Charleston, South Carolina October 23–25, 2013assets.thejewishmuseum.org/support_travel_pdfs/2013_JM_Travel... · Charleston, South Carolina October 23–25, ... a Charleston historian

Charleston, South CarolinaOctober 23–25, 2013

Charleston, South Carolina’s rich Jewish history sprang from an early tolerance that remains little-known. In 1695, Jews from England began to settle in this major port city. The majority of these settlers were Sephardim, and their descendants fought in the American Revolution. Charleston’s Jews participated freely in the city’s way of life. They were an integral part of South Carolina’s indigo industry; many became prosperous merchants, farmers and slave owners. At the time of the Civil War, Charleston had the largest and wealthiest Jewish

population in America, the majority of which were Confederates. After the Civil War, many Jews moved to escape the poverty of the Reconstruction era. Since World War II, their numbers have increased, and the cityis currently a popular retirement destination.

Join us as we explore an essential chapter of American history; the fascinating art and Jewish culture of the “Mother City of the South.”

Middleton Place Historic House and Gardens

1109 5th Avenue New York, NY 10128

TheJewishMuseum.org Under the auspices of The Jewish Theological Seminary of America

2

Daily ItineraryWednesday, October 23

10:00 amPick up at Charleston International Airport by a luxury mini-coach bus.

10:40 amIntroduction and bus tour of Charleston with Harlan Greene, a Charleston historian and well known guide. Mr. Greene is the Head of Special Collections at the College of Charleston’s Addlestone Library. He is a member of the Mayor’s commission on art and an expert on the Charleston Renaissance. He has authored many publications, including Renaissance in Charleston: Art and Life in the Carolina Low Country, 1900-1940; Mr. Skylark: John Bennett and the Charleston Renaissance; and Southern Sisters: the Art of Charleston and Savannah.

NoonLunch at Hyman’s Seafood Restaurant. In 1890, the Hyman family began their Charleston enterprise as wholesale merchants. Hyman’s Seafood remains family-owned. It is the only restaurant in the city that serves glatt kosher meals from the Chabad House of Charleston.

1:30 pmLecture by Dr. Dale Rosengarten, curator of the Jewish Heritage Collection at the College of Charleston’s Addlestone Library, followed by a special viewing of rare antebellum objects.

Dr. Rosengarten is co-author of the highly acclaimed A Portion of the People: Three Hundred

Years of Southern Jewish Life. The book-length catalogue accompanied an exhibition mounted by McKissick Museum at the University of South Carolina. The Jewish Heritage Collection documents the Jewish experience in South Carolina from colonial times to the present day. The collection includes memoirs and oral histories, photographs and portraits, congregational minutes and business records, and other one-of-a-kind archival materials. Dr. Rosengarten received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Harvard University.

3:30 pmVisit the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art.

Director and Senior Curator Mark Sloan will give a tour of the exhibit Renee Stout: Tales of the Conjure Woman.

The Halsey Institute is named after acclaimed modern artist William Halsey, who taught the first studio art class at the

College of Charleston in 1964. The Halsey was awarded the Elizabeth O’Neill Verner Governor’s Award, the highest art award in South Carolina, with a special recognition to Mark Sloan. Mr. Sloan has produced contemporary art exhibitions for thirty years. His exhibitions have travelled to the High Museum in Atlanta, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, Presentation House Gallery in Vancouver, the Musée Art Brut in Lausanne, and the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore.

5:00 pm Check-in at the French Quarter Inn. The newly re-designed Inn is ranked the #1 hotel in Charleston on TripAdvisor.com. Conveniently located, the Inn overlooks the city’s historic market. The rooms are beautifully designed in the style of a Parisian chateau.

5:30 pmWine and cheese reception at the French Quarter Inn.

7:00 pmPrivate dinner at Stars Restaurant followed by a lecture with Rabbi Moshe Davis.

Rabbi Moshe Davis leads Brith Sholom Beth Israel (BSBI). BSBI is the oldest Orthodox synagogue, as well as the oldest Ashkenazi Orthodox synagogue in continuous existence, in the United States. BSBI’s history began in 1852 as a prayer group of mainly Polish, Lithuanian and Prussian members. BSBI was the only synagogue to remain open during the Civil War, providing kosher meat and matzah on Passover.

Stars Restaurant is located on the happening Upper King Street. Chef Nathan Thurston and his culinary team at Stars are dedicated to serving locally sourced contemporary southern cuisine. The traditional 1930s inspired grill room is complemented upstairs by the best rooftop bar in Charleston.

