bagel brochure
DESCRIPTION
Brochure for Jewish history exhibitTRANSCRIPT
Bagels & Grits allows a glimpse into the traditions and experience of Jewish life in the South. We present an exhibition in two parts. The first
showcases Bill Aron’s photojournalistic exploration of Jewish communities Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana. The second component takes a closer look at South Carolina, particularly the Upstate. The Upstate has its own unique history, dating back to 1794. Together these weave the story of
specific to the Southern Jewish experience.
PART 1) Bagels & GritsExploring Jewish Life in the Deep SouthExplore Bill Aron’s photojournalistic essay filled with a diverse mixture of local and regional archives to showcase Jewish life in the Deep South. These professional photographs and the stories behind them exploring
(conT.) communities, sacred spaces, workplaces and the changing face of Southern Jewish culture. “I'm very interested in the plurality of Judaism. There's more than one way to be Jewish." –Bill Aron
Bill Aron began his photography career with the book From the Corners of the Earth, a collection of photographs chronicling Jewish communities from around the world. Shalom Y’all: Images of Jewish Life in the American South was published in 2002, from which many of this exhibit’s photographs have been reproduced. His photographs have been exhibited in major museums and galleries throughout the United States, Europe and Israel.
PART 2) A Brief Introduction to South Carolina Jewish LifeThe historic significance of Charleston in American and world-wide Judaism is well documented. Residents may be surprised to learn that the Jewish, presence in the state dates back to 1697. South Carolina Jews fought in the Revolutionary, Civil and World Wars and served as major civic and business leaders. While Charleston Jews primarily were Sephardic- fleeing from Spain and Portugal, the Upstate population traveled mainly from Poland, Russia and Eastern Europe. Many of the Upstate artifacts in the exhibit have never been on public display. This collection allows residents a unique look inside the story of Jewish lifein South Carolina.
SecTion 1) SAcRed SPAceS A space is made sacred by the people who come there. It is a place of connection,
of celebration, of marking life cycles, and above all, a place to feel at home.SecTion 2) communiTy
Because of their small numbers, Jews are connected by family and social networks that extend throughout the region, a phenomenon understood by most as "Jewish
Geography.”SecTion 3) WoRkPlAce
Jews have had a long and proud tradition as southern merchants, but they have also become farmers, artists, engineers, doctors, lawyers, educators, scrap metal
dealers, journalists and much more.SecTion 4) chAnging FAceS
Talk to Southern Jews today and you hear about change. The story of southern Jewish experience is not ending; it's just another chapter.
SecTion 5) ViRTuAl STATionVisit our Virtual Station and experience Yiddish vocabulary, Jewish history, further
reading and oral histories including those of Max and Trudy Heller.
4
3
1
1
2
5
1669
Joh
n Lo
cke
writ
es S
C c
hart
er fo
r rel
igio
us
free
dom
. 16
97 F
irst J
ewis
h se
ttle
r in
Sout
h C
arol
ina
1749
Kah
al K
ados
h Be
th E
lohi
m fo
unde
d in
C
harle
ston
.
1775
Firs
t pro
fess
ing
Jew
to h
old
publ
ic o
ffice
in
SC a
nd n
atio
nally
.
1755
Sal
vado
rs b
ecom
e on
e of
the
larg
est l
and
owne
rs in
the
stat
e w
ith 10
0,00
0 ac
res
in th
e SC
pi
edm
ont,
whi
ch b
ecom
es k
now
n as
Jew
s la
nd.
1749
Firs
t Jew
ish
resi
dent
in G
reen
ville
Cou
nty
1800
-185
0 H
ebre
w s
choo
ls b
egin
to b
e es
tabl
ishe
d th
roug
hout
Sou
th C
arol
ina.
1802
Firs
t Jew
ish
adop
tion
agen
cy a
nd
orph
anag
e in
the
natio
n is
inco
rpor
ated
in
Cha
rlest
on.
1820
SC
is h
ome
to th
e la
rges
t Jew
ish
popu
latio
n in
the
natio
n.
