International Jewish Cemetery Project
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Boundless thanks to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for all of her help with all of South Carolina! Please see Charleston Synagogues and Temples for contact their information and history and photos links. [April 2009]

 

REFERENCES:

See Miscellaneous file in AJA. American Jewish Archives, 3101 Clifton Ave. Cincinnati, Ohio 45220-2488. 513-221-1875 (tel); 513-221-7812 (fax).

Index of the Jewish Cemeteries of South Carolina as of 1910 compiled by Barnett A. Elzas. Charleston, SC, 1911. Source: Julian H. PreislerThe Old Jewish Cemeteries at Charleston, S. C. A transcript of the inscriptions on their tombstones. 1762-1903. With an introduction and full index by Dr. Barnett Abraham Elzas; Charleston, The Daggett Printing Company, 1903. F279.C4 E5 / SC-1760 and Microfilm No. 3002.

The Jewish Cemeteries of Congregation Berith Shalome at Charleston, S.C. compiled by Barnett A. Elzas. 1910; F279.C4 E4

Index of the Jewish Cemeteries of South Carolina as of 1910 compiled by Barnett A. Elzas. Charleston, SC, 1911. See Miscellaneous file.

 

CEMETERIES:

The following are administered by Brith Sholom - Beth Israel Synagogue: Brith Sholom Beth Israel Synagogue (BSBI) Orthodox synagogue, 182 Rutledge Ave, Charleston, SC 29403. 843.577.6599. One of the oldest Orthodox Shuls in the South and one of the oldest Ashekenazic congregations in America. History.

  • Beth Israel Magnolia Cemetery: on Pershing St and Huguenin. web information. [May 2013]
  • Brith Sholom Magnolia Cemetery: Brith Sholom Magnolia Cemetery on Pershing Street off of Huguenin Street Charleston, SC 29403. Founded 1856. April 2010. JHSSC burial list information [May 2011]
  • BS-BI Cemetery Maryville: Sycamore Street Charleton, SC 29407. see Brith Sholom Magnolia Cemetery indexed on JHSSC information/burials for Brith Sholom-Beth Israel, Maryville. [April 2010]
  • Mt Pleasant Memorial Gardens Jewish Section - part of J Henry Stuhr Funeral Home Cemetery: New in 2013. Home Mt Pleasant can be considered Charleston although it is a separate city/town
The following is administered by Synagogue Emanu-El: Synagogue Emanu-El, Five Windsor Drive, Charleston, SC 29407. 843-571-3264. Conservative. website.

The following are administered by Kahal Kodesh Beth Elohim Synagogue: KK Beth Elohim Congregation at 86 Hasell St., Charleston, SC 29401, 843-723-1090. (Reformed)

  • Coming Street Jewish Cemetery:
The Coming Street Cemetery, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is located at 189 Coming Street in Charleston.  The original congregational cemetery ground was purchased by KKBE in 1764 from the DaCosta family, congregants of the synagogue. There are believed to be over 800 burials in the cemetery and at this time over 500 graves have been identified.  It is the oldest and largest colonial Jewish cemetery in the South.  The oldest identified grave is that of Moses D. Cohen, the first religious leader of KKBE who died in 1762 and was buried while the cemetery was still the DaCosta family plot.

The cemetery is divided into 3 "sections," the original grounds purchased from the DaCosta family, the Shearith Israel section which was developed in 1841 by the newly formed Orthodox congregation, and the Lopez family plot purchased to accommodate the burial of David Lopez's wife, Catherine Hinton Lopez, who was not Jewish at the time of her death.

Those interred in Coming St Cemetery reflect the history and culture of both the Jewish population of Charleston and that of the city of Charleston.  Included in the list of notable Jews of the community buried in the cemetery are Joshua Lazarus, who brought gas lighting to Charleston, Dr. Columbus DaVega who designed and built the first floating hospital ship used during the Civil War, Michael Lazarus who brought steamship navigation to the Savannah River and Penina Moise, the first published Jewish poetess in the United States.  There are also a number of graves of war veterans  from the American Revolution, the War of 1812 and the Civil War.

