le to a t

lo Sp o
a gPicco
o g u e
Sy n
BSBI Festiv al
l t u re
s t Jew ish Cu
ewe
on’s N
June 1 -10, 2010
t
Charles
FEATURING
Ian Kay & the Charleston Jewish Jazz Ensemble

Musical Journey:
From Mozart to Gershwin

After Concert Desserts

Kosher Cafe &

Synagogue Tours

Lively Shabbat Dinner

& Services

Services &
Kiddush Luncheon

www.CharlestonJewishCulture.com
 Mission Statement and Welcome

The mission of Piccolo Spoleto at BSBI Synagogue: Charleston’s New-

est Jewish Culture Festival is to share through the arts, the sounds, tastes
and sights that reflect the Southern Jewish Experience.

We hope to inspire a greater appreciation and connection among mem-

bers of the broader community by showcasing our rich traditions through
enlightening programs..

Dear Friends,

It is our great pleasure to bring you Piccolo at BSBI Synagogue: Charles-

ton’s Newest Jewish Culture Festival. This year’s festival is the first in
what we hope will become an annual event at our beautifully restored
synagogue in downtown Charleston.

There is much to enjoy and savor. A series of outstanding, one-of- a-

kind concerts highlights the festival. From Klezmer to Yiddish Swing
Standards to the classics of Gershwin and Mozart, there is music for ev-
eryone. Relax and dine with friends in a warm and inviting atmosphere
at our kosher lunchtime café. Be sure to complete your afternoon visit
with a guided tour of our synagogue. Experience southern hospitality
at its best with a Shabbat Weekend at the synagogue complete with a
special guest cantor, Southern- Style Shabbat Dinner and complimentary
Saturday luncheon. Dates and times for these events are listed in this
program book.

Putting together a festival involves the help and generosity of many vol-
unteers and supporters. They have worked tirelessly to make this event
come to fruition. A big thanks to all our wonderful volunteers! Todah
Rabah.

To the many people – from near and far- who will be attending our festi-
val, we look forward to personally greeting you.

Sincerely,

Herb Rosner Janice Turner

Co-Chair Co-Chair

3
 Welcome

Dear Friends,

I want to to extend a warm and gracious welcome to everyone for joining

us at Brith Sholom Beth Israel Synagogue. Since its inception nearly 160
years ago, our members have been very active members of the Charles-
ton community. Our synagogue, just like the city of Charleston enjoys
a rich and charmed history. In that spirit, BSBI is excited to join this
year’s Piccolo Spoleto Festival with the hope that everyone may enjoy
the southern Jewish experience while appreciating the close connection
between our beautiful city and synagogue.

We take great pride in living up to BSBI’s motto - feel the warmth and
live the inspiration. We hope you will visit us again soon; our doors are
always open. Please help us further our mission by becoming a Friend
of BSBI. Thanks for your support and enjoy the festival.

Stanley Baker, BSBI President

Music has always played an integral role in Jewish life, heritage and
culture. From the musical celebrations at the Exodus from Egypt, to the
ancient melodies, which were performed in the Temple, and even con-
temporary compositions written in the dark shadows of the Holocaust,
Judaism has always used music as a deep and highly personal form of
expression.

In fact, many well known musical masterpieces have incorporated a

component, not only of the Jewish influence, but more importantly, of
the emotion which can be captured by the Jewish experience. The Ka-
balah, (Jewish Mysticism) states that music is not only a physical pro-
duction, but also a spiritual one, as it is an expression of the soul. When
listening to music, therefore, we encourage you not only to listen with
your ears, but also to simultaneously engage your heart and soul.

We invite you to truly enjoy BSBI’s musical production, which captures

a small slice of the Jewish journey and experience. Thank you very much
to all those that worked tirelessly to make these concerts into a reality,
and to each of you for your continued support to BSBI and the Jewish
community.

Warmly, Rabbi Ari Sytner

4
 Committees and Volunteers

Piccolo Spoleto at BSBI Synagogue: Charleston’s Newest Jewish Cul-

ture Festival could not have been successful without the dedication and
service of the various committees and supporting staff. We thank them
from the bottom of our hearts.