1824
Issa
c H
arby
and
col
legu
es p
etiti
on fo
r Re
form
Jud
aism
. Har
by w
rites
the
Refo
rm
Pray
erbo
ok.
1825
Mor
deca
i Coh
en b
ecom
es o
ne o
f the
w
ealth
iest
men
in S
C.
1833
Firs
t boo
k pu
blis
hed
by J
ewis
h w
oman
in
the
natio
n w
as P
enin
a M
oise
's Fa
ncy'
s Sk
etch
Bo
ok.
1853
Cha
rlest
on n
ativ
e, S
olom
on C
arva
lho
is
hire
d as
pho
togr
aphe
r on
win
ter e
xped
ition
th
roug
h th
e Ro
ckie
s. H
is d
iary
and
imag
es b
ecom
e th
e on
ly re
cord
ed a
ccou
nt o
f the
trek
.
1861
Isaa
c H
irsch
and
Abr
aham
Issa
cs jo
in th
e es
teem
ed B
utle
r Gua
rd fo
r the
Civ
il W
ar.
1862
Gen
eral
Gra
nt is
sues
Gen
eral
Ord
er N
o.11
or
ders
all
Jew
s ex
pelle
d fr
om p
arts
of K
Y,TN
and
M
S.
1863
KK
Beth
Elo
him
vot
es to
bec
ome
the
first
Re
form
Jud
aic
cong
rega
tion
in th
e na
tion.
1869
Hym
an E
ndel
arr
ives
in G
reen
ville
to o
pen
one
of th
e fir
st a
nd m
ost s
ucce
ssfu
l clo
thie
rs.
1887
Rot
hsch
ild s
ecur
es c
ontr
act t
o pr
ovid
e un
iform
s fo
r Gre
envi
lle p
olic
e.
1901
Firs
t Jew
ish
wom
an g
radu
ates
from
MU
SC.
1908
Sol
Kin
goff
open
s M
anha
ttan
Paw
n Sh
op.
1912
Gre
envi
lle's
Ort
hodo
x sy
nago
gue,
Bet
h Is
rael
, hi
res
Rabb
i Zag
lin.
1916
Tem
ple
B'na
i Isr
ael i
s es
tabl
ishe
d in
Sp
arta
nbur
g.
1920
s Ki
ngoff
bro
ther
s bu
ild je
wle
ry e
mpi
re w
ith
28 s
tore
s ac
ross
the
Sout
h.
1921
Kau
fman
bro
ther
s es
tabl
ish
Gre
envi
lle's
first
ju
nkya
rd a
nd a
uto
serv
ice.
1928
Vic
tor D
avis
est
ablis
hes
Dav
is B
atte
ry
Elec
tric
Co.
nex
t to
the
Kauf
man
's ga
rage
.
1929
Gre
envi
lle's
Refo
rm s
ynag
ogue
, Tem
ple
of
Isra
el, i
s de
dica
ted
in a
gra
nd tw
o-da
y ce
rem
ony.
1948
And
erso
n's
syna
gogu
e, T
empl
e B'
Nai
Isra
el
is c
ompl
eted
.
1960
Tes
zler
's es
tabl
ish
Butt
e Kn
ittin
g M
ill in
Sp
artn
abur
g w
hich
bec
omes
the
first
yar
n-to
-dr
ess
prod
uctio
n in
the
wor
ld.
1971
Max
Hel
ler i
s el
ecte
d as
Gre
envi
lle's
may
or.
Visit the South Carolina Room. Our trained researchers can help you to find ancestry and local history while also offering guidance in handling your own heirloom documents. Call 527-9261 or stop by the Hughes Main Library to learn more.
Find your own
A Portion of the People: Three Hundred Years of Southern Jewish Life
Be sure to check out this comprehensive volume that chronicles the complexities of Jewish life in South Carolina, a state that, in the early 1800’s had the largest Jewish population in the country. The book features excerpts from journals and letters, documents such as mortgages and marriage contracts, and recollections distilled from hundreds of oral histories. Check it out or pick up a copy of
your own from the Friends Shop!
