Claiming descent from members of the Ten Lost Tribes who never went into exile, the Samaritans have lived in the Land of Israel since the Second Temple era. The sect has its own ancient customs, outside the rabbinic traditions that shaped mainstream Judaism. These are especially visible during Sukkot, when the Samaritans too construct and spend their time in temporary structures (sukkahs) but, as Guy Polat explains, do not cover them with branches and leaves—instead using “countless pieces of brightly colored fruit.”

These [fruits] are part of the holiday ritual itself, and they are not just there for decoration—touching them is forbidden, because they are considered sacred.

Over the centuries the Samaritan community was the target of persecutions under the Byzantines and Ottomans, which drove down their numbers. The colorful sukkahs with their fruit ceilings were a common target of harassment by locals. In order to prevent vandalism against their sukkahs, the Samaritans established the custom of placing the sukkah inside the home—indeed, right in the middle of the living room.

This doesn’t mean the sukkahs are hidden from view today—quite the contrary. [A] Samaritan . . . custom associated with Sukkot entails inviting guests to open houses—meaning that anyone who wants to come and see these ceremonial and colorful sukkahs is welcome. As a result, each sukkah typically hosts many visitors over the holiday, and not just from among the Samaritan community.

Some striking photographs can be found at the link below.

Between December 27 and January 6, terrorists in Gaza fired rockets at Israel almost every night. On Monday, one rocket struck a home in the much-bombarded town of Sderot, although no one was injured. The rocket fire had largely halted last spring, and for some time barrages were often the result of Israeli forces closing in a Hamas unit or munitions depot. But the truth—which gives credence to Ran Baratz’s argument in his January essay that the IDF is struggling to accomplish its mission—is that Hamas has been able to rebuild. Yoni Ben Menachem writes that the jihadist group has been “producing hundreds of new rockets using lathes smuggled into tunnels that remain operational in Gaza.” Moreover, it has been replenishing its ranks:

According to Israeli security officials, Hamas has recruited approximately 4,000 new fighters over the past month. This rapid expansion bolsters its fighting capabilities and complicates Israel’s efforts to apply military pressure on Hamas to expedite a hostage deal. Hamas’s military recovery has allowed it to prolong its war of attrition against the IDF and adopt tougher stances in hostage negotiations. The funds for this recruitment effort are reportedly from the sale of humanitarian-aid packages, which Hamas forcibly seizes and resells in Gaza’s markets.

In fact, Ben Menachem writes, Hamas’s rocket fire is part of the same strategy:

By firing rockets, Hamas seeks to demonstrate its resilience and operational capability despite the IDF’s prolonged offensive. This message is aimed at both Gaza’s residents and the Israeli public, underscoring that Hamas remains a significant force even after enduring heavy losses [and] that Israel cannot easily occupy this region, currently a focal point of IDF operations.