Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim (KKBE), one of the oldest Jewish congregations in America and a National Historic Landmark, will open the gates of its historic Coming Street Cemetery to the public for a free Open House on Sunday, June 14, 2026, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. The cemetery is located at 189 Coming Street in Charleston’s Cannonborough/Elliotborough neighborhood.
Established in 1764, the Coming Street Cemetery is the oldest surviving Jewish cemetery in the American South. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and in 2023 received the Preservation Society of Charleston’s Carolopolis Award. It is ordinarily accessible only by private tour. The June 14 Open House will offer members of the public a rare opportunity to walk the grounds freely, encounter centuries of Jewish history in Charleston, and learn about the remarkable individuals laid to rest there.
The men and women buried in the Cemetery established the Charleston Jewish community. Among them were businessmen and women, esteemed poets, veterans of the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Civil War, and both World Wars, builder of buildings which still stand today, the entrepreneur who brought gas lighting to Charleston, politicians, and community builders. Together, their lives represent the breadth and depth of what the cemetery holds: Jewish patriots, community founders, artists, educators, and scholars whose contributions to Charleston and American Jewish history continue to resonate.
The Open House also marks a moment of renewed investment in the cemetery’s future. KKBE and the Historic Coming Street Cemetery Restoration Committee have undertaken active efforts to restore and preserve the grounds, including headstone restoration and the ongoing stabilization and restoration of the cemetery’s exterior walls. The Open House will offer visitors a chance to see that work firsthand and to understand why the preservation of this sacred space matters.