About the History Department
Our Mission
Jews have lived in the South since the late-seventeenth century. As late as 1820, more Jews lived in Charleston, South Carolina than in New York City. Though they constitute less than 1% of the general Southern population, and less than 5% of America’s Jewish population, southern Jews have made a significant mark on the communities in which they lived. The mission of the ISJL History Department is to preserve the stories of Jewish life in the South and make them available to a wider audience.
Jews have lived in the South since the late-seventeenth century. As late as 1820, more Jews lived in Charleston, South Carolina than in New York City. Though they constitute less than 1% of the general Southern population, and less than 5% of America’s Jewish population, southern Jews have made a significant mark on the communities in which they lived. The mission of the ISJL History Department is to preserve the stories of Jewish life in the South and make them available to a wider audience.
Programs and Resources
Under the leadership of Dr. Josh Parshall, the ISJL History Department actively collects information and documents relating to every Southern Jewish community that has ever existed. You can see the fruits of this effort in our Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities. The encyclopedia is a valuable resource for researchers, scholars, and people interested in their family history.
The History Department also houses an oral history program that seeks to capture the stories of southern Jews, especially in smaller communities where Jewish populations are on the decline. The ISJL Oral History Archive already houses over 800 interviews. We are committed to making its oral history collection a nationally recognized resource for scholars and students.
As Jews disappear from many small towns throughout the South, local synagogues and cemeteries face uncertain futures. When all the members are gone, who will keep the temple lights burning, say Kaddish, and care for the graves? Whenever possible, the Institute of Southern Jewish Life works to save Jewish sites from demolition or neglect by working in partnership with declining congregations to create "living wills" for their buildings and trust funds for their cemeteries. With these efforts, a southern Jewish presence will remain for generations to come. Please contact us by email or phone for more information on preservation efforts.
Under the leadership of Dr. Josh Parshall, the ISJL History Department actively collects information and documents relating to every Southern Jewish community that has ever existed. You can see the fruits of this effort in our Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities. The encyclopedia is a valuable resource for researchers, scholars, and people interested in their family history.
The History Department also houses an oral history program that seeks to capture the stories of southern Jews, especially in smaller communities where Jewish populations are on the decline. The ISJL Oral History Archive already houses over 800 interviews. We are committed to making its oral history collection a nationally recognized resource for scholars and students.
As Jews disappear from many small towns throughout the South, local synagogues and cemeteries face uncertain futures. When all the members are gone, who will keep the temple lights burning, say Kaddish, and care for the graves? Whenever possible, the Institute of Southern Jewish Life works to save Jewish sites from demolition or neglect by working in partnership with declining congregations to create "living wills" for their buildings and trust funds for their cemeteries. With these efforts, a southern Jewish presence will remain for generations to come. Please contact us by email or phone for more information on preservation efforts.
Contact Us
If you have inquiries, questions, comments, or suggestions related to the encyclopedia or our programs, please be in touch!
You can write to Dr. Parshall at jparshall@isjl.org or call 601-362-6357.
If you have inquiries, questions, comments, or suggestions related to the encyclopedia or our programs, please be in touch!
You can write to Dr. Parshall at jparshall@isjl.org or call 601-362-6357.
