The Jewish Synagogue, "The Tree of Life", was built in 1986. It is one of three in the City of Columbia. The Synagogue was a very interesting, outside of the building was a sculpture of the "Star of David" to add to the beauty of the very well kept grounds. The windows in the Synagogue were beautifully sculptured with the events of Christ's life on earth and His returning to heaven. We learned that on every Jewish door there is a mezzuch (a door post with the "watchword of Jewish faith").The locations of this particular Jewish faith (The Tree of Life) are; Lady Street, Woodrow Street and Trenholm Road.
             The Tree of Life is a reformed Jewish congregation. One of the tour guides gave us a little history regarding the Jewish faith and pointed out the differences between Conservative, Orthodox and Reformed Judaism. The Jewish people came to South Carolina primarily to escape persecution and for economic opportunities. There have been three major waves of immigration during the colonist to revolution; 1) Seehardic Jews - from Spain or Portugal (leave or convert) are the earliest wave of immigration 2) German Jews came to America between 19820 - 1880. There were around 150,000 Jews in America at this time and many came to Charleston, Philadelphia, Boston and Baltimore (along the eastern coast).
             Jews have been in Columbia since the early 1800's, but the first thing they didn't do was erect a synagogue. Jews were mainly home worshippers. It was very important for them to establish a cemetery and then a school in the 1840's. The Jews had established a Sunday School Program to educate youth in the faith and it was such a great success, the community became very excited about it and eventually a Synagogue was built in 1846, although later destroyed by fire.
             The Jews way of life is Judaism. Anyone who adheres to the Jewish message is a member of the peoplehood and the cen...