Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim |
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Hebrew: קהל קדוש בית אלוהים
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Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim synagogue, 1938
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Reform Judaism |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Synagogue |
| Leadership |
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| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | 90 Hasell Street, Charleston, South Carolina |
| Country | United States |
 Location in South Carolina
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| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Cyrus L. Warner |
| Architectural type | Synagogue |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| General contractor | David Lopez Jr |
| Date established | 1749 (as a congregation) |
| Completed | |
| Specifications | |
| Direction of façade | South |
| Materials | Brick |
Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim (which means "Holy Congregation House of God" in Hebrew) is a Reform Jewish synagogue in Charleston, South Carolina. It is also known as K. K. Beth Elohim or Congregation Beth Elohim.
The congregation was started in 1749. Some people say it was the first Reform synagogue in the United States. The first synagogue building was built between 1793 and 1794. It was designed in the Georgian Revival style. Sadly, this building was destroyed in a big fire in 1838 that damaged many parts of Charleston.
The current synagogue building was finished in 1840. It is located at 90 Hasell Street and was designed by Cyrus L. Warner. This building is important for its Greek Revival style. It was built with the help of African descendants who were forced to work by David Lopez Jr., a builder at the time.
This congregation is one of the oldest Jewish groups in the United States. It is also very important because ideas similar to Reform Judaism first appeared here.
Contents
History of the Congregation
Before 1830, Kahal Kodesh Beth Elohim (KKBE) was a place of worship for Spanish and Portuguese Jews in Charleston. They followed Portuguese traditions. The congregation started as an Orthodox group. Later, it changed to a reformed way of worship. This happened after a group that had split off, led by Isaac Harby, rejoined.
In 1824, a group called the Reformed Society of the Israelites was formed by Portuguese Jews. They took ideas from the European Reform movement. They also created their own unique prayer book, which was the first of its kind in America. This group helped shape the later, larger American Reform movement.
The first members of KKBE were Sephardi Jews from Spain and Portugal. They came to Charleston from London, England. They worked in trade and shipping. While this congregation is sometimes seen as the start of Reform Judaism in the U.S., the main movement was later started by immigrants from Germany.
During the 1960s, Rabbi Burton Padoll was the synagogue's rabbi. He spoke out strongly for the rights of African-Americans. However, some important members of the congregation did not like his support for the civil rights movement. Because of this, Rabbi Padoll had to leave his job as rabbi.
The Synagogue Building
The current building is designed in the Greek Revival style. It is the second oldest synagogue building in the United States. It is also the oldest synagogue building in the U.S. that has been used continuously. The congregation also owns the oldest Jewish cemetery in the United States that is still in use.
The building is made of brick and painted white to look like stone blocks. It has a front porch with six tall, round columns. These columns support a triangular roof section called a pediment.
The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 4, 1978. It was named a National Historic Landmark on June 19, 1980. The Coming Street Cemetery, which belongs to the congregation, is also listed separately as a historic place.
In 2021, a special monument was placed at the synagogue. It has words on it to remember the forced labor of Black Africans. These individuals were owned by David Lopez Jr. and helped build the synagogue. Rabbi Stephanie Alexander said that by acknowledging this past, "We're being honest and transparent about what has enabled us to come together and has enabled us to come to this space."
Inside the synagogue, there is a mural. It shows a Jewish Confederate soldier with a broken sword. This artwork is a way of showing the "Lost Cause of the Confederacy" idea.
Notable People Connected to the Synagogue
- Joseph Levy, a soldier
- Moses Lindo, a trader
- David Lopez Jr, a builder and business owner
- Francis Salvador, a plantation owner and the first Jewish person elected to public office in the U.S.
- Billy Simmons, an African-American Jew from the time before the Civil War
See also
- List of National Historic Landmarks in South Carolina
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Charleston, South Carolina
- Oldest synagogues in the United States
- Touro Synagogue
