Jews of the Historic South, March 24

Beth Elohim, Charleston

The Jewish communities in the southern United States tend to be overshadowed by the ones in the northeast, but in the 18th century and early 19th century some of the Southern communities were actually larger.  The first major Jewish settlements in the South were in Charleston, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia.  Two of the earliest Jewish congregations in the United States were founded in 1735 (Savannah) and 1749 (Charleston), and by 1800 more Jews were living in Charleston than in New York City.  I've actually researched a Charleston Jewish family from the Revolutionary War period (though I still haven't proven the connection I'm looking for).

Felix and Sue Warburg will present a slide show highlighting the history of Jewish life in Georgia and South Carolina.  They will discuss Francis Salvador and the Sheftall, Nunez, Minis, and Keyserling families, all of whom made significant contributions to Southern Jewish history.  Even though none of these is the family I'm researching, I'm still planning on attending, because I know I will gain insight into the Jewish community of the period I am interested in.  I'm also hoping the Warburgs will discuss what community records still exist and where they can be accessed.

The presentation will be at 7:00 p.m. at the Jewish Community Library, 1835 Ellis Street, San Francisco.  The talk is free and anyone interested is welcome to attend.  For more information, visit the library's Web site.  The San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society is cosponsoring the presentation.