Exclusive Visit to one of America's Oldest Jewish Cemetery

Rosenberg and Serrins Outside the Entrance to the Cemetery

On a cold spring night, the class walked to the Kahala Kadosh Beth Elohim cemetery. As we walked inside the massive brick cement wall entry, we were enclosed into the cemetery with only one way out. There was no vision of the road we had come from but instead only the beauty of the Jewish graves.

As we stood around listening to Anita Moise Rosenberg and Randi Serrins talk to us about the rich history of this cemetery we gazed around in amazement at all the wondrous graves and people bared below them.

Picture of the Cemetery and the Graves Inside

As the class listened to the lavish history of the cemetery. Serrins informed the class that "in 1794 the church was built and looked like a church because the structure of their synagogue was copied from St. Michael's Church; it had a 75-foot steeple".

 Shortly after Rosenberg stated, "the cemetery is separate from the Synagogue because Kohan's could not come into the cemetery".  These Women had lost of amazing facts to say about the cemetery they dearly loved.

This cemetery was different than the other cemeteries the class has gone to see. There were more graves other than just headstones, die on sockets, and die on bases. Most of the graves at this cemetery had Hebrew or another language written on them. Also, they bury people within 24 hours of dying whereas Christians normally do it within a week.

Box Tops Example of Hebrew and Rocks on Graves

The cemetery had all different groups of people buried here just like Christian cemeteries. There are 21 Confederate soldiers, 6 war of 1812 soldiers, and many other families.

If you didn't notice the wall and the Hebrew on the stones it would look like a Christian cemetery with the symbols to God and the groups of families.

Rosenberg told the class "there were three other burial lands that were lost because the families/synagogue could not pay for the grounds".

The rocks that you see on the box tomb in the picture to the right are often used in synagogue cemeteries in place of flowers because the flowers die.

David Lopez's plot of land

Serrins informed the class on the tour that "In 1840, an organ was put into their synagogue, which was not acceptable because we were in mourning. This caused the traditionalists to leave and form their own synagogue."

Thus causing the birth of the reformed Judaism in this country. Some people switched from one synagogue to the other and in order for them to be buried in the synagogue's cemetery, they had to be confirmed in that synagogue's community.

Well, some people died before getting the chance to be confirmed into the community, which was the case for David Lopez's wife and child.Lopez bought a plot of land right next to the cemetery of the reformed synagogue. He buried his wife and child on the plot, as pictured to the right. The cemetery eventually opened up the wall to let the plot be included in the cemetery.

Serrins said that "Members of the synagogue are buried and will be buried in the cemetery; we are still an active cemetery."

Israel Solomons and Robert Brown 

In the picture to the right lies Israel Solomons. He is the left die on socket piece. He was born June 18, 1847 and died on October 28, 1854 at the age of 7. He was born in Charleston and died here as well. He died of yellow fever while his father was away in Savannah. He was the first child the couple was able to nurture past infancy.

Underneath the die on socket on the right lies Robert Brown Abrahams. He was born February 6, 1847 and died September 15, 1854. He also died at the age of 7 from yellow fever.

Joshua Lazarus and Phebe Yates Lazarus

Under this Pedestal tomb lies Joshua Lazarus and Phebe Yates. Joshua Lazarus was born on March 18, 1796 and died on June 1, 1861 at the age of 65.

Lazarus introduced gas lights in Charleston and became well known and loved. He was the president of the Charleston's Gas Light Company for 16 years. He was also president of the Hebrew Orphan Society. He was also very active in his role as head of the Hasell Street Reformed Congregation of Israelites.

Phebe Yates Lazarus was born on March 25, 1794 and died on April 24, 1870 at age 76. She was born in England and died in Baltimore, Maryland. Phebe Married Joshua in Liverpool, England on October 28, 1835.