Study Tour Led by Hasia Diner Paul and Sylvia Steinberg Professor of American Jewish History New York University. Introduction

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1 Study Tour Led by Hasia Diner Paul and Sylvia Steinberg Professor of American Jewish History New York University Introduction Revised December 2, 2015 The history of the Jews in North America and the histories of these two southern cities run along parallel tracks. Jews were present from nearly the beginning of both of these port cities and in both places Jews achieved, early on a set of rights and a public profile, unmatched by their fellow Jews in the rest of the colonies. How did Jews experience the founding years of Savannah and Charleston and why did they prosper there so easily? What aspects of the economic, social, and cultural histories of these two colonial era cities shaped the Jews encounter with their non-jewish neighbors and how did the Jews build and sustain their Jewish institutions, not just during the decades of British rule but beyond into the national era? Where did they live? What occupations did they pursue and how did such momentous events as the American Revolution, the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the birth of the New South, leave their mark on the Jews in these places? This tour will blend the histories of two cities now considered tourist destinations known for their charm and historic significance and that of the Jews, those who came there in the colonial era and those who migrated there later, from elsewhere in the Atlantic world and from Europe. Brief histories of the Jews of Savannah and Charleston will serve here as previews of the rich experience that awaits the visitor in search of the Jewish past. The first Jews arrived in Charleston in 1670, not long after the town was founded. As early as the 1690s the governor of the colony mentioned in a report that a Spanish-speaking Jew served as his interpreter in his negotiations with Native Americans who had come north from Florida and over the next few decades Jews lived in and around this thriving port city as shopkeepers, merchants and traders. Moses Lindo played a key role in the development of the staple crop, indigo, which became the bedrock of the colony s economy and the basis for the plantations worked on by slave labor. Lindo, in thanks for his service in commercializing the crop, so necessary in Britain s textile industry, earned the title Surveyor and Inspector-General of Indigo.NUntil 1749 Charleston Jews, all of whom enjoyed full rights as white men, worshipped in each other s homes and stores but that year, under the leadership of Joseph Tobias, Michael Lazarus, Moses Cohen, and Isaac Da Costa who would serve as the hazzan, or cantor, they formed themselves into a congregation, incorporated under the name Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim, the holy congregation the house of God, which adhered to the Sephardic rite. In 1764, they likewise consecrated a plot of land as a cemetery on Coming Street.

2 Amid the ferment of the American Revolution, Charleston Jews in the main sided with the patriot cause and twenty served in the army for the cause of national independence. Francis Salvador served as a delegate to the several of the Provincial Congresses, held in South Carolina, which called for independence from Britain, making him one of the first Jews to hold elective office in the Americas. His devotion to the cause of American independence put him in harm s way and on August 1, 1776, just a month after the momentous declaration of America s independence, a band of Tory-sympathizing Native Americans killed and scalped him, thus making him the first Jew to die for the nation. In the first decades after independence KK Beth Elohim moved from rented space to its own building, the second oldest synagogue structure in the United States. Built and dedicated in 1794, the grand building succumbed to a fire in 1838, replaced by the still standing Greek Revival edifice. The old building had witnessed an historic event in the annals of modern Judaism. In 1824, a handful of members of KK Beth Elohim, nearly all of them like dramatist Isaac Harby, well-placed, civically prominent Jews, resigned from the synagogue and formed themselves into the Reformed Society of Israelites and while it lasted for only a few years, it stands as the first effort at reform on American soil. KK Beth Elohim also occupies an important place in the history of Judaism. A woman associated with the congregation, Penina Moise, penned a series of hymns which over time became standard in the Reform liturgy, making her perhaps the first female whose words entered the Jewish prayer book. In the first decades of the nineteenth century more Jews lived in Charleston than any other community in the United States. Numbering over 500 at its peak, the Jews of Charleston were merchants, participated actively in the life of the city itself, and achieved a reputation for their wealth and social standing. Many owned slaves. Indeed a larger percentage of Jews owned slaves than other white people. In those decades a number of Jews came to Charleston from various places in the Caribbean, such as Jamaica, Barbados and other places which saw the abolition of slavery several decades before the institution ended in the United States. With the decline of Charleston s economy in the decades immediately before the Civil War and following it, the Jewish population began to seek opportunities elsewhere. After the Civil War, however, a new Jewish community, unrelated to the Sephardi founders began to coalesce. Jews from the Polish provinces and Lithuania began to head to the South and took up peddlers packs as they sold domestic goods to farm families and later textile mill workers in the communities surrounding Charleston.

