Skip to main content
Menu Close Menu

Historic Columbia

Donate
  • FAQs
Upcoming Events

Navigation

  • Tours
    • House Tours
      • Robert Mills House and Gardens
      • Hampton-Preston Mansion and Gardens
      • Mann-Simons Site
      • The Museum of the Reconstruction Era
      • Modjeska Monteith Simkins House
      • Hours and Pricing
    • Garden Tours
      • Garden Database
    • Offsite Tours
      • Walking Tours
    • African American History Tours
    • Online Tours
  • Education
    • Field Trips
      • House Tours
    • Traveling Trunks
  • Support
    • Corporate Support
      • Additional Support Opportunities
      • Corporate Membership
      • Program & Event Sponsorship Options
    • Donate
    • Membership
      • Palladium
    • Volunteer
    • Partners and Donors
  • Rent a Venue
    • Gardens of the Hampton-Preston Mansion
    • Seibels House and Garden
    • Robert Mills Carriage House and Gardens
    • Gardens of the Woodrow Wilson Family Home
    • Weddings
    • Photoshoots
    • Contact Us
  • Research
    • Object Collection
    • Projects and Initiatives
  • Preservation
    • Preservation Awards
    • Preservation Advocacy
    • Resources and Services
    • Economic Impact Study
    • Building Richland County
  • About
    • Blog
    • Board Members
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
    • Newsletter
    • Staff Directory

Donate

Columbia Jewish Heritage Initiative

background image

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.

Read Proclamation

Jewish American Heritage Month Proclamation

 

Collaborations

  • Kugels & Collards

    Visit our blog, created by CJHI committee members Rachel Barnett and Lyssa Harvey, which explores Jewish heritage through food.

    Find a Recipe

  • 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

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.

Pre-Order Now
  • Historic Jewish site

  • Historic Jewish site

  • Historic Jewish site

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.

Walking Tour
Online Tour

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.

Explore
Oral History Program
  • Historic Marker Unveiling

  • Beth Shalom Marker Unveiling

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.

Donate to the Columbia Jewish Heritage Initiative

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors!


  • Historic Columbia organization logo
  • Richland County Public Library logo
  • Central Carolina Community Foundation logo
  • JHSSC organization logo
  • Jewish Community Center organization logo
  • Southern Jewish Historical Society organization logo
  • South Carolina Humanities organization logo
  • College of Charleston school logo
  • Jewish Federation of Columbia organization logo
  • City of Columbia
  • Cohn Construction Services business logo
  • MB Kahn Construction company logo
  • City Center Partnership, Inc. organization logo
  • Stern Development company logo
  • Dr. Alan & Susan Brill
  • Law Office of Jonathan Harvey
  • Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Kline

  • Raymond Lifchez

NTHP Preservation Award Winner
Historic Columbia

© 2025 Historic Columbia

Administrative Offices
1601 Richland Street
Columbia, SC 29201

Tours
All historic house and garden tours start at the Welcome Center at Robert Mills.
1616 Blanding Street
Columbia, SC 29201

Questions? Call (803) 252-7742.

Newsletter Signup

newsletter signup

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter for events, news, and updates from Historic Columbia!

  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Flickr
  • Privacy Policy
Website by Cyberwoven