to Europeans at the end of the 16th century and the begining of the 17th century. The most important ones in this collection is a Torah Codex written by the writer Ab-Kawwiti in the Year 751H. [=1350 A.D.] and the chronicle" Book of Jashua", written by unknown scribe in the 15th century A.D. and bought from the Samaritans in Egypt in 1584 by the scholar J, Scaliger. The Samaritan youth were very excited to read the manuscripts and asked for photocopies of the most iimportant testimonies in it.

The delegation with MP W. Pijl [standing at the middle] and Mr. de Jong [sitting first left] representative of the den Hague local government. Standing: Right-Avi Cohen, Benny Tsedaka, W. Pijl, Azizeh Altif and Badawiyyeh Cohen. Kneeling: Right- Avi Peleg, Sami Altif, Jacob Cohen and D. de Jong.

The delegation has rented a very comfortable 9 seater Mercedes van to tour the Netherlands. They received a very warm welcome in the main Jewish Conservative synagogue in Den Hague; enjoyed a cruise in Rotterdam, the main port in the Netherlands; paid an exciting visit to Madam Tussot's in Amsterdam; learned a lot from a very warm hospitality in Urk, a spectacular fishing village in the middle of the country on the Atlantic ocean; and were very happy to visit the Mudaradam, mini Holland exhibition very nearden Hague. They spent the last night before returning home in a dinner arranged by their hosts Mrs. Ninie and Bonne Rook in their very comfortable big house in Marknesse town.

The Youth delegation with host B. Rook and Dr. I. Hjelm resting by the gate of one of the beautiful houses in Urk, fishermen village.

During the last two days has joined the delegation Dr. Ingrid Hjelm, Samaritanologist in the University of Copenhagen, History of religions department [see her article about Shechen and Shilo in the site] . The Samaritan members have enjoyed talks with her and learned much from her.

The Atlantic ocean as viewed from Urk beach.

Many Samaritans from Holon and Gerizim came to the reception area at the terminal of Ben Gurion airport to greet the delegation when they landed in Israel early Friday, October 4, 2002, at 1 A.M.

The heads of the Samaritan delegation, Benyamim Tsedaka - left - and Jacob Cohen, are raising a toast of red wine with MP. W. Pijl.

The Executive of the youth club on Mount Gerizim will continue to create contacts with European youth club in number of countries. The next target is Geneva/Switzerland at the middle of December 2002. The Samaritan Youth Club in Kiriat Luza/Mount Gerizim is very active and organize a great number of activities for its 120 members on the ages 25-58 males and females. It should be remarked that for the first time two young women have participated in a Samaritan delegation abroad.

The delegation has ended the tour with dinner in the house of Rook family their hosts.