Committees

Steering Committee Aaron Hyman

Herb Rosner: Festival Co-Chair Karen Ortner
Janice Turner: Festival Barbara Schwartz
Co-Chair
Hadassah Rothenberg: Synagogue Tours And History
Café Chair Jeffrey Kaplan
Jeffrey Sabel: Advertising Chair
Lori Hoch Stiefel: PR, Program Publicity
Book and Graphic Design Kenneth Fox
Coordinator Jan Jacobson
Linda Trestman: BSBI Syna-
gogue Office Administrator In-Kind Help
Stanley Baker: BSBI Synagogue Edward Berlin, Berlin’s
President Restaurant Supply
Charles Fox, Fox Music House
Advertising Committee Charleston BBYO (B’nai Brith
Kenny Fox Youth Organization)
Jason Goldberg
Chuck Jacobson *If we have omitted anyone
Eddie Kramer from this list, we are deeply sor-
ry and are very appreciative of
Kosher Cafe your help.
Joe Chase
Kenny Fox

Volunteers

A special thank you to the scores of volunteers who helped make this
event possible by greeting, hosting, collecting payments, serving, bak-
ing and cooking. Each and every one of you brings a unique gift of time,
patience and support to the festival. We honor you and offer our deepest
thanks for your hard work and dedication.

5
 Schedule

Tuesday, June 1 Wednesday, June 2 Thursday, June 3

11:00 am - 2 pm 11:00 am - 2 pm 11:00 am - 2 pm

Kosher Café Kosher Café Kosher Café

11:30 am 11:30 am 11:30 am

Synagogue Tour Synagogue Tour Synagogue Tour

12:30 pm 12:30 pm 12:30 pm

Synagogue Tour Synagogue Tour Synagogue Tour

1:00 pm 1:00 pm 7:30 - 8:45 pm

Lunch Presentation Lunch and Learn Ian Kay & the
on the Elah Fortress Discussion with Charleston Jewish
Excavations by Rabbi Sytner Jazz Ensemble
Morris Ellison
7:30 - 8:45 pm 8:45 - 9:30 pm
7:30 - 8:45 pm Ian Kay & the Dessert Reception
Ian Kay & the Charleston Jewish
Charleston Jewish Jazz Ensemble
Jazz Ensemble
8:45 - 9:30 pm
8:45 - 9:30 pm Dessert Reception
Dessert Reception

Friday, June 4 Saturday, June 5

6:30 pm 9:00 am
Shabbat Evening Services Shabbat Morning Services

7:30 pm 11:30 am
Southern Shabbat Dinner and Kiddush Luncheon
Musical Zmirot
12:30 pm
Presentation by Cantor Redfern:
Kol Nidrei to Shalom Aleichem:
A Musical Journey of Jewish
Tunes Throughout the Ages

7:45 pm
Shabbat Evening Services

6
 Schedule and Ticketing

Tuesday, June 8 Thursday, June 10

11:00 am - 2 pm 11:00 am - 2 pm
Kosher Café Kosher Café

11:30 am 11:30 am
Synagogue Tour Synagogue Tour

12:30 pm 12:30 pm
Synagogue Tour Synagogue Tour

7:30 - 8:30 pm 7:30 - 8:30 pm

A Musical Journey: From Mozart A Musical Journey: From Mozart
to Gershwin to Gershwin

8:30 - 9:30 pm 8:30 - 9:30 pm

Dessert Reception Dessert Reception

Concert Ticket Purchases and Box Office Information

For more information about purchasing tickets, call the Piccolo Spoleto
box office at (843) 724-7295 or visit www.PiccoloSpoleto.com.

Piccolo Spoleto Box Office Locations:

Office Of Cultural Affairs, 180 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC 29401

Charleston Visitor’s Center 375 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC 29403

In person at the event:

Please note that some shows may sell out. We cannot guarantee that
tickets will be available for all shows. If tickets do remain, they may
be purchased beginning 30 minutes prior to performance, with cash or
check only.

Shabbat Dinner Payments and Reservation

Reservations and payments for the Shabbat Dinner can be made either
on www.CharlestonJewishCulture.com or by calling 843-577-6599 ext.
1 and must be received by Thursday, June 3rd at 12:00 pm.

7
 Charleston Jewish Jazz Ensemble

A concert of Jewish jazz with a repertoire of Klezmer (Jewish soul mu-

sic), Yiddish swing standards and vocal/instrumental comedic parodies
of Mickey Katz. The Klezmer pieces are infused with the exhilarating
melodies of Eastern Europe, with considerable gypsy influences. The en-
semble includes: Tomas Jakuvek, violin; Charles Messersmith, clarinet;
Cameron Harder Handel, trumpet; Tom Joyce, trombone; Mike Wolk,
piano; Roman Pekar, bass; Nikolai Svishev, guitar; Jeff Handel, drums
and Ian Kay, director, saxophone/vocals. Needless to say, it will be a
rousing night of fun and exceptional musicianship!

