Torah In The Tidelands: The Long History of The Jewish People In South Carolina
In this latest installment in our series on South Carolina History, we're exploring the impact the Jewish Community has had on the history of the Palmetto State.
When most people think of South Carolina’s history, images of Revolutionary heroes, antebellum plantations, and Civil War battlefields tend to come to mind. Rarely does Judaism—or the Jewish people—figure into that picture. But tucked quietly into the margins of our state’s story is a remarkable truth: from the very beginning, the people and faith of ancient Israel have played a formative role in shaping South Carolina. From the colonial charters that welcomed “Jews and other dissenters” to the founding of one of America’s oldest synagogues right in Charleston, Jewish South Carolinians have left a deep and enduring mark. Their story may not be the loudest in the room, but it is one of resilience, innovation, patriotism, and quiet transformation. Let’s talk about it.
The first Jews to arrive in what would become South Carolina came in the late 1600s, drawn by promises of religious freedom and opportunity. The colony’s original charter, co-written by English philosopher John Locke, astonishingly guaranteed liberty of conscience to "Jews, heathens, and dissenters," making it a rare safe haven for the era. Charleston, in particular, gained a reputation for religious tolerance and became home to one of the earliest Jewish communities in North America. By 1749, enough families had settled to formally charter Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim, the first synagogues in the colony. Founded by Sephardic Jews like Joseph Tobias and Isaac Da Costa, congregation established a Jewish cemetery on Coming Street that still exists today.
In the years leading up to the American Revolution, Charleston’s Jewish population became the largest in the colonies. Jewish merchants, including Moses Lindo, played key roles in the local economy, helping to build South Carolina’s indigo industry. When war came, Jews rallied to the Patriot cause. Francis Salvador, an English-born Jew living in the upcountry, became the first Jew to hold elected office in America and the first to die in the American Revolution. Charleston’s "Jew Company," a militia unit composed largely of Jewish volunteers, reflected the Jewish community's commitment to the new Republic.
After independence, South Carolina’s Jews built some of the first charitable institutions in the country. The Hebrew Benevolent Society was founded in 1784 to help the poor and sick, followed by the Hebrew Orphan Society in 1801. Charleston remained the States center of Jewish life, with around 500 Jewish residents by 1800—a fifth of the entire U.S. Jewish population at the time. Some Jewish South Carolinians, like many of their Christian peers, became wealthy plantation owners. Others focused on trade and business, integrating into civic and political life while maintaining strong communal bonds.
By the 1820s, Charleston Jews made up about 5% of the city’s white population. In 1824, a group of progressive members of Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim, led by Isaac Harby, formed the Reformed Society of Israelites and began holding services in English—marking the birth of Reform Judaism in America. The movement took root when Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim was rebuilt after a fire in 1840 and introduced organ music and other reforms. The more traditional members split off to form Shearit Israel, an Orthodox Jewish congregation. Charleston Poet Penina Moïse, a member of Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim, composed what is considered the first Jewish hymnal published in America.
When the Civil War broke out, South Carolina’s Jews fought and sacrificed alongside their neighbors. Jewish women played prominent roles in Confederate hospitals and memorial efforts. Judah P. Benjamin, a former resident of Charleston, was the first Jew to be elected to the US Senate without first renouncing his faith. He also became Attorney General, Secretary of War and Secretary of State of the Confederate States Government during the Civil War. After the War, Benjamin fled to England. In the postwar Reconstruction era, Franklin J. Moses Jr. became one of the first Jewish governors in U.S. history, though his tenure was mired with corruption and crime.
The late 1800s brought a wave of Eastern European Jewish immigrants, many of whom settled in Charleston’s "Little Jerusalem" along upper King Street. They founded Brith Sholom Beth Israel, the city’s main Orthodox synagogue. Beyond Charleston, communities sprang up in Columbia, Sumter, Beaufort, Florence, and Greenville. Columbia saw the formation of the Hebrew Benevolent Society (1826), House of Peace, and Tree of Life. Sumter’s Temple Sinai, built in 1913, remains a stunning Moorish Revival landmark that reflects the optimism of South Carolina’s small-town Jews at the turn of the century.
In the 20th century, South Carolina Jews faced subtle forms of antisemitism, but they also thrived. Charleston Native Sarah Visanska was the founder and first President of the Charleston Chapter of The National Council of Jewish Women. Jewish South Carolinians served in both World Wars and began establishing themselves throughout the State. New Conservative congregations like Emanu-El in Charleston and Beth Shalom in Columbia emerged to serve a middle path between Reform and Orthodox traditions.
As the century progressed, small-town Jewish communities declined, but City-based ones grew stronger. Myrtle Beach welcomed Chabad, and Hilton Head’s Temple Beth Yam formed in 1985. Political leaders like Solomon Blatt of Blackville, longtime Speaker of the South Carolina House, and financier Bernard Baruch of Camden made lasting marks on state and national life. The Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina, founded in 1994, began preserving and sharing this remarkable heritage. Historic synagogues like Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim and Temple Sinai now serve not only as houses of worship but as monuments to the long Jewish Legacy in the State.
Today, Jewish South Carolinians still participate in the civic and religious life of the State. Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim is a National Historic Landmark and one of the oldest synagogues in the country still in use. Jews hold office across City and County Councils and even in the State legislature. The Temple Sinai Jewish History Center educates visitors about the Jewish experience in the Palmetto State. From indigo merchants and Revolutionary patriots to hymn writers, governors, and civic leaders, the Jewish community of South Carolina has helped shape the state’s history in quiet but powerful ways.
Interesting! The slave trade attracted a significant number of New England Yankees to South Carolina as well.