Future burials in the cemetery are limited to descendants of those buried there.  Present day burials for KKBE are in the Huguenin Avenue Cemetery. Ground for this cemetery was purchased by KKBE in 1887.

KKBE continues to be the overseer and administrator of the Coming Street Cemetery.  The cemetery is gated and locked and can only be toured when accompanied by a formal guide.  For tours please call the Temple office at 843-723-1090.  www.kkbe.org [January 2016]
  • DaCostaHarby, and Tobias family cemeteries no longer exist. See DaCosta, Harby, and Tobias Family Cemeteries [April 2009]
  • Harby Burial Ground: Administered by Kahal Kodesh Beth Elohim Cemetery. website for Harby Burial Ground [April 2009]
  • Various materials pertaining to the Harby Burial Ground and the stones removed to Kahal Kodesh Beth Elohim Cemetery in 1950. Source: Index of the Jewish Cemeteries of South Carolina as of 1910 compiled by Barnett A. Elzas, Charleston, SC, 1911 in Miscellaneous correspondence, 1868-1952 in AJA. American Jewish Archives, 3101 Clifton Ave. Cincinnati, Ohio 45220-2488. 513-221-1875 (tel); 513-221-7812 (fax).
  • Hanover Street Cemetery: inactive and unused. Private burying ground of the Moses family from Sumter, SC. Administered by Kahal Kodesh Beth Elohim Cemetery
  • Huguenin Avenue Cemetery: KK Beth Elohim's present burial ground that was developed on land that then abutted the northern limit of the City of Charleston and purchased from the Washington Light Infantry in l887 and expanded in l991 on property purchased from the Standard Oil Company in 1943. Used since l888, the site also contains remains and gravestones removed from three defunct graveyards: the Dacosta (l783-l939) and Harby (1799-1939) cemeteries on Hanover Street, and the Rikersville Cemetery  (1857-1888), which had been established by Congregation Shearit Israel). See Comings Street Jewish Cemetery and KKBE Cemetery. [April 2009] Administered by Kahal Kodesh Beth Elohim Cemetery. KKBE Huguenin St is shown with KKBE as Cemetery Web site,

Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim (KKBE) Reform Synagogue, 90 Hasell Street Charleston, SC 29401. 843.723.1090. Established in 1749, Congregation K.K. Beth Elohim became the first Reform Jewish congregation in the United States in 1841 and is the oldest surviving Reform temple in the world.  KKBE Cemeteries are Coming Street Cemetery and Huguenin Street. Temple website.

See first entry under Camden. "Kahal Kodesh Beth Elohim; Report of committee approving charter petition, Jan., 1791"; program for dedication of Archives Room, Apr. 18, 1969; Hymnal of Edgar M. Lazarus, 1842; report in "The Charleston Evening News" of a confirmation service at Beth Elohim, May 24, 1855; and a list of additions to the Kahal Kodesh Beth Elohim Archives from Jan. to June 1977 are in Small Collections and/or Miscellaneous file in AJA. American Jewish Archives, 3101 Clifton Ave. Cincinnati, Ohio 45220-2488. 513-221-1875 (tel); 513-221-7812 (fax).

New Burying Ground: Transcript of the minutes of the trustees of a new Jewish cemetery, Oct. 14, 1798 and Sep. 23, 1799. Source: Index of the Jewish Cemeteries of South Carolina as of 1910 compiled by Barnett A. Elzas. Charleston, SC, 1911 in Miscellaneous file at AJA. American Jewish Archives, 3101 Clifton Ave. Cincinnati, Ohio 45220-2488. 513-221-1875 (tel); 513-221-7812 (fax).

Cemetery web page. [August 2009]