Here are some terms that will help set the background
for the Jewish Jazz performance.

Yiddish

Yiddish is a rebellious, hybrid form of medieval German, using the He-

brew alphabet, which began around 900 C.E. Much of its vocabulary
comes from German, but it utilizes Hebrew words and phrases from oth-
er countries where Jews of Central and Eastern Europe lived. A hundred
years ago, 11 out of the world’s 18 million Jews spoke Yiddish. Today,
Yiddish is used exclusively in religious (frum) circles, and referred to as
“mama loshen. ( mother tongue.).. Yiddish has a full vocabulary of terms
to describe the human condition, full of irony and humor. Most Jews
know a smattering of Yiddish words and phrases, and many of these
have crept into usage in the English language, words such as shlep, and
kosher, etc…

After the holocaust, along with the rapid assimilation of Jewish immi-
grants in America, Yiddish and the eastern European culture began to
disappear. Many second generation, American born Jews, found the ac-
cent of their “greenhorn” parents quite humorous. However others were
embarrassed by their Yiddish speaking parents accent, and even angli-
cized their names to fit in with gentile society.

Mickey Katz

In 1947, Mickey Katz who played with Spike Jones and the City Slickers
became a self-styled Jewish musician and parodist. His unassimilated,
bilingual (yinglish) pop parodies used Yiddish phrases and punch lines,
and he peppered his concerts with Klezmer music. Many Jews preferred
a de-ethnicized entrance into American society. However, Mickey was

8
 Charleston Jewish Jazz Ensemble

very popular with many first and second generation American born Jews.
Some found his music insulting and offensive, the musical realization of
age-old Jewish stereotypes. The memory of the holocaust was still too
fresh. Mickey used a stereotypical “greenhorn” Jewish accent, and was
an “in your face” Jewish personality. His performance style disappeared
because few young American Jews could demonstrate a working knowl-
edge of yiddish. He often played the role of the bumbling cosmopoli-
tan, moving back and forth from yiddish to English, with a mishmash
of sense and nonsense. Though few American Jews today can speak or
understand Yiddish, they retain a great many words and phrases in their
vocabulary. His music is truly a hilarious celebration of Jewishness.

Klezmer

Klezmer music, which is experiencing a popular revival around the

world today, is music infused with the exhilarating melodies of Eastern
Europe, spiced with considerable gypsy influences. Klezmer is secular
Jewish soul music that was played by itinerant Jewish and Gypsy musi-
cians throughout Europe, along with the kvetch (a whine or complaint)
articulated by the soloists. Since klezmer is basically dance music, the
audience usually can be found clapping and joining in at appropriate mo-
ments throughout the concert.

Popular Yiddish Phrases

A Cligger: A Smart Alec Meidle: Young Woman

Filindzayr Shvach: I Feel Tired
Farblunged: Confused
Tatzkele: A Plaything
Mach Shnell: Hurry Up
Meshugge: Crazy
Neshtug Mir Koyach:
I Don’t Have The Strength
Fress: Eat Like An Animal
Mazel Tov: Good Luck
Nachas: Joy, Pleasure
Pupik: Belly Button
Shvitz: Sweat
Tchotchka: A Trinket
Bobenu: Grandmother
Zaydenu: Grandfather
Ferdela Shlein: Little Horse
Falongen D’hoysen:
Lost His Pants
Sa Machaya: It’s A Pleasure
Unge Shtupped: Stuffed Up
Oysgematert: No Strength
Kick E Run: Putting On Airs
Semalyed: Mixed Up
Tugenach: Day And Night
Abi Gezunt: As Long As You
Have Your Health
Chap: Grab
Farblundzhet: Bewildered
Litvak: Lithuanian
Galitzianer: Native Of Galicia

9
 Charleston Jewish Jazz Ensemble

Ian Kay was born in Manchester, England, and

raised in Brooklyn, NY. He sang with several
doo-wop groups from 1957 – 1963, He went on
to become a professional musician, singer, and
actor. He last acted in “Talley’s Folly” and had a
principal singing role in the musical “Baby” here
in Charleston. Ian spent 30 years, first as a high
school choral director, and then as orchestra/band
director at Woodmere Academy, and finally, 20
years at Roslyn H.S. in Roslyn, NY. Ian has a B.S., and M.S. in music
education and in educational supervision from Queens College, NY. He
has been living in retirement, here in Charleston, for the past 14 years
and is the founder of the Charleston Jewish Jazz Ensemble.

