Jewish History Walking Tour: 300+ Years of Sephardic + Ashkenazi Heritage

Join local Jewish Charlestonian and educator Ronnie, for a private tour exploring more than 300 years of Jewish life in Charleston, once home to the largest Jewish community in the United States. From early Sephardic arrivals in the 1690s to Ashkenazi immigrants in the 1800s, Charleston’s Jewish story is woven into the fabric of the city itself. We will explore a fascinating stretch of Charleston’s historic core, visiting homes once owned by Jewish merchants, including a steamship magnate and a successful clothier, as well as the site of America’s first Jewish-owned pharmacy. You’ll also see the Hebrew Orphan Society building and stroll past Rainbow Row. Along the way, we thoughtfully examine the vital role of African Americans in Charleston’s Jewish story and the complex legacy of Jewish involvement in the slave economy and the Civil War. This is more than a history tour; it’s an exploration of identity, resilience, and continuity in the American South, led with insight and care.

- Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon (and its Jewish connection) - Former bank built by David Lopez, a prominent Sephardic builder - Old Slave Mart - The Pink House - Home of Abraham Sasportas, a French-Jewish Revolutionary privateer - French Huguenot Church - Dock Street Theater (and its Jewish connection) - Francis Salvador (Jewish "Paul Revere") plaque in Washington Square Park - Four Corners of the Law (City Hall, Courthouse, Federal Courthouse, St. Michael’s Church) - Hebrew Orphan Society building - Dr. Jacob de la Motta’s pharmacy (first Jewish-owned pharmacy in the US!) - Home of Isaac Harby, a prominent figure in the American Reform Judaism movement - Home of Moses Cohen Mordecai - Rainbow Row