Beaufort has had a continuous Jewish presence since the 1700s, and Beth Israel — founded in 1905 — is the only synagogue on Scott Street and the only one for many miles. The current building, with its modest brick front and arched windows, dates to 1908. Inside, the sanctuary is small and quiet, lit through stained-glass windows that are unusual for being clearly handmade by a local artisan rather than ordered from a studio catalogue.
The congregation is small but active, and visitors are welcome to look in when the building is open. There is a short historical display in the foyer explaining the long thread of Jewish life in the Sea Islands, going back to the Sephardic merchants who settled in Charleston and worked their way down the coast.