M I T Z V A H   C E L E B R A T I O N S, a subsidiary of Music on the Strand’s DJ ENTERTAINMENT, has been facilitating the festivities at Bar and Bat Mitzvah celebrations for over twenty years. The Bar and Bat Mitzvah reception is a time of great joy, and M I T Z V A H   C E L E B R A T I O N S treats each aspect of the gathering from an experienced and innovative entertainment perspective.

If you are in the planning stages of a Bar or Bat Mitzvah celebration in the Charleston, SC  area, and are considering disc jockey entertainment with the impact and experience to deliver the kind of presentation that fits the vision you have for your event, please call us for an informative consultation. We look forward to being a part of this very special occasion and helping to make it memorable and unique in accordance with your individual approach and style. Toll Free: 1-800-359-5618, Direct Line: 843-272-3335

The past several hundred years of Jewish life in Charleston, SC has been filled with excitement, struggle, social action and mitzvah.   Follow this abbreviated timeline to get a glimpse of the many organizations and events that have strengthened and made vibrant this Jewish community of ours.  A special thanks to Sol Breibart for his work accumulating this information.  Stay tuned for more current information to be added to this list.

1695     First Jewish settlers in South Carolina

1749     Congregation Beth Elohim

1754     DaCosta family cemetery on Coming Street

1764     DaCosta sold cemetery to Congregation Beth Elohim

1784     Hebrew Benevolent Society (still in existence)

1794     First KKBE synagogue building

1801     Hebrew Orphan Society (still in existence)

1824     Reformed Society of Israelites (first attempt at reform in the US to 1833)

1838     1794 synagogue destroyed by fire

1838     Sunday school established at KKBE by Sally Lopez (2nd in the US)

1840     Jewish community public protest of Damascus affair

1841     New KKBE synagogue dedicated (organ installed, reform began at KKBE)

1842     Orthodox Shearit Israel (to 1865)

1850     Ladies' Hebrew Benevolent Society (to 1940?)

1854     Congregation Brith Sholom

1857     Community protest of Swiss anti-Semitic treaty

1858     Community protest in Montara case

1865     KK Beth Elohim and KK Shearit Israel merge as Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim

1867     Dan Lodge #93 of B'nai B'rith (to 1900?), reorganized as #593 in 1905 to  1980?)

1874     Brith Sholom built new synagogue on St. Philip Street

1879     YMHA organized (to 1910?)

1886     Charleston earthquake (over $15,000 in aid to Jews received from outside Charleston)

1889     Happy Workers for care of needy children (c. 1950-became committee of NCJW)

1891     Daughters of Israel organized; reorganized 1910

1895     Charleston Council of Jewish Women (affiliated with National Council of Jewish Women [NCJW] in 1906)

1900     Temple Guild (became KKBE Sisterhood in 1916 and joined National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods)

