Rabbi David J. Radinsky papers
Collection Overview
The collection consists primarily of correspondence between Rabbi Radinsky and members of the Charleston community, BSBI congregants, and Jewish organizations and institutions. The subject matter covers a wide array of issues centering on Radinsky's responsibilities during his thirty-four years as senior rabbi of BSBI. Topics include: the policies of Addlestone Hebrew Academy and the Jewish Community Center of Charleston, kashrut (dietary laws), kosher food suppliers, local businesses that prepare kosher foods under Radinsky's supervision, character references and recommendations, affirmation of religious observance for excused absences from work, school, and testing on Jewish holidays and the Sabbath, lectures on various Jewish topics, and requests for guidance on religious and domestic issues. The correspondence also documents his interactions with Charleston's Jewish community and his involvement with Addlestone Hebrew Academy, the Chaplain Pastoral Program at Bon Secours-Roper Hospital, and the Yaschick/Arnold Jewish Studies Program at the College of Charleston, among other organizations. The collection also includes speeches, sermons and eulogies given by Rabbi Radinsky.
Dates
- Creation: 1970-2004
Creator
- Radinsky, David J. (Person)
Language of Material
Materials in English
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for research.
Copyright Notice
The nature of the College of Charleston's archival holdings means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. Special Collections claims only physical ownership of most archival materials.
The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
Biographical Note
David J. Radinsky (1940- ) was born to Jack and Lillian Helen Silver Radinsky, in Seattle, Washington. He earned his B.A. in History and Hebrew from Yeshiva University in 1963, a M.A. in Semitic Studies from the Bernard Revel Graduate School, and Rabbinic Ordination from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary in 1966.
After ordination, Rabbi Radinsky became a chaplain in the United States Army, serving one year at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and one year at Camp Red Cloud, Korea, receiving an Army Commendation Award for his service to the soldiers. Following his tour of active duty, he took the position of assistant to Rabbi Emanuel Feldman at Congregation Beth Jacob in Atlanta, Georgia.
In 1970, Rabbi Radinsky accepted the position of senior rabbi of Brith Sholom Beth Israel (BSBI) in Charleston, South Carolina, also serving until 1973 as principal of the Charleston Hebrew Institute, now known as Addlestone Hebrew Academy (AHA).
During his tenure at BSBI, Radinsky served on the boards of the Charleston Jewish Federation and its Community Relations Committee, Addlestone Hebrew Academy, Charleston Community Hebrew School, and Crisis Ministry. He was a founding member of and served on the Professional Advisory Committee of the Chaplain Pastoral Program at Bon Secours-Roper Hospital in Charleston until his retirement. He also worked as a campus minister at The Citadel and chaplain at Charleston's VA hospital, and taught at BSBI, Addlestone Hebrew Academy, and in the Yaschik/Arnold Jewish Studies Program at the College of Charleston.
Rabbi Radinsky retired from BSBI in 2004, relocating to Memphis, Tennessee, where he began teaching Jewish History, Oral Law, and the Weekly Torah Portion at the Margolin Hebrew Academy/ Feinstone Yeshiva of the South.
Extent
3.0 linear feet (6 document boxes)
Abstract
Correspondence, speeches, sermons, and eulogies of Rabbi David J. Radinsky, senior rabbi of Brith Sholom Beth Israel Congregation in Charleston, South Carolina, from 1970 to 2004. The collection consists primarily of correspondence between Rabbi Radinsky and members of the Charleston community, BSBI congregants, and Jewish organizations on such topics as the policies of Addlestone Hebrew Academy and the Jewish Community Center of Charleston, kashrut (dietary laws), kosher food suppliers, local businesses that prepare kosher foods under Radinsky's supervision, character references and recommendations, affirmation of religious observance for excused absences, lectures on various Jewish issues, and requests for guidance on religious and domestic issues.
Collection Arrangement
- Correspondence, 1970-2004, undated
- Memorial files and speeches, 1989-2004
- Printed materials, 1990-2004
Acquisitions Information
Materials donated in 2004 by Rabbi David J. Radinsky.
Processing Information
Processed by Amy Lazarus, June 2015.
Subject
- Brith Sholom Beth Israel (Charleston, S.C.) (Organization)
Genre / Form
- Clippings (information artifacts)
- Correspondence
- Eulogies (documents)
- Obituaries
- Speeches (documents)
Topical
- Title
- Inventory of the Rabbi David J. Radinsky Papers, 1970-2004
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Processed by: Amy Lazarus; machine-readable finding aid created by: Amy Lazarus
- Date
- 2015
- Description rules
- Dacs
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections Repository
Special Collections
College of Charleston Libraries
66 George Street
Charleston South Carolina 29424
(843) 953-8016
(843) 953-6319 (Fax)