Image Details
Photo by Reinhard Pummer
The celebration of the High Holy Days begins on the eve of the first day of the seventh month, the Samaritan “new year’s day,” as does the Jewish equivalent, Rosh Hashanah. The Samaritan priest puts on a prayer shawl, brings out the Torah scroll in its silver case from behind the curtain, lifts the scroll above his head several times (shown here, compare with next photo) and waves it in all directions to bless the assembly. In contrast to the Jewish Torah scroll cases, which have two parts, the Samaritan Torah scroll case consists of three parts. The congregation stands or sits on the floor, as called for by the liturgy; the synagogue has no pews or other seats.