Cameron Harder Handel is a professional musi-

cian and private lesson instructor.Her experience
and talents have allowed her to travel the world.
She received her undergraduate degree from the
Jazz Studies program at The College of Charles-
ton.  After completing her degree in three years,
she plays regularly around town.  She is one of
the charter members of the Charleston Jazz Or-
chestra, not to mention the youngest and only
female. She toured Europe last summer as Michael Bolton’s trumpet
player, and just finished a tour of Canada last month.  In December, she
recorded a concert with Seal in LA.

Charles Messersmith attended the Cleveland In-

stitute of Music and received a Bachelor of Mu-
sic degree (while studying with Franklin Cohen)
in 1991. He then went on to receive his Master
of Music degree from the San Francisco Con-
servatory of Music while studying with David
Breeden. After graduation, he became the prin-
cipal clarinet of the Augusta symphony. In 1998
he was appointed to the Second Clarinet position
with the Charleston Symphony, and in 2005 to the Principal Clarinet po-
sition. Along with regular performances with the symphony, he performs
in Charleston with local and national chamber musicians as well as for
Piccolo Spoleto programs in the spring, and in Virginia at the Winter-
green Music Festival in the summer.

10
 Charleston Jewish Jazz Ensemble

Jeff Handel received his Performer’s Certificate

and Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Educa-
tion from Indiana University in Bloomington, IN,
where he also served as Associate Instructor of
Percussion. His diverse musical abilities have led
to performances with symphony orchestras, jazz
ensembles, rock bands and percussion ensem-
bles. He been a member of the Blue Coats Drum
and Bugle Corps and performed in Star of Indi-
ana’s Brass Theatre. He plays Sabian Cymbals, Evans Drumheads, and
Vic Firth Sticks and Mallets exclusively. Jeff toured North America and
Japan for four years as a featured percussionist in the Tony and Emmy
Award winning Broadway show, “Blast!”

Born in 1953 in Boston, Mike Wolk has studied

jazz for many years with Earl Greene following
the Manhattan School of Music jazz curriculum
where Greene studied with Thelonious Monk,
Tony Aless and others. He currently leads his own
group, the Mike Wolk Jazz Group. Along with his
band and solo, he has recording extensively and
performed at numerous venues and festivals in
the Southeast. His band also performed at Mistral
Restaurant on Market Street in Charleston nearly every week for over
10 years. Besides jazz, he has been studying classical and other forms of
music. Collaborating with other musicians, Wolk wrote original music to
accompany six paintings by artist Peter Scala.

Nikolai Svishev’s active international career has

taken him to Europe and the US. He plays six
and eight string guitar and has written works for
orchestra, voice and various instrumental ensem-
bles, as well as for solo guitar. Nikolai’s musi-
cal background includes both film and television
soundtracks. Nikolai has been fortunate to share
the stage with world famous guitarist such as:
Chet Atkins, Larry Carlton, Lee Ritenour, Guinga
and others. Nikolai received a Master of Art Degree in Music with con-
centration in Jazz Guitar from the University of Arts in Russia, and he is
currently working towards his Post-Graduate Degree in Classical Guitar
Performance at USC in Columbia.

11
 Charleston Jewish Jazz Ensemble

Roman Pekar, Bassist, was born in Ukraine and

began his music studies at the age of 5 learn-
ing violin. Roman later went on to study the
bass,which would become his primary instru-
ment. He graduated from the Leontovich Music
College in Vinnitsa, Ukraine and the Saint Pe-
tersburg State Conservatoire in Saint Petersburg,
Russia where he received a Master of Music De-
gree in Bass Performance in 1998. In 1991-2001
he was a member of State Symphony Orchestra. Since 2001, Roman
has lived in Charleston performing with the Charleston Symphony on
occasion as well as teaching and performing at various events. Roman
has performed around Europe and Asia, and has a number of recordings.

