The Dorchester Heritage Center will hold another free presentation in its Discovery Series, bringing the Inland Lowcountry’s shared history out of the museum and into the community on Tuesday, May 26th at 6:30pm at the Ashley River branch of the Dorchester County library in Summerville.

 “A Store at Every Crossroads” features Rachel Gordin Barnett, Executive Director of the Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina presenting the story of the Jewish merchants of Dorchester County and South Carolina. Ms. Barnett is the co-author of Kugels & Collards; Stories of Food, Family, and Tradition in Jewish South Carolina (USC Press, August 2023) and has been an integral part of the JHSSC for more than 20 years, serving as a board member and as president of the organization.

 For more than 300 years, Jewish settlers – from across the Atlantic and around the country – have made their homes in South Carolina. The earliest Jews populated Charleston, Georgetown, and later Columbia, where they held a variety of occupations and became immersed in civic life. After the Civil War, men and women fleeing oppressive governments in Central and Eastern Europe came to South Carolina determined to create better lives for themselves, their families, and the friends and neighbors who soon followed. By the late 1800s, Jewish merchants had set up shop on downtown streets in towns big and small, and more than 100 years later their legacy remains alive through their descendants. The Jewish Merchant Project preserves memories of these men and women who have played vital roles in communities across South Carolina. The Discovery Series is free and open to the public.

 About Dorchester Heritage Center:

Founded in 2014, Dorchester Heritage Center is a non-profit dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of the Inland Lowcountry from prehistory to present and maintains an archive, research library, and museum. It accepts local collections and is open to researchers. For more information, including museum and research library hours and admissions, visit dorchesterheritagecenter.com.