Rooted deeply. Growing wisely. Cultivating community.
Upcoming Events
Family Service & Shabbat Dinner
Friday, December 5, 2025
5:30 PM
Shabbat Late Night
Friday, December 5, 2025
8:30 PM
Consecration Service
Saturday, December 6, 2025
10:00 AM
Concert with Michael Ochs
Saturday, December 6, 2025
7:00 PM
What a wonderful evening celebrating 15 years of Rabbi Stephanie Alexander’s leadership at KKBE! ✨
Thank you to everyone who joined us for The Great American Songbook: Rabbi Alexander’s Crystal Anniversary Soiree. We are especially grateful to Rev. Nelson B. Rivers, III for his inspiring remarks, to the Charleston Symphony for the beautiful music, and to Bates O’Neal for curating a spectacular musical program that made the evening truly unforgettable.
Most of all, thank you to Rabbi Alexander for fifteen years of dedicated service, compassionate leadership, and unwavering commitment to our congregation and the greater Charleston community. We are honored to celebrate this milestone with you and look forward to many more years together.
Enjoy these photos from a truly special night! 💙
On Sunday, the gates of the Coming Street Cemetery opened — and Charleston walked in.
Docents shared stories. Visitors explored headstones and history. Neighbors who had walked past these walls for years finally stepped inside. It was exactly what we hoped it would be.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Coming Street Cemetery Open House, and to the dedicated volunteers who bring these stories to life. The history here isn’t behind us — it’s beneath our feet and all around us. #RootsInTheGround
Did you miss it? Call the KKBE Office and book your private, docent-led tour today!
This morning, members of our KKBE community gathered at our Huguenin Avenue cemetery, guided by the Jewish principle of Kavod HaMet — respect for the dead. Headstones cleaned. Overgrowth cleared. Sidewalks made accessible again. We are grateful for every hand that showed up. Special thanks to Rabbi Rosen for making and delivering pancakes to the volunteers! 🪦 💪🏼
Our final spotlight in this series honoring the individuals buried at KKBE’s historic Coming Street Cemetery is Dr. Michael S. Kogan — a scholar, teacher, and lifelong student of theology whose work built bridges across faith traditions.
Dr. Kogan’s family roots in Charleston stretched back generations, with his direct ancestors arriving in the city in 1830. He earned a PhD in Religious Studies from Syracuse University and pursued postgraduate studies in philosophy at Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary. For 41 years, he taught at Montclair State University in New Jersey, specializing in Jewish and Christian theology.
Even after retiring and returning to Charleston, Dr. Kogan remained deeply committed to education, teaching adult Bible and theology courses at churches and synagogues throughout the community. His passion for learning and dialogue touched countless students and congregants across denominations.
His family history was also closely intertwined with Charleston Jewish life. His great-great-great-grandfather, Rabbi Hirsch Levin, was the founding rabbi of Congregation B’rith Sholom in 1852, and several of his ancestors served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War.
Through scholarship, teaching, and community engagement, Dr. Michael S. Kogan carried Charleston’s rich Jewish history into the present day.
Join us for KKBE’s historic Coming Street Cemetery Open House on Sunday, June 14 from 1–3 PM to explore the stories of the extraordinary individuals buried there and the lasting impact they had on Charleston and beyond.
#rootsintheground #comingstreetstories