Thomas Joyce is in his fifteenth season as bass

trombonist of the Charleston Symphony Orches-
tra. Tom graduated summa cum laude with de-
grees in Mathematics/Physics and Music and then
pursued performance studies at the New England
Conservatory and Boston University. He is a
member of Burning River Brass, a professional
twelve-piece brass ensemble based in Cleveland;
he can be heard on that ensemble’s five CD’s. He
spends his summers as a member of the Breckenridge Music Festival
Orchestra, is a frequent substitute for the Rochester Philharmonic, and in
2005 performed in the Seattle Opera production of Wagner’s “Der Ring
des Nibelungen.”

Tomas Jakubek started his violin studies at the

age of seven in his native country of Slovakia. He
studied violin at the Conservatory in Zilina, then
at the Janacek Academy of Music in Brno where
he received his Masters Degree in violin per-
formance. Mr. Jakubek often performs with the
Charleston Symphony Orchestra and is a mem-
ber of the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra. He
has played in various concerts on four continents
with the following European orchestras: Junge Philharminie Wien, Euro-
pa Philharmonie Magdeburg, Czech Chamber Orchestra Prague, Czech
Philharmony of Brno. Mr. Jakubek is also currently a faculty member at
the College of Charleston and the Charleston Academy of Music.

12
 Mozart to Gershwin

Famous virtuoso pieces are performed by Russian born violinist Rozolita

Agrest-Mikulinsky of Charleston, former faculty member of St. Peters-
burg State Conservatory, Russia, and guest pianist Maxim Lubarsky of
the Ukraine, recipient of the Technics endowed award at Berklee College
of Music in Boston. The duo will be joined by Alex Agrest, conductor
of the Summerville Community Orchestra to celebrate 300 years of his
viola made by famous German maker Mathias Klotz.

Alex Agrest began his violin studies in Sukhumi,

a small city on the Black Sea in Soviet Georgia.
At the age of 13, he entered the Special Music
School for Gifted Children in Leningrad. In 1974,
he took the post of principal violin at the Lenin-
grad Conservatory Opera Theater. In 1989 he im-
migrated to the U.S., becoming a core member
of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra in 1991.
Mr. Agrest became the music director of The
Summerville Community Orchestra in February 2005. The orchestra has
had amazing growth under his leadership.
Rozolita Mikukinsky was born in St. Petersburg,
Russia. In 1989, she immigrated to the United
States, joining the Charleston Symphony Or-
chestra located in South Carolina. A 1991 concert
featuring Rozolita’s and pianist Lev Natochenny
was the winner of the Buzoni International Com-
petition, and included three Brahms sonatas. Dur-
ing her twelve years in the United States, Rozoli-
ta produced much chamber music and many solo
recital performances. She worked as a soloist with various orchestras
and music festivals in the United States and in Europe.
Maxim Lubarsky is a pianist with a rare spectrum
of talent and virtuosity. Maxim is equally com-
fortable performing jazz, classical, and music of
Latin America. He is a truly remarkable arranger,
composer and performer. Maxim received a Mas-
ter’s Degree in Performance, Pedagogy, Classical
Ensemble and Accompaniment from the Odessa
State Conservatory. Maxim has performed with
such exceptional musicians as Sreeve Gett, Abra-
ham Laboriel, Terri Lyne Carringron, Kudisan Kai,Gabrielle Goodman,
Rhiannon and is a regular performer at the Spoleto festival.

13
 Kosher Café, Desserts and Tours

Kosher Café

The Kosher café will be open during lunchtime, from 11:00 am to 2:00
pm on June 1, June 2, June 3, June 8 and June 10.

A meal from the adult menu is $12.00 per person and includes one choice
from each of the categories A, B & C. All meals include a beverage. Ice
water will be on the table.

A meal from the children’s menu is $5.00 per person, regardless of age,
and includes and additional choice from both categories B & C. Please
note that all food has been prepared in the Dairy Kitchen, under Rabbi
Ari Sytner’s supervision. Cash, checks and credit card are accepted.