1910     Daughters of Israel (eventually Sisterhood of Brith Sholom)

1910     Charleston Hebrew School organized by Brith Sholom

1911     Beth Israel Congregation on St. Philip Street

1912     Daughters of Israel Hall - on St. Philip Street

1914     Jewish Educational Alliance (to 1920?)

1917     Bnei Zion Society (became Charleston District of Zionist Organization of America 1924 to 1970?)

1919     Junior Council of Charleston Section of NCJW

1921     Charleston Chapter of Hadassah

1922     Kalushiner Society (to ?)

1922     Boy Scout Troop #21 sponsored by KKBE, then B'nai B'rith, and later by JCC

1923     Hebrew school (to 1938) and Jewish Community Center (to 1930) at 58 George Street

1924     Girl Scout Troop (later #14) sponsored by JCC; taken over by NCJW in 1927

1929     Beth Israel Sisterhood

1931     Charleston Chapter #143 of AZA

1933     Herzl Chapter of Young Judaea (boys)

1934     Associated Jewish Charities established

1934     Cecile Rubin Chapter of Young Judaea (girls)

1935     Junior Hadassah

1937     First UJA campaign in Charleston (in 1943, it raised $45,049.92)

1938     Hebrew Institute established by Brith Sholom and Beth Israel on St. Philip Street

1945     Jewish Community Center at St. Philip Street

1945     First issue of Center Talk, now included in Charleston Jewish Voice

1946     Charleston Jewish Welfare Fund raised almost $162,484.00 (most to United Jewish Appeal)

1947     Synagogue Emanu-El (on Gordon Street); now on Windsor Drive

1947     JCC Camp Baker (day camp, still operating)

1948     Beth Israel dedicated new synagogue on Rutledge Avenue

1949     JCC Endowment Fund created

1950     Charleston celebrated 200 years of Jewish community life

1951     JCC affiliated with Charleston Community Chest

1951     Charleston Jewish population numbers 2,015

1951     Charleston Jewish Social Services Committee organized

1952     Charleston Hebrew Institute deeded St. Philip St. property to JCC

1954     Brith Sholom and Beth Israel merge into Brith Sholom Beth Israel on Rutledge Avenue

1956     Charleston Jewish Welfare Fund raised $85,760.00

1956     Hebrew Institute became day school; now the Addlestone Hebrew Academy

1956     Charleston Jewish Social Services affiliated with Atlanta Jewish Home for the Aged

1957     JCC and Charleston Section of National Council of Jewish Women co-sponsor Golden Age Club

1958     JCC opened resident camp (Camp Juniper) at Cheraw, SC - to 1962

1958     Charleston Jewish population at 2,355

1959     JCC Board was authorized to purchase 25 acres West of the Ashley River

1960     Community Relations Committee created by CJWF

1960     B'nai B'rith Girls organized

1963     JCC dedicated a new outdoor facility at its West Ashley site

1964     Rededication of the KKBE Coming St. cemetery - 200th anniversary

1964     Charleston Jewish Social Services and Family Service of Charleston set up agreement for counseling services

1964     Ladies' Auxiliary of the Jewish War Veterans organized

1965     CJWF goal set at $100,000

1966     New JCC building dedicated on Millbrook Dr. (now Wallenberg Blvd.)

1967     CJWF raised $157,000

1969     KKBE dedicated archives and museum - collection now at the College of Charleston

1969     Charleston chapter of ORT organized

1970     JCC celebrated its 25th anniversary

1971     "Save Soviet Jewry" march and rally

1971     Memorial garden to the Six Million dedicated at JCC

1972     Sen. Strom Thurmond and Rep. Mendel Davis joined "Rally for Soviet Jewry"

1972     Charleston community Hebrew School formed

1972     CJWF contributed $5,000 to Wilkes-Barre, PA disaster relief

1973     Israeli shaliach joined JCC staff

1974     CJWF staged Bicentennial Jewish Heritage Month

1975     CJWF won Charles Goodall Award

1976     Community High School of Judaic Studies

1976     First Soviet Jewish families resettled in Charleston

1976     Adult Institute of Jewish Studies at JCC

1977     Synagogue Emanu-El services at JCC during construction of new building

1977     JCC and Booster Club start Wednesday night Bingo

1977     Jewish community sponsored Jewish Heritage Happening at Spoleto Festival USA

1978 CJWF raised $533,755

1978 Hadassah reactivated Young Judaea

1979 Emanu-El dedicated new synagogue (Windsor Drive, West Ashley)

1980 JCC staged community health fair

1980 KKBE named a National Historic Landmark

1980 Charleston Jewish Welfare Fund became Charleston Jewish Federation (CJF)

1981 Solomon Hall dedicated at BSBI

1981 CJF formed "Task Force for Oppressed Jewry"

1982 Millbrook Drive re-named Raoul Wallenberg Boulevard

1983 Directorships of JWF and JCC merged

1984 Sherman House, home for the well elderly, dedicated

1985 College of Charleston began Jewish Studies Program

1986 Building project began for JCC expansion and new home for Addlestone Jewish Academy (AJA)

1987 Charleston Jewish Journal became CJF publication, incorporating CenterTalk

1987 JCC leased classroom and administrative spaces to AHA

1988 CJF campaign goal set at $700,000

1988 Community commemoration of 50th anniversary of Kristallnacht

1989 JCC began sponsorship of community-wide KidsFair

1989 Hurricane Hugo

1990 Charleston Jewish community raised over $316,000 for Operation Exodus

1992 CJF established the Jewish Endowment Fund

1993 African American-Jewish Connection formed

1994 JCC/AHA joint building fund room dedications

1995 JCC staged year-long celebration of its 50th

1996 Jewish Endowment Fund joined with the Community Foundation

1997 CJF set goal of $1,300,000

1997 CJF sponsored the Community Research Project

1998 Holocaust Memorial on Marion Square dedicated