3 On weekends they made their way to Charleston for the Sabbath, to replenish their goods, pay off their creditors and then go back out on the road. One by one as the peddlers saved their money, they opened up shops either in Charleston or in the nearby small towns. These women and men reinvigorated Jewish life, creating new synagogues, schools, and charitable enterprises, pushing up the number of Jews and making it a city that now resembled so many other Jewish communities around the country. The new Jewish institutions they created served their needs and many of these survived into the twentieth century. A third era in Charleston s history and that of its Jews took place during and after World War II with a renewed development of the port, investment in new industries, and the opening up of military bases, all reviving the local economy and bring a new cohort of Jews to the city. As a way of circling back to the first era in the city s Jewish history, when Jewish leaders created in 1949 the Charleston Jewish Welfare Fund, they absorbed into it the Hebrew Benevolent Society founded in 1784 and the Hebrew Orphan Society of Savannah had a different history as a colony and as a magnet for Jewish migration. Founded in 1733 as a debtor s colony by George Oglethorpe, the original charter banned slavery. The same year that Oglethorpe arrived and began this experiment in social planning, saw the docking of two ships carrying 90 Jews, sent there by the Bevis Marks Congregation in London, eager to see the transportation of poor and dependent Jews to the new colony in North America. Most of these Jews who lived off the charity of the London congregations had come to the British Isles from German speaking states and many were of Polish origin. Oglethorpe gave his personal permission to the Jews to be able to settle and enjoyed the financial support of the London Jews who had been so eager to get rid of them. While the poor predominated among them, a physician, named Nunez won the admiration and praise of Oglethorpe and the other colonists for his successful intervention during a particularly dangerous epidemic. Despite Oglethorpe s initial efforts and the backing of the king, the colony barely survived and most of the Jews migrated further north in the 1740s, going to, among other places, Charleston. But within ten years the colony s fortunes reversed and the Jews and others started coming back. The 1750s records indicate Jewish membership in a local Masonic lodge and in a community wide welfare association. Enough Jews had returned to make possible the establishment of a congregation, Mickve Israel in 1790, led by Philip Minis. Georgia Jews had all the rights in the colonial period that accrued to white men, with the exception that they could not hold elective office unless they would take a Christian oath. The Georgia Constitution of 1789 however got rid of that barrier and from then on individual Jews served in a variety of capacities in the government and the state militia.

4 In the decades after the 1820s, as emigration from Central Europe took shape, German speaking Jews made their way to Savannah and other smaller communities in Georgia. As in so many other American communities, they made a living in trade and the most successful among them integrated into the local society while they also maintained their membership in Mickve Israel and subscribed to a growing number of charitable and educational enterprises. The number of Jews in Savannah and elsewhere in Georgia dipped during and right after the Civil War, but by 1877 and the end of Reconstruction a reverse trend began. Young Jewish men from Lithuanian and elsewhere in Eastern Europe came to peddle in the small towns and cotton plantations around Savannah and used the city as their base. One by one as they succeeded in their peddling operations, they settled down in the big city, opened clothing, liquor, and grocery stores. Many invested in local real estate and created a small but thriving Jewish community. Notably after the Civil War Atlanta eclipsed Savannah as the largest and most important city in the state and the Jewish community of the latter grew little compared to the growth of the former. About Our Study Tours JEWISH EXPLORATIONS study tours are exclusive small group learning experiences. In order to create an exceptional program, we engage only top Judaic Studies scholars and expert guides in order to craft and conduct programs that are content-rich and allow ample time for exploration on your own in some of the world s most beautiful locales. This study tour is limited to 25 participants.

architecture and magnificent formal gardens that abound in both cities.

