Message From Rabbi

Welcome to Brith Sholom Beth Israel (BSBI) Synagogue of Charleston- the oldest Ashkenazic Congregation in continuous use in America!

Our Congregation is proud of our history and excited about our future.  Founded by immigrant Polish and Prussian Jews in 1854, our Congregation was strengthened by waves of Eastern European arrivals who found their way to Charleston, South Carolina throughout the 19th and 20th Centuries.  Located in Historic Charleston, among centuries old antebellum homes and architecture, we are proud to be a vital part of one of America’s most loved and best-preserved cities.

Today, our Congregation consists of longtime Charleston families, including 7th and 8th generation members, as well as many who have fallen in love with a town often ranked among the best places to live in America.  Our members include an active cadre of professionals, modern businessmen and women, and a growing number of young families.

While our Congregants represent the broad spectrum of personal religious observance, we are unified by respect for the continuity of tradition and a desire to grow Jewishly.  We are a community of proud Americans and firmly Zionist.  Our services and practices follow Halacha (Jewish Law) and custom within the Orthodox tradition.

Whether for a short visit or a new lifestyle, you owe it to yourself to experience Historic Charleston and BSBI. Hopefully you too will discover the warmth and passion that has preserved our orthodox community for over 165 years of Southern Orthodox Judaism.

Yosef Bart, Rabbi