Building the Synagogue (1921-1925)

Interest in building a Synagogue in Aiken grew with the expansion of the Aiken Jewish community. As early as 1907 there was a meeting that began formulating plans and raising funds. Jewish residents of Aiken continued to meet regularly to discuss these plans and hold informal services – either in their homes, in the apartments above their shops or at the Masonic Lodge.

In January of 1913, the trustees of “The Sons of Israel” – the Polier brothers, the Surasky brothers & M Poliakoff – spent $300 to buy land for a burial ground which has become the final resting place for approximately 200 Aiken Jewish residents and even for some nonresidents. In particular, many members of the Poliakoff family (some of whom left Aiken to open stores elsewhere in South Carolina) continued to choose to be buried here to be close to other family members.

Finally, in March of 1921 a Certificate of Incorporation was issued by South Carolina Secretary of State for the organization of a Synagogue in Aiken. This certificate lists BM Surasky, Moses Poliakoff, JS Poliakoff, Jacob Wolf & Meyer Harris among the officers and trustees. Public notice of this Charter was given in the Aiken Standard & Review and these events triggered fundraising to build the Synagogue, estimated to be $10,000.

Newspaper accounts indicate that construction of the Synagogue began “in earnest” in July of 1925 after foundation work was completed and the first services were held on Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) were held in late September 1925 with a formal dedication of the building in late October of that year. Throughout this process, a core group of founding families worked to make the Synagogue a reality, including: the Suraksys (BM, HC, Sol, Sam & Meyer Harris, BM’s son in law), the Poliakoffs (JS & Moses), the Poliers (HL & MS) & Jacob Wolf.

The congregation was small and as such did not have a full-time Rabbi. Regular services were led by lay leaders, beginning with BM Surasky who had been a Rabbinical student in Poland. Rabbis from Augusta & Columbia came to Aiken for major ceremonies such as weddings & funerals. More recently, the Synagogue has arranged for Rabbinical students to lead the Congregation during the High Holy Days. A tradition that continues to this day.

click here to for the location of the Sons of Israel section of the Bethany Cemetery

click here to a full listing of gravesites in this cemetery

click here to a full listing of memorial plaques in the adath yeshurun synagogue