The Samaritans

The Samaritansare the remnant of the Ancient Samaritans northern kingdom of Israel, descendants of the tribes Joseph, Menashe, and Levi, who have remained in Samaria and survived the Assyrian exile in the years 721-722 BCE.

Samaritans claim they are Israelite descendants of the Northern Israelite tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, who survived the destruction of the Kingdom of Israel (Samaria) by the Assyrians in 722 BCE.

By 1919, there were only 141 Samaritans left. Today they number more than 800, with half living in Holon and the other half on the mountain. They're one of the world's oldest and smallest religious groups.