Columbia Jewish Heritage Initiative
Columbia Jewish Heritage Initiative
Since 2014, Historic Columbia has partnered with the Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina, the College of Charleston’s Jewish Heritage Collection, the Katie & Irwin Kahn Jewish Community Center, the Columbia Jewish Federation, and Richland Library to document, celebrate, and increase awareness of local Jewish history, heritage, and culture.
News
At the Columbia City Council meeting on May 16, 2023, Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann proclaimed May as Jewish American Heritage Month. Thank you to the City of Columbia for celebrating the foundational contributions of Jewish Columbians to the fabric of our city, state, and nation. Representatives from Historic Columbia and the Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina were present to receive the proclamation.
Collaborations
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Kugels & Collards
Visit our blog, created by CJHI committee members Rachel Barnett and Lyssa Harvey, which explores Jewish heritage through food.
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Jewish Merchants Project
CJHI is working with the Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina to document Jewish merchants, past and present, across South Carolina.
Explore the new
Kugels & Collards Cookbook
Where people go, so goes their food. In Kugels & Collards: Stories of Food, Family, and Tradition in Jewish South Carolina, Rachel Gordin Barnett and Lyssa Kligman Harvey celebrate the unique and diverse food history of Jewish South Carolina. They gather stories and recipes from diverse Jewish sources and explore how cherished dishes were influenced by available ingredients and complemented by African American and regional culinary traditions. These stories are a vital part of the South's "Jewish geography" and foodways, stretching across state lines to shape southern culture.
Tours
Historic Columbia offers guided walking tours of Main Street that highlight Columbia’s Jewish heritage and a free online tour with additional photographs and videos.
Oral History Program
Historic Columbia staff and CJHI committee members, in partnership with the College of Charleston's Jewish Heritage Collection, have recorded more than 50 oral histories with members of Columbia's Jewish community.
Historic Markers
In December 2016 and January 2017, Historic Columbia installed historical markers at three sites with funding from the South Carolina Jewish Historical Society:
- Site of the House of Peace Synagogue
- Site of the Tree of Life Synagogue
- Beth Shalom Cemetery
Questions?
We’d love to hear from you! Contact Rebecca Woodruff, Research Coordinator, at (803) 252-1770 ext. 36 or rwoodruff@historiccolumbia.org.
