The timeline of Jewish history in South Carolina is both rich and enduring, with Charleston playing a pivotal role in its development. Beginning in the late 1600s, Jewish settlers in South Carolina were drawn by the state’s commitment to religious freedom, as outlined in the 1669 Carolina Colony charter. These early Jewish communities were primarily Sephardic Jews who had immigrated from London and the Netherlands, but were quickly followed by Ashkenazi German Jews emigrating to America.
The earliest recorded Jew in Charleston dates back to 1695, when a Jewish interpreter translated Spanish-speaking Yamasee for Governor John Archdale. By 1749, the Jewish community had grown sufficiently to establish the synagogue Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim (KKBE), marking the formal organization of Jewish life in the city. Throughout the 18th and early 19th centuries, Charleston’s Jewish population expanded, making it the largest Jewish community in North America until around 1830.
The Oldest Synagogue in the South
Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim holds a distinguished place in South Carolina’s Jewish history. Founded in 1749 by Sephardic Jews from London, it is recognized as the oldest synagogue in the South and the second oldest Jewish congregation in the United States. The original synagogue, completed in 1794, was described as “spacious and elegant” but was destroyed in the great Charleston fire of 1838. The current Greek Revival building, dedicated in 1841, remains in use to this day.
KKBE is also notable as the birthplace of Reform Judaism in America. In 1824, a group within the congregation sought to modernize Jewish worship practices, leading to the establishment of the Reformed Society of Israelites. This movement introduced changes such as the use of an organ during services, a practice that was revolutionary at the time.
The congregation has been associated with several notable people and contributors like Isaac Harby, a prominent educator, playwright and journalist, who was instrumental in the early Reform movement. Additionally, the poet Penina Moises, businessman and parnas Moses Cohen Mordecai, and congressman Francis Salvador were influential in politics and the arts.
Gaining a Better Understanding
To better understand Jewish history in the South, particularly during World War II, literature like Jane Rosenthal’s The Serpent Bearer can help, as it portrays the complexities and challenges faced by Southern Jews during this tumultuous period. Set against the backdrop of a small Jewish community in South Carolina during WWII, her novel intertwines the lives of a Jewish gambler, British aristocrat, and Hollywood screenwriter. Part spy thriller, romance, and drama — it brings lesser-known Southern Jewish history to life.