1669
Joh
n Lo
cke
writ
es S
C c
hart
er fo
r rel
igio
us
free
dom
. 16
97 F
irst J
ewis
h se
ttle
r in
Sout
h C
arol
ina
1749
Kah
al K
ados
h Be
th E
lohi
m fo
unde
d in
C
harle
ston
.
1775
Firs
t pro
fess
ing
Jew
to h
old
publ
ic o
ffice
in
SC a
nd n
atio
nally
.
1755
Sal
vado
rs b
ecom
e on
e of
the
larg
est l
and
owne
rs in
the
stat
e w
ith 10
0,00
0 ac
res
in th
e SC
pi
edm
ont,
whi
ch b
ecom
es k
now
n as
Jew
s la
nd.
1749
Firs
t Jew
ish
resi
dent
in G
reen
ville
Cou
nty
1800
-185
0 H
ebre
w s
choo
ls b
egin
to b
e es
tabl
ishe
d th
roug
hout
Sou
th C
arol
ina.
1802
Firs
t Jew
ish
adop
tion
agen
cy a
nd
orph
anag
e in
the
natio
n is
inco
rpor
ated
in
Cha
rlest
on.
1820
SC
is h
ome
to th
e la
rges
t Jew
ish
popu
latio
n in
the
natio
n.
1824
Issa
c H
arby
and
col
legu
es p
etiti
on fo
r Re
form
Jud
aism
. Har
by w
rites
the
Refo
rm
Pray
erbo
ok.
1825
Mor
deca
i Coh
en b
ecom
es o
ne o
f the
w
ealth
iest
men
in S
C.
1833
Firs
t boo
k pu
blis
hed
by J
ewis
h w
oman
in
the
natio
n w
as P
enin
a M
oise
's Fa
ncy'
s Sk
etch
Bo
ok.
1853
Cha
rlest
on n
ativ
e, S
olom
on C
arva
lho
is
hire
d as
pho
togr
aphe
r on
win
ter e
xped
ition
th
roug
h th
e Ro
ckie
s. H
is d
iary
and
imag
es b
ecom
e th
e on
ly re
cord
ed a
ccou
nt o
f the
trek
.
1861
Isaa
c H
irsch
and
Abr
aham
Issa
cs jo
in th
e es
teem
ed B
utle
r Gua
rd fo
r the
Civ
il W
ar.
1862
Gen
eral
Gra
nt is
sues
Gen
eral
Ord
er N
o.11
or
ders
all
Jew
s ex
pelle
d fr
om p
arts
of K
Y,TN
and
M
S.
1863
KK
Beth
Elo
him
vot
es to
bec
ome
the
first
Re
form
Jud
aic
cong
rega
tion
in th
e na
tion.
1869
Hym
an E
ndel
arr
ives
in G
reen
ville
to o
pen
one
of th
e fir
st a
nd m
ost s
ucce
ssfu
l clo
thie
rs.
1887
Rot
hsch
ild s
ecur
es c
ontr
act t
o pr
ovid
e un
iform
s fo
r Gre
envi
lle p
olic
e.
1901
Firs
t Jew
ish
wom
an g
radu
ates
from
MU
SC.
1908
Sol
Kin
goff
open
s M
anha
ttan
Paw
n Sh
op.
1912
Gre
envi
lle's
Ort
hodo
x sy
nago
gue,
Bet
h Is
rael
, hi
res
Rabb
i Zag
lin.
1916
Tem
ple
B'na
i Isr
ael i
s es
tabl
ishe
d in
Sp
arta
nbur
g.
1920
s Ki
ngoff
bro
ther
s bu
ild je
wle
ry e
mpi
re w
ith
28 s
tore
s ac
ross
the
Sout
h.
1921
Kau
fman
bro
ther
s es
tabl
ish
Gre
envi
lle's
first
ju
nkya
rd a
nd a
uto
serv
ice.
1928
Vic
tor D
avis
est
ablis
hes
Dav
is B
atte
ry
Elec
tric
Co.
nex
t to
the
Kauf
man
's ga
rage
.