5 Temple Mickve Israel, Savannah In addition to our focus on the Jewish past and present in Savannah and Charleston, we will also concentrate on beautiful architecture and magnificent formal gardens that abound in both cities. We have purposefully scheduled in free time so you can enjoy the charms of both these historic cities on your own.

6 Itinerary Sunday, May 22 nd Day One Savannah The Marshall House Morning: You will be met at the airport for your transfer to the hotel. Arrive at Marshall House Hotel This historic hotel is the recently renovated and located on East Boughton Street is steeped in the tradition of Southern hospitality and elegance. Afternoon: After lunch on your own, meet at 1:30 for Introductory Remarks by Hasia Diner, your scholar. Afterwards, we will take a Walking Tour of Historic Savannah with Harriet Meyerhoff, a local guide who is an expert on the city s Jewish past and present. This insightful and personalized tour will focus on the city s history and its Jewish heritage. We will learning about Savannah's extended Jewish heritage from the first Jewish Colonists to the present, and tour the many significant points of interest from the Revolutionary War era to the present. After the walking tour, you will have time to settle in and relax at the hotel.

7 Evening: Meals: Overnight: We continue our journey into Savannah s history with a Welcome Dinner at Vic s along the picturesque Savannah River. In 1858, John Stoddard had this building commissioned to be designed and built by the famous New York architect, John Norris. He was one of three major architects in Savannah at the time, along with William Jay and Charles B. Clusky. Some of John Norris Savannah works include the Andrew Low House, the Cotton Exchange, the Mercer House, and the Meldrim-Green House. Completed in 1859, this building was originally used as a warehouse and later housed Steven Shipping Company. The lower floors were known as John Stoddard s Lower Range and the top floors as John Stoddard s Upper Range. During the War Between the States, General Sherman s lesser officers used this building s empty offices for housing and planning space. Dinner Marshall House, Savannah Monday, May 23 rd Day Two Savannah Morning: After breakfast, Hasia Diner will conduct our first of four study session on JEWS IN THE NEW WORLD IN THE AGE OF COLONIZATION. We will then depart for a full-morning Tour of Jewish Savannah. We will visit Congregation Mickve Israel, an active synagogue affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism, located in the Historic District of Savannah, The congregation was founded in 1733; just a few months after General James Oglethorpe founded the Colony of Georgia. This historic sanctuary was designed by New York architect Henry G. Harrison and built in 1876 in pure neo-gothic style, reflecting the fashionable architecture of the Victorian era. It is the only neo-gothic synagogue in America. Their three-story Sheftall Memorial Hall addition, opened in 2003, houses their world-class museum and impressive library. Our tour includes a stop at The Mercer House featured in the novel, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, was designed by New York architect John S. Norris for General Hugh W. Mercer, great grandfather of Johnny Mercer. Construction of the house began in 1860, was interrupted by the Civil War and was later completed, circa 1868, by the new owner, John Wilder. In 1969, Jim Williams, one of Savannah s earliest and most dedicated private restorationists, bought the then vacant house and began a two-year restoration. This house is one of the more than 50 houses Mr. Williams saved during his thirty-year career in historic restoration in Savannah and the Low country.

8 Throughout the house you will see furniture and art from Mr. Williams s private collection including 18th and 19th century furniture, 18th century English and American portraits, drawings from the 17th century and a wide collection of Chinese export porcelain. Afternoon & Evening: Meals: Overnight: The rest of the day is at leisure to explore Savannah on your own and sample some of its culinary delights. Breakfast Marshall House, Savannah Charleston Tuesday, May 24 th Day Three Savannah and Charleston Morning: After an early breakfast and Professor Diner s second learning session on SAVANNAH AND ITS EARLIEST JEWS: ORIGINS AND COMMUNITY BUILDING, we will depart for the continuation of our Tour of Jewish Savannah. Though not Savannah s oldest cemetery, Bonaventure is certainly its most famous and hauntingly beautiful. Quintessentially Southern Gothic, it has captured the imaginations of writers, poets, naturalists, photographers and filmmakers for more than 150 years. Part natural cathedral, part sculptural garden, Bonaventure transcends time. Within Bonaventure Cemetery lies a Jewish section, established by congregants of Temple Mickve Israel, with many evocative inscriptions on the tombs of the many Holocaust survivors buried here.