CATEGORY A Hummus with pita cookies

Sandwiches chips Chocolate trifle
Egg salad sandwich
Tuna salad sandwich Pizza CHILDREN’S
Margherita MENU
Wraps Roasted vegetable Macaroni & Cheese
Roasted vegetable & Peanut butter & grape
feta wrap CATEGORY B jam sandwich
Green olive & Green Salad
hummus wrap Pasta Salad BEVERAGES
Bag of potato chips Sweet tea
Salad Plates Unsweetened tea
Babaganoush with CATEGORY C Lemonade
pita chips Two chocolate chip Hot coffee

Evening Dessert Reception

Elegant desserts and coffee will be served from after the concerts end
until 9:30 pm and will cost $10. Desserts include decadent cheesecake
along with mouthwatering desserts like the famous Coca Cola cake
baked by Jessica Grossman, pastry chef at Jestine’s Sweet Shop. Please
note that all desserts are Kosher Dairy, under Rabbi Ari Sytner’s supervi-
sion. Cash, checks and credit card are accepted.

Synagogue Tours

Synagogue Tours will take place on June 1, June 2, June 3, June 8 and
June 10, with the first at 11:30 am and the second at 12:30 pm.

14
 History of BSBI Synagogue

Compiled and Written by

Jeffrey Kaplan, BSBI Historian
©2010

It was nearly 160 years ago that the

first steps were taken toward the es-
tablishment of what is today Brith
Sholom Beth Israel (BSBI), the
South’s oldest Orthodox synagogue,
as well as the oldest Ashkenazi
Orthodox synagogue in continu-
ous existence in the United States.
Throughout all these years, BSBI
has stood as a bastion of Orthodox Judaism in Charleston, South Caro-
lina, one of America’s most beautiful and historic cities.

The beginnings of BSBI go back to 1852, when a group of recent Jewish

immigrants to Charleston, primarily from Poland, Lithuania and Prussia
gathered for prayers according to the Ashkenazi traditions of Orthodox
Judaism. Although there had been an Orthodox synagogue in Charleston
since 1749, the year that Charleston’s first synagogue was established,
the existing Orthodox synagogue in Charleston adhered to the Sephardi
traditions of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews. The founders of BSBI
wanted to worship using the customs and pronunciation of Hebrew they
had grown up with. These Ashkenazi immigrants coalesced into a more
formal organization just two years later, in 1854, when they organized a
new congregation, called “Berith Shalome.”

Congregational life steadily progressed over the next few years. Berith
Shalome elected its first board of officers in 1855. A number of de-
scendants of these founding officers are members of BSBI today. The
following year, 1856, saw several more milestones in the development
of the young congregation. Land was acquired for a cemetery, the first
of three now maintained by the congregation. The year 1856 also saw
Berith Shalome’s members dedicating their first synagogue, and obtain-
ing a charter of incorporation from the South Carolina legislature.

The War Between the States began in Charleston in 1861, when Confed-
erate artillery batteries opened fire on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor.
Charleston was besieged and shelled by Union forces during much of
the War, and many people fled the city. Berith Shalome was the only
one of Charleston’s three synagogues to keep its doors open during the

15
 History of BSBI Synagogue

War, and kosher meat as well as matzo on Passover were provided by the
Synagogue during this trying period. A full complement of Berith Sha-
lome’s members served the Confederate cause, and several Confederate
veterans are buried in the congregation’s first cemetery.

Berith Shalome’s membership grew steadily in the years following the

War between the States, as increasing numbers of Orthodox Jews from
Eastern Europe and Germany settled in Charleston. In 1874, a new and
impressive synagogue was dedicated by Berith Shalome’s members on
the same site as its first house of worship. The dedication ceremonies
were the occasion for community-wide celebrations, in which members
of Charleston’s Reform congregation, Beth Elohim, joined the Orthodox
members of Berith Shalome. Beth Elohim presented Berith Shalome
with a new Aron Kodesh (Ark) to mark the milestone of the new syna-
gogue. This Aron Kodesh with its magnificent white Corinthian columns
still graces BSBI’s present sanctuary. Berith Shalome’s membership and
stature continued to grow as the years progressed. By the end of the
nineteenth century, the congregation was described as the “foremost Or-
thodox Synagogue in the South.”

The twentieth century saw both dissension and progress for Berith Sha-
lome. As increasing numbers of Orthodox Jews from Eastern Europe
came to Charleston in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth
centuries, tension developed between these recent immigrants and native
born or long established members of Berith Shalome. In 1911, many
of these recent immigrants established a new Orthodox synagogue in
Charleston--Beth Israel. For the next four and a half decades, Orthodox
Jews in Charleston were served by two synagogues: the old Berith Sha-
lome, which was now spelled Brith Sholom, and Beth Israel. In 1947,
the members of Brith Sholom were presented with a proposal that would
have paved the way for the congregation abandoning Orthodoxy and
affiliating with Conservative Judaism. This proposal was defeated, but
a significant portion of Brith
Sholom’s membership now
left the congregation to cre-
ate a new Conservative Syna-
gogue, Emanu-El.