1929
Gre
envi
lle's
Refo
rm s
ynag
ogue
, Tem
ple
of
Isra
el, i
s de
dica
ted
in a
gra
nd tw
o-da
y ce
rem
ony.
1948
And
erso
n's
syna
gogu
e, T
empl
e B'
Nai
Isra
el
is c
ompl
eted
.
1960
Tes
zler
's es
tabl
ish
Butt
e Kn
ittin
g M
ill in
Sp
artn
abur
g w
hich
bec
omes
the
first
yar
n-to
-dr
ess
prod
uctio
n in
the
wor
ld.
1971
Max
Hel
ler i
s el
ecte
d as
Gre
envi
lle's
may
or.
The history of Greenville’s Jewish community is a reflection of the Jewish experience in America as whole. South Carolina Jewish history really begins in 1669, when John Locke wrote the South Carolina charter welcoming Jews to the state with the promise of religious and economic freedom. Sephardic Jews came to Charleston, eventually
made their way to other parts of the state, including the Upstate. According to Rabbi Barnett Elzas, the first Upstate Jewish resident, Eleazar Elizar, arrived in 1794 and became postmaster of what was to become Greenville. There is evidence of antebellum Jewish settlement in surrounding areas, including nine Jewish families living in Spartanburg by 1878 and the Lesser family of Anderson, who came pre-Civil War from Prussia by way of New York.
By 1860, Greenville’s population was just over 1,800, with at least eight individuals with Jewish names. Two Jewish men, Abraham Isaacs and Isaac W. Hirsch, served in Greenville’s Butler’s Guards during the Civil War. Evidence of prominent Jewish citizens include Abraham Isaacs, whose accomplishments including a net worth of $30,000 in the 1860 and a promotion to lieutenant prior to the end of the war.
In the late 19th century, Jews ,escaping from Russia, began to emigrate to the US in large numbers. Some of these Eastern European Jews found their way to Greenville. Soon, families with Americanized surnames such as Kaufman, Bloom, Davis, Lurey, Switzer and Kingoff were moving into the area. The families ran a diverse mixture of business in Greenville, including service for the new automobile, clothing and department stores, jewelers and pawn brokers. More conservative than members of the Reform congregation, these Eastern European immigrants soon felt a need to establish a traditional
synagogue. Charles Zaglin of North Carolina was hired as rabbi for Beth Israel. He went on to establish a successful deli and butcher shop for the Jewish and non-Jewish community.
As a traditional congregation, they required a rabbinical influence to help with certifying food as kosher, performing bris and other rituals including religious holidays. In 1912, Also by the late 19th century, Greenville was transforming into a textile industry center in the South. The thriving business community was welcoming to local Jewish merchants. In 1869, Hyman Endel moved to Greenville. A merchant from Richmond, Virginia, Endel was very active in the local business community. He lived in a huge mansion at 329 North Main, which later became the location of the Ivey’s Department Store. Another Jewish Virginian, Manos Meyers, moved to Greenville in the early twentieth century, along with his brother, Alex. They opened the Meyers Arnold Department store in 1911. These merchants
were among the founding members of the Temple of Israel, a reform congregation. Their first synagogue, which was on Buist Avenue, was formally dedicated in a two day ceremony beginning on April 2, 1929. A convention was held at the Poinsett Hotel to celebrate the event.
For years, Jewish residents were forced to travel out of town and sometimes even out of state to secure a final resting place for their deceased relatives. Many traveled to Columbia, Charleston, Virginia, Maryland and New York to inter their loved ones in a Jewish plot. In the 1930’s the two synagogues worked together to provide a Jewish cemetery for their members. Negotiating with ####, the leaders were able to secure an official Jewish burial ground next to Graceland Cemetery on Whitehorse Road, named the ### cemetery.
Another wave of immigration of Jews into the United States came during World War II. Two of Greenville’s most prominent citizens, Max and Trude Heller, escaped Austria after the German invasion. Heller was sponsored to come to Greenville and was put in touch with Sheppard Saltzman, owner of the Piedmont Shirt Factory, who was very happy to employ the young man. Heller went on to build a successful business and eventually became mayor. Visit our virtual station for Max Heller’s oral history.