The high priest of the Israelite Samaritans, Shalom b. Amram b. Yitzhaq, 82, passed away in Sheba Hospital, Tel Hashomer, on Monday, February 9, 2004, the nineteenth day of the Eleventh Month, after a very hard illness. Priest Shalom entered office in May 23, 2001 after the demise of High Priest Libi b. Abisha. The deceased carried out his duties faithfully and conducted the central ceremonies as well as the personal ones of the community.

High Priest Shalom b. Amram was brought up in the Samaritan tradition from early youth by his predecessors of the priestly family. He was born in January 13, 1922 in Nablus/Samaria, and applied himself from an early age to practicing the Samaritan tradition. He devoted most of his time to his community, was unassuming, was always a lover of peace and was much beloved by the members of his community. The late High Priest served his community as a teacher of Samaritan tradition to the younger generation, as the community ritual slaughterer- the Schochet, and as a central cantor with a strong and melodious voice. He is survived by one son, two daughters and grandchildren.

Around January 1996, when the election for the Palestinian Authority took place, Priest Shalom was among the three Samaritan candidates for the seat in the Palestinian Council reserved for the Samaritans, according to the decree of Chairman Arafat, who holds the Samaritan community in great esteem despite the small number of its members. Thousands of Palestinians gave him their support and he was elected to this special position. He represented his community faithfully and assisted many of its members through his connections with high officials in the Authority, particularly with Chairman Arafat who considered him a personal friend. On his 80th birthday, in 2002, the President of the State of Israel, Mr. Moshe Katzav, threw him a special birthday party in the presidential residence in Jerusalem. All of the high-ranking officials in Nablus were his closest friends. Thousands of mourners came from Judea and Samaria to his home on Mount Gerizim during the seven days of mourning to extend their sympathy to the community. On Tuesday 10.2.04, the Nablus Municipality opened a special mourning hall for a three-day duration, to be open three hours every day to many thousands of visitors who came to pay their respects.

Since 1624 A.D. Samaritan High Priesthood is usually determined according to age. The oldest priest in the priestly family becomes the High Priest, whose residence is on the Mountain of Blessing. This system of election leaves no place to personal competition on this position among the priestly family of the Samaritans that holding the claim that the High Priest elected from heaven.

High Priest Shalom fell gravely ill last year with a cancer disease from which he did not recover. Last weekend he was rushed into Sheba hospital where his death was pronounced on Monday, February 9, 2004. At the same day at 3 p.m., he was brought to burial in the cemetery of Kiriat Luza on Mount Gerizim. Hundreds of friends and acquaintances accompanied him for the last time. The Palestinian Governor of Nablus mourned him with warm words of appreciation. The Israeli governor of Nablus, lieutenant colonel Raid Fares was also present. The President of the State of Israel, the Israeli Prime Minister, the Chairman of the Palestinian Authority, the Israeli Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister and the Chairman of the Palestinian Legislative Council sent telegrams extending their deepest sympathy to the new High Priest. Hundreds of calls and condolence messages were received at the Chambers of the new High Priest and at the A.B. - Institute of Samaritan Studies from people from all walks of life and from friends abroad. Dozens of dignitaries from Nablus sent condolence gifts to the family of the deceased.

The late High Priest was succeeded by his cousin, the 77 years old priest Elazar b. Tsedaka b. Yitzhaq. The new High priest is a prominent scholar in the community, a poet, and an expert in the calculation of the Samaritan yearly calendar. He was born in Nablus/Samaria in 1927. He had been a high school teacher of mathematics for many years in Nablus and after his retirement devoted himself to matters of the priesthood, literature and research. High Priest Elazar participated in research delegations on Samaritan manuscripts in St. Petersburg in 1991 and in political issues to Washington D.C. in 1995. He regularly contributes to the A.B. Samaritan News bi-weekly and is also known in the sphere of Samaritan research. In 2000 he lectured in the fifth Congress for Samaritan Studies in Helsinki, Finland.

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