Thursday, October 24

7:30 am Breakfast at French Quarter Inn.

8:30 amLuxury bus departs for Middleton Place.

9:00 amArrive at Middleton Place, a National Historic Landmark. The visit begins with free time to explore America’s oldest landscaped gardens. In 1741, the gardens were created in the grand classical style following design principles also found at the Palace of Versailles. The ample terraces, lakes and vistas of the Ashley River below Middleton’s bluff took a decade to complete.

Dale Rosengarten, curator of the Jewish Heritage Collection

3

10:00 amMeet for a guided tour of the House Museum, the only surviving section of Henry Middleton’s home, built in 1751. Arthur Middleton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, was born here. His portrait by Benjamin West, along with a rare facsimile of the Declaration, are highlights of the museum collection, which spans portraits, decorative art, documents, and other objects owned by three centuries of Middletons and members of their household.

11:00 amPrivate lunch at Middleton Place Restaurant, which offers Low Country, kosher-style fare.

12:30 am Luxury bus departs from Middleton Place.

1:00 pmPrivate tour of Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim (KKBE). Established in 1749, KKBE began as Sephardic Orthodox, attracting notoriety and wielding influence in the colonies. In 1790, President George Washington wrote to the synagogue expressing gratitude for their support and wishing them a “temporal and eternal blessing.” In 1840, the pioneering organization became the first reform congregation in the United States, and in 1873, a founding member of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations.

The current building, re-constructed in 1840 after a fire, is a supreme example of early Greek Revival architecture. A National Historic Landmark, the building is the second oldest synagogue in the United States and the oldest in continuous use. Special features are the prized William Halsey murals depicting the founding of Beth Elohim and congregants who participated in the American Revolution.

2:00 pmLuxury bus departs for the Coming Street Cemetery.

2:15 pmThe Coming Street Cemetery is the oldest and largest colonial Jewish cemetery in the South. Important historical figures were buried there; Joseph Levy was the first Jewish officer of the American Colonies; Michael Lazarus opened the Savannah River for steam navigation; Joshua Lazarus introduced gas lighting to Charleston.

KKBE president and chairwoman of the Cemetery Restoration Project, Anita Moise Rosenberg, will give a private tour. Ms. Rosenberg’s family has belonged to KKBE since its inception.

4:30 pm Early dinner in a private room at Tristan Restaurant, located on the first floor of the French Quarter Inn.

Tristan presents inspired twists on traditional fare. The acclaimed restaurant has received the AAA Four Diamond awards for six years. Highly recommended by Charleston natives, Tristan’s executive chef Nate Whiting was described as a “serious culinary force” by the Charleston City Paper.

6:00 pmThe Charleston Preservation Society’s highly anticipated Homes & Gardens Tour will guide the group through esteemed examples of Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival, and Italianate architecture. The tour offers rare and coveted access to private homes.

Founded in 1920, the Preservation Society of Charleston is the oldest community based historic preservation organization in America. In 1931, the organization successfully lobbied for zoning ordinances that resulted in the creation of the first historic district of Charleston.

9:00 pmReturn to French Quarter Inn

Friday, October 25

8:30 am Depart from the hotel for Charleston International Airport (30 min.)

Left: Anita Moise Rosenberg, President of Kahal Kadosh Beth ElohimRight: Moïse descendants gathered on the piazza of Abraham Moïse II’s Charleston home, at the intersection of George and Glebe Streets. Photo: Bill Aron, 2000. Special Collections, College of Charleston.

Entrance to Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim Synagogue

4

Tour Leaders

Marcia Miller

Marcia Miller is the Director of The Jewish Museum Travel Program. The program offers members unique opportunities to learn about art and Jewish culture in communities around the world. Marcia has been a co-leader for the museum’s trips to China and Cuba. She has traveled widely in Asia.

Stacy Welkowitz

Stacy Welkowitz is a Membership Associate at The Jewish Museum. Her art history interests lie in photography, as well as in 19th – 20th century American and European art and architecture. She is currently completing her Masters of Arts degree in Museum Studies at the City College of New York.

Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim Synagogue

5French Quarter Inn

French Quarter Inn staircase

Our AccommodationsFrench Quarter Inn

The French Quarter Inn is the top-ranked Charleston hotel on Trip Advisor. Conveniently located, the Inn overlooks the historic city market. The newly-redesigned rooms are inspired by the old world elegance of a Parisian chateau. Among many other amenities, guests will enjoy champagne at check-in, an evening wine and cheese reception, nightcap port wine service, freshly-baked cookies and milk, and a generous breakfast on theterrace or brought to your room.

