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Jewish Community Center papers

 Collection
Identifier: Mss 1063

Collection Overview

The administrative files mostly document planning for, financing, and building the new Jewish Community Center in suburban Charleston; with blueprints, architects Simons, Lapham, Mitchell and Small correspondence and a small amount of history. The largest series contains photographs documenting Jewish life and Jewish Community Center activities, ca. 1945 to 1998. Original order, when possible, was kept, there being topical and biographical files (including images, 1980s-1990s, of Russian immigrants), and files corresponding by date to images taken for and sometimes used in the newsletter, "Center Talk." The largest series documents day and residential Camps Baker, K'Tanim, Wesash and Juniper (in Cheraw, S.C.), sponsored by the Center. Also included are papers and photographs of the Friendship Club (1948-1990s) for Senior Citizens; and that of the Junior Booster and Booster Clubs, dedicated to fundraising for the Center. There are some papers of the Archives Committee, a few earlier (1920s-1940s) oversize photographs and reproductions, some ephemera and printed matter.

Dates

  • Creation: 1920-1998

Creator

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.

Historical Note

The Jewish community in Charleston, South Carolina, purchased a building at 54 George Street and opened it as a community center in May 1923, with Sam Rittenberg as President. The center's fortunes waxed and waned with the years, being run by volunteers, hosting a Hebrew School and other activities for children and adults. In 1945, after a span of inactivity, the organization was incorporated, and hired its first director, Nat Shulman; programs took place in the Charleston Hebrew Institute Building at 58 St. Philip Street. In 1959, the organization bought land West of the Ashley, opening its outdoor facilities there in 1963. In 1964, it sold its St. Philip Street building and opened in the new building on Millbrook (later Raoul Wallenberg) Drive in 1966. By the time it had celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1995, it had increased greatly in size and function, also being the site of Addlestone Hebrew Academy and the Sherman House for low income senior citizens.

Extent

7.75 linear feet

Language of Materials

English

Acquisitions Information

Materials donated by the Jewish Community Center.

Related Material

Related materials in Special Collections include the Nat Shulman papers (Mss 1007), an oral history interview with Nat Shulman (Mss 1035-026) and the Charleston Jewish Community Relations Committee papers (Mss 1020).

Title
Inventory of the Jewish Community Center Papers, 1920-1998
Status
Completed
Author
Processed by:Special Collections staff ; finding aid created by: Special Collections staff
Description rules
Dacs
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Special Collections
College of Charleston Libraries
66 George Street
Charleston South Carolina 29424
(843) 953-8016
(843) 953-6319 (Fax)