Military generals, poet Conrad Aiken, Academy Award-winning lyricist Johnny Mercer and Georgia's first governor Edward Telfair are among those buried at Bonaventure.

9 Military generals, poet Conrad Aiken, Academy Award-winning lyricist Johnny Mercer and Georgia's first governor Edward Telfair are among those buried at Bonaventure. Another reason behind Bonaventure s popularity is John Berendt s book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, which featured a cover photo of the now-famous "Bird Girl" statue, formerly located in Bonaventure. The next stop on our tour will be Congregation B nai Brith Jacob, locally known as BBJ. It boasts the largest membership of the three Savannah synagogues with about 400 active families. Many Jewish families pay tithe to more than one local congregation in an effort to support the entire community. But BBJ is more than just another synagogue. It is the spiritual and culture center of a deeply devout and close-knit community. A little more than half of the active members live in the neighborhoods surrounding the synagogue and walk to services on Shabbat. Afternoon: After a break for lunch on your own, we will depart for our bus trip to Charleston. Upon arriving to Charleston, we will check into hotel. Located in the charming Historic District of Charleston, The Mills House Wyndham Grand Hotel is in the heart of it all. The iconic hotel is close to the historic King Street shopping area and within walking distance to Charleston's City Market, where you will find arts, crafts, and fine dining Evening: Meals: Overnight: The rest of the day is at leisure to explore your new surroundings. Breakfast The Mills House Wyndham Grand Hotel, Charleston Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim, Charleston

10 Wednesday, May 25 th Day Four Charleston Morning: After breakfasting at the hotel and Dr. Diner s third learning session, CHARLESTON: A JEWEL IN THE CROWN OF EIGHTEENTH CENTURY JEWRY, we will be greeted at the hotel by Rhetta Mendelsohn, an expert guide on Jewish life in Charleston and begin our fullday Tour of Jewish Charleston. The final destination of our walking tour will be Beth Elohim (or KKBE). It is the fourth oldest Jewish congregation as well as the second oldest synagogue building in the United States. The synagogue building itself is the oldest in continuous use. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in Once we arrive at KKBE, Rhetta will introduce the group to Charleston and the local Jewish community. Here we will discuss the early history of Charleston and incorporate the Jewish history. In the beautiful Greek Revival style sanctuary, we will discuss the architecture as well as the congregation. We will continue our city tour by mini coach to include the College of Charleston, the stately homes along Rutledge Avenue and around Colonial Lake. We will see out entire residential waterfront before getting out at the Battery to discuss the harbor and the important events that have occurred there. We will continue by mini coach past Rainbow Row and the Exchange Building to the Four Corners of Law, where we will again disembark to view the sites of Jewish interest around this important intersection as well as the City s iconic public buildings. The City tour will be comprehensive history, art, architecture, war, flowers, religion, politics and more. We will see houses and gardens, public buildings and churches, shops and galleries, waterways and alleyways. All along the way, will include points of Jewish interest. Afternoon: Evening: Meals: Overnight: After a private luncheon at Magnolia s Restaurant, the tour will continue with a visit to the Coming Street Cemetery, the oldest and largest Jewish cemetery in the South, the resting place of the largest and wealthiest Jewish community in colonial America. We will conclude the day with a drive through the Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina. At leisure to enjoy one of the city s great eateries and its nightlife. Breakfast and Lunch The Mills House Wyndham Grand Hotel, Charleston

11 Thursday, May 26 th Day Five Charleston Morning: After breakfast the final learning session with Dr. Diner, SOUTH CAROLINA JEWS: THE CIVIL WAR, RECONSTRUCTION AND THE NEW SOUTH, our touring will begin with a short escorted walk to the College of Charleston to meet with Dale Rosengarten, curator of the Jewish Heritage Collection. Dale s lecture/discussion will focus on her research that resulted in an exhibition called a Portion of the People. She will also share with the group some of the amazing items in the College s collection. After the lecture with Dale, you will be on your own for free time and lunch. Evening: Meals: Overnight: Our study tour will conclude with a Farewell Dinner at the Charleston Grill, one of the city s finest eateries. Breakfast and Dinner The Mills House Wyndham Grand Hotel, Charleston Friday, May 27 th Day Six Return Morning: Meals: After breakfast at the hotel, we will transfer to Charleston International Airport for your flights home. Breakfast This Itinerary is subject to change.