6

Program DetailsParticipationLimited to 20 participants, this program is open to members of The Jewish Museum. Non-members are welcome to join the Museum and participate. Designed for people of all ages, Museum travel programs entail walking moderate distances and may include uneven or slightly hilly terrain and/or stairs. Participants need to be in good health and able to keep up with the group and ready to travel as part of a group and experience cultural differences with grace.

Land Program Cost *$1,850Program Cost Includes**Two nights at the French Quarter Inn luxury hotelTwo breakfasts, two lunches, and two gourmet dinners All group ground transportation by luxury busAll activity entrance fees and tours *Early bird discount—register by Monday, August 12 and pay only $1,675. **Non-members of The Jewish Museum will be charged an additional $75 membership fee per person.

To RegisterTo reserve your place, complete the reservation form and return with a $450 non-refundable deposit per person. Balance is due by Monday, September 9.

ChangesAll rights are reserved by the Program Directors to make faculty substitutions and/or to modify the itinerary (including hotels) as needed.

CancellationsAll cancellations must be received by the Jewish Museum in writing. For cancellations received by Monday, September 9: full refund less $450 deposit per person. No refunds after this date.

Book your flight early and save:The Museum will provide a complimentary pick-up from the Charleston International Airport on Wednesday, October 23 at 10 am, and a ride to the airport from the French Quarter Inn on Friday, October 25 at 8:30 am. While the Museum does not have the capacity to arrange travel to/from Charleston, we are happy to recommend JetBlue direct flights from JFK. Discounts for flights are currently available on Hotwire, Orbitz, and similar sites. Book now and save hundreds on airfare!

Caroline “Caro” Agnes Moïse Lopez (Mrs. J. L. Lopez) (1854–1885), Theodore Sidney Moïse (1808–1885), United States, February 1876, Oil on canvas, Private collection

Renee Stout, Listening to the Voice of a Spirit. Courtesy of the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art.

7

Registration FormCharleston, South CarolinaWednesday, October 23–Friday, October 25, 2013

Please complete this form and include a non-refundable deposit of $450 per person.Credit card registration accepted by telephone or fax. Registration forms may be mailed or faxed to the following:

Attn: Stacy WelkowitzThe Jewish Museum Travel Program 1109 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10128 Phone 212.423.3269 / Fax 212.423.3232 / Email [email protected]

Participant 1:

Participant 2:

Address:

Email address:

Daytime & Evening Phone:

Method of Deposit If you are not a member of the Museum, a membership fee of $75 will be added to the final invoice. Information including benefits of membership and options for other levels of membership with enhanced benefits will be forwarded with registration acknowledgment.

Travel Arrangements

Sharing a room with: Flight numbers and times:Date of Arrival in Charleston: Date of Departure from Charleston:Dietary Restrictions:

Emergency Contact

Name: Telephone:

All lunches and dinners will be kosher-style and each will have one vegetarian option. The Museum can recommend a packaged kosher meal delivery service. Please call 212.423.3269 to discuss.

(The Jewish Museum Member? Yes No )

(The Jewish Museum Member? Yes No )

Check enclosed Mastercard Visa American Express

Name on Card:

Card Number: Expiration Date:

Signature: Security Code:

Participation The Jewish Museum Travel Program is open to all members of The Jewish Museum; non-members are welcome to join the Museum to participate.

Disclaimer of Responsibility By registering for this program, participant specifically waives any and all claims of action against The Jewish Museum, The Jewish Museum Travel office and their respective staffs for damages, loss, injury, accident or death incurred by any person in connection with this tour. The Jewish Museum, The Jewish Museum Travel office and their respective staffs assume no responsibility or liability in connection with the service of any train, vessel, carriage, aircraft or other conveyance which may be used wholly or in part in the performance of their duty to the passengers. Neither will The Jewish Museum, The Jewish Museum Travel office or their staffs be responsible for any injury, death, loss, accident, delay or irregularity through neglect or default of any company or person engaged in carrying out the purposes for which tickets, vouchers, or coupons are issued. No responsibility is accepted for losses or expenses due to sickness, weather, strikes, wars and other causes. In the event it becomes necessary or advisable for any reason whatsoever to alter the itinerary or arrangements, such alterations may be made without penalty. All rights reserved to require any participant to withdraw from the tour at his/her own expense when such an action is determined by the tour staff to be in the best interest of the participant’s health and safety, and that of the group in general.