05/20/2026
Today we are turning the spotlight on Anderson, South Carolina, where the Jewish community has been a cornerstone of local life since before the Civil War.
A Legacy of Inclusion & Resilience:
According to research, the first Jewish family, the Lessers, arrived from Prussia and became so established that during the Civil War, they took an injured Union soldier—a fellow observant Jew from Vienna—into their home. This act demonstrated how a common religious background could trump regional alliances.
Building the "Electric City":
Anderson’s Jewish residents were more than just shopkeepers; they were civic architects:
- Max Siegel: A Russian immigrant who arrived in Anderson with only enough money for a train ticket. He built a thriving livestock business and, during the Great Depression, famously loaned the city $50,000 to help meet its payroll.
- The Geisbergs: Early organizers of the local YMCA and the Board of Trade, ensuring the town’s commercial and social health grew alongside their own businesses.
- Hy Draisen: A beloved local jeweler and school board candidate who, in the 1950s, was an early and courageous advocate for school integration, proposing a plan to desegregate Anderson’s classrooms a decade before it became mandatory.
A Spiritual Home:
For decades, the community met in makeshift spaces. In 1948, driven by Max Siegel’s wish to see his grandson’s Bar Mitzvah in a "proper synagogue," Temple B’nai Israel was completed. It remains a testament to the community's flexibility and dedication to passing their heritage to the next generation.
From the football fields of Clemson—where Reuben "The Jewish Juggernaut" Siegel became a three-sport star—to the pilot’s seat of WWII B-17s with Lt. Allen Rosenblum, Anderson’s Jewish community has defended and defined the Upstate.
The next time you visit downtown Anderson, remember the generations of Jewish families who helped build this city into a home for us all. ✨🌳
