Columbia Jewish Heritage Initiative
Description
From 2014-2017, Historic Columbia partnered with the College of Charleston’s Jewish Heritage Collection, the Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina, 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. Working with a local steering committee, Historic Columbia staff documented the memories of approximately 50 former and current Jewish residents, scanned hundreds of photographs, and created a 34-site walking tour that is now available online in an expanded format.
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
Since 2017, the Columbia Jewish Heritage Initiative has served as the platform for the launch of two major projects: the Jewish Merchant Project and the 2023 book Kugels and Collards: Preserving and Sharing Stories of Food, Family, and Tradition in Jewish South Carolina.
In Partnership With
Project Deliverables
Oral Histories
Historical Markers
Research Team
Reach Out to the Research Team
Historic Columbia supports all members of our community through project-based partnerships with tangible deliverables. Have an idea but not sure what comes next? Get in touch with a member of our team today!