The third oldest Jewish congregation in America. NY was first, I think Philadelphia was second, not sure.
A very Neo Gothic looking building, makes sense since it was built in 1878.
You have to look for the star, it is there.
The first Jews arrived shortly after Oglethorpe. Most were Sephardic – Jews who escaped Spain and Portugal and had settled in London. among them was Dr. Nunez, who became extremely important in the small colony. Yellow fever was raging, the doctor who came with Oglethorpe died. So Dr. Nunez stepped and and quarantined the sick (notice he didn’t do a Fauci and quarantine the healthy) and helped stem the tide and stop the epidemic.
One of these two torah scrolls came with those settlers, the other with a following group. The scrolls are written on deer skin. Quite a surprise to our guides from the day before. No surprise to me. A torah must be written on vellum from a kosher animal. Usually sheep. these two are from Spain. If a deer is captured alive and goes through a ritual slaughter – it is kosher and it’s skin can be used as vellum. These two are among the oldest Torah scrolls in America.
German Jews starting arriving as well. By 1741 many of the Spanish Jews moved north. they feared that in a war with Spain – which held territory close by in Florida – they would suffer the consequences of the Inquisition – a real fear – the Inquisition came to the new world – that is a whole other story.
Of course this isn’t the original building, there were others on other locations, a wooden structure that burned down.
This land, right next to the Luthern church was given to the Jews as a burial side. today there is a marker, and a lot of Jews have put stones on it. It’s what we do instead of flowers.
The interior is also very very Neo gothic
The columns are not marble – they are faux painted, cast iron.
Among the Germans who arrived was Mordecai Shelfall, he and his descendants will form a pillar of the community for years.
There are beautiful stained glass windows as well.
Savannah in not a large city, of course there are more than one Jewish congregation, cuz that is who we are…. The nice thing is that Mickve Israel is reform, and Agudath Achim is Conservative, for years they have had a joint religious school and even though that isn’t necessary anymore they haven’t stopped, because it is actually nice when Jews work together.
We took the free Dot Shuttle that goes beyond the historic district (I think it goes west, I’m unclear on directions in Savannah). And of course, there is Chabad, sharing a building with and acupuncture clinic and Sugar Bare. Usually in smaller towns they are close to universities, even if SCAD has Jewish students (Im sure they do) most are probably too artsy for religion.
Plenty of Torah scrolls in the ark. Ok, this should help me with direction, the Ark faces east towards Jerusalem. which means that the Dot Tram is heading south beyond the historic downtown.
A look lengthwise at the sanctuary.
A replica of the William and Sarah that brought the original 41 Jewish settlers.
Of course the sisterhood made a quilt. I don’t remember the year, but probably 20-30 years ago.
Of course I love this one, celebrating Israel and you may notice – the quilter didn’t carve out Judiah and Sameria…
Always two flags, American and Israeli, unlike the Arabs in Michigan who are screaming death to America, and yet no one says a word. but because we support Israel for some reason we have ‘dual loyalty’ it’s not easy being a Jew.
Leah