In the wake of this event, the

members of both of Charles-
ton’s Orthodox synagogues
came to the realization that the

16
 History of BSBI Synagogue

issues of contention that had led to the for-

mation of a second Orthodox synagogue in
Charleston were no longer significant, and
that Charleston would be better served by
a single unified Orthodox synagogue. This
became a reality in 1954, the centennial of
Brith Sholom’s founding, as Brith Sholom
and Beth Israel again became one as Brith
Sholom Beth Israel. In 1956, the united
congregation dedicated its present syna-
gogue on Rutledge Avenue, after renovat-
ing the sanctuary that Beth Israel had dedi-
cated on the same site in 1948.

Today, nearly 160 years after its begin-

nings, BSBI continues to hold fast to the beliefs and values of our ances-
tors, and offers everything necessary to maintain a community adhering
to Jewish law. Its beautiful and spacious synagogue can accommodate
over 600 people, and has preserved several features from the old Berith
Shalome Synagogue of 1874. These include the Aron Kodesh (Ark) with
its Corinthian columns, the tablets of the Ten Commandments above the
Aron Kodesh, and the columns throughout the sanctuary supporting the
women’s gallery. Services are held every morning and evening 365 days
a year.

In addition to services at the downtown synagogue on Rutledge Avenue,

services are held every Shabbat and Festival at the Minyan House in
the South Windermere neighborhood. BSBI provides kashrut certifica-
tion to a number of establishments, including a Bed and Breakfast Guest
House.

While BSBI has proudly upheld Orthodox Judaism since its beginnings
nearly 160 years ago, it warmly welcomes all Jews without regard to
their personal level of religious observance or background. What BSBI’s
diverse membership shares in common is respect for the continuity of
Jewish tradition and a desire to grow as Jews. At the same time, BSBI is
very much a part of the greater community, and its members have served
as judges, on Charleston’s City Council, and in the South Carolina leg-
islature.

Whether visiting Charleston or living here, the doors of BSBI are open
wide in welcome.

17
 Shabbat at BSBI

Shabbat at BSBI will take place on Friday, June 4 and Saturday, June 5.

This weekend includes traditional cantorial services led by Cantor Ye-

hoshua Redfern and a Southern-Style Shabbat Dinner with musical
z’mirot on Friday evening; a free kiddush luncheon and a presentation
on music by Cantor Redfern on Saturday.

The Friday Night dinner menu will include: challah, pistachio encrusted
chicken, mixed seasonal vegetables, sweet potato pie and pecan pie, all
prepared by Chef Eric Gaffin of New Dream Catering.

The cost is:

$30 for Non-BSBI Members $10 for kids ages 5-12
$20 for BSBI Members FREE for kids 4 and under

Reservations and payments for the Shabbat Dinner can be made

by calling 843-577-6599 ext. 1 or by purchasing tickets online at
www.CharlestonJewishCulture.com, and must be received by Thursday,
June 3rd at 12:00 pm.

The schedule is as follows:

Friday, June 4
6:30 pm
Shabbat Evening Services
7:30 pm
Southern Shabbat Dinner and
Musical Zmirot

Saturday, June 5
9:00 am
Shabbat Morning Services
11:30 am
Kiddush Luncheon
12:30 pm
Presentation by Cantor Redfern:- Kol Nidrei to Shalom Aleichem:
A Musical Journey of Jewish Tunes Throughout the Ages
7:45 pm
Shabbat Evening Services

18
 Supporters and Advertisements

Thank you so much to to the supporters of the Inau-

gural year of Piccolo Spoleto at BSBI Synagogue:
Charleston’s Newest Jewish Culture Festival. It is
with your generosity that we will be able to make
this festival a success! For more information on the
festival, please visit our website at
www.CharlestonJewishCulture.com

Listed Supporters of the Festival

Deborah and Morris Ellison

Iris and Robert Friedman
Nathan, Jerry and Susan Garfinkle
Elizabeth and Spencer Lynch
South Carolina Bank and Trust
The William Olasov Company, LLC
Shirley and Arnold Prystowsky
Yvonne and Herbert Rephan
Sara Beth and Sam Rosen
Patricia Sykes
Louis Tick of Edward Jones

19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38