The Scholar Hasia Diner, Ph.D., is the Paul and Sylvia Steinberg Professor of American Jewish History at New York University where she directs the Goldstein Goren Center for American Jewish History.

12 The Scholar Hasia Diner, Ph.D., is the Paul and Sylvia Steinberg Professor of American Jewish History at New York University where she directs the Goldstein Goren Center for American Jewish History. She taught at the University of Maryland at College Park and was a fellow at the Davis Center for Historical Research at Princeton University and the Bunting Institute at Radcliffe College. Hasia holds degrees from the University of Wisconsin, the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois- Chicago. Hasia was a Fulbright scholar in Israel and elected to the American Academy of Jewish Research and the Society of American Historians. For Questions and to Register For Travel Questions and Registration: Samantha Sultzer of Gil Travel Group in Philadelphia X 380 samanthas@giltravel.com For Other Questions: Moshe Margolin, Director Jewish Explorations moshe@jewish-explorations.com The Registration Deadline is February 12, 2016

13 Special Features Professor Hasia Diner will lead this study tour and present four learning sessions. Harriet Meyerhoff of Savannah and Rhetta Mendelsohn of Charleston, both experts on the Jewish communities in their respective cities, will be our local licensed tour guides. Dale Rosengarten, curator of the Jewish Heritage Collection at the College of Charleston, will take us on a tour of the collection and talk about her research. Educational Materials Professor Diner will prepare a complete Pre-Departure Bibliography. Professor Diner will prepare a Resource Book designed to enhance your learning experience throughout the study tour. Price (per person) EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT* REGULAR PRICE SINGLE ROOM BY DECEMBER 31, 2015 FROM JANUARY 1, 2016 SUPPLEMENT LAND ONLY LAND ONLY $2,695 $2,795 *PAYMENT BY CHECK REQUIRED THE REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY 12, 2016 $1,195 $500 deposit required upon registration. The experts at the Gil Travel Group stand ready to help with your flights from your local airport.

14 The above prices include: Hotels DATE NIGHTS HOTEL CITY MAY 22 to 23 2 THE MARSHALL HOUSE SAVANNAH MAY 24 TO 26 3 MILLS HOUSE HOTEL CHARLESTON Meals DATE MEAL MAY 22 WELCOME DINNER MAY 25 LUNCH MAY 26 FAREWELL DINNER BREAKFAST DAILY AT THE HOTEL Also Includes: Sightseeing: As per itinerary with professionally guide. Entrance fees to sites visited in itinerary.

15 The above prices DO NOT include: Travel Insurance This is highly recommended and suggested to be purchased with the deposit): Basic does not cover pre-existing conditions which have been treated within the last 60 days of making deposit and the medical is only up to $15,000. Select if the participants takes the insurance within the 21 days of any initial deposit, preexisting conditions are waived and the medical is up to $50,000 Meals and Drinks Not shown in the Itinerary. Tips Tips to the guide and driver are not included. Tip suggestions to be advised. Personal Expenses All those expenses individual to each passenger including souvenirs, laundry services, valet service, phone calls.

16 Schedule of Payments $500 deposit per person due with application. Balance due by March 8, Cancellation Policy 1. Up to February 22, $50.00 per person will be assessed 2. February 23-March 15, $ per person will be assessed 3. March 16-April 15, 2016 $2, per person will be assessed 4. April 16, 2016 to departure no refund. 5. There will be no refunds for unused services Gil Travel Group and Adult Jewish Learning Programs All Rights Reserved Reproduction without permission is prohibited by law.

Discovering Jewish Civilization Around the Globe Jewish Life in Poland: Reflecting the Ebb and flow of Jewish History June 28 to July 7, 2016

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