“Hyman’s was the friendliest, most ecumenical, and most hopping business imaginable, here on a rainy Monday night in Charleston, South Carolina.”
Regular readers on THE Ave know that I am very critical of South Carolina for its persistent racism. celebration of the Confederacy and because of acrimonious interchanges with my brother in law. William Quick. Bill and my sister Stephanie chose to retire to Charleston, SC and he is so angry about the criticism that he started a blog focused on referring to my posts as “Steve Shits.” Oh well, boys will be boys.
Truth be told, I have read few good stories about anything good in the Palmetto State. So it was a pleasure to read about an experience Lawrence Bush, a liberal blogger, had with a Jewish owned restaurant in South Carolina. Maybe Bill will tell us what he likes about the place?
Hyman’s was funded by Wolf Maier Karesh, as a “Southern Wholesale” business in 1890. His son-in-law, Herman Hyman has passed it down to a fifth generation.
The restaurant is Hyman’s Seafood, a popular destination on Charelston’s Meeting Street, not far from the old slave market.
Bush, a liberal blogger, was attracted to the place because it was the only recommended by his hotel that had a a black face among the gallery of local chefs.
At Lawrence’ table, was a signed picture of James Brown, whose eighth yortsayt (death anniversary) was the next Christmas Day!. Lawrence was sitting in the King of Soul’s chair!
Obviously a sea food restaurant can not be kosher ..unless no shell fish are served. However, Hyman’s does offer a kosher choice, with all proceeds going to Chabad. The company donates $200,000 a year to other charities, including the Jewish Federation, Hadassah, and the United Negro College Fund, as well as various Christian ministries and appeals that apparently, like Chabad, have made a successful pitch at the cash register.
Bush visited during the Christmas season but was happy that nobody wished him a “Merry Christmas!” Happy Holidays sufficed.
Part of the menu includes a proposal for Mideast Peace by Eli Hyman, one of the current owners, who described himself as a Zionist and spent most of his airtime talking about damming the Red Sea to restore the Dead Sea and improve the distribution of water. It was lovely, naive, and so very comfortably Jewish-identified.
I do hope Bill and Steph visit Hyman’s and try the kosher menu!