Want the tastes of New York without flying there? Starting Oct. 11, you can pre-order corned beef and pastrami from New York City’s famous Carnegie Deli through Lowcountry Nosh, the annual Jewish food and heritage festival hosted by Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim (KKBE) held in November.
The original Carnegie Deli location closed in 2016 after 79 years in business, but it reopened last month after a decade-long closure. While the Nosh itself is Nov. 8 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., pre-orders for meats and other delights go live Oct. 11 on the event’s website. You can get things like corned beef, pastrami, kugel and stuffed cabbage to eat at home. Orders close on Oct. 23. Pickup will be on Nov. 5 and Nov. 6 at the synagogue at 90 Hasell St.
New to Jewish food? Stop by KKBE on Nov. 8 to sample from a plethora of the cuisine’s big hitter dishes.
A celebration of food and heritage
2026 is the 14th year that KKBE has hosted the Nosh.
“It is a Jewish food and heritage festival, in all of its glory,” said Jeff Weinman, chair of the event. “We have two objectives. First, provide the community with an opportunity to experience Jewish food, music and culture, and to learn about KKBE’s rich history, unique contributions to reformed Judaism as well as contributions to Charleston itself. The second objective is to give the congregation meaningful volunteering opportunities”
KKBE was founded in 1749 and is one of the oldest congregations in the United States. It is also the birthplace of Reform Judaism in this country (1824), and home to the oldest Jewish sanctuary in continuous use. The building was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1980.
KKBE is also known for its social justice efforts. The synagogue’s Social Action and Advocacy Committee “advocates from a foundation of Jewish values that calls on us to heal the world,” as outlined on KKBE’s website. For the congregation, this includes an annual “Mitzvah (translated as a “commandment” from God in Hebrew, but colloquially means a “good deed”) Day” each May when activities have included baking for local firehouses and blood donation drives. Participants also donate time and money to local organizations like Fresh Future Farm, the Lowcountry Blessing Box Project and Neighbors Together.
Weinman noted many people who are not Jewish attend the Nosh. About 5,000 visitors are expected to pour into Hasell Street for the 2026 celebration. The event is free to the public, food is available for cashless payment and a large food tent will be laid out cafeteria style. The event also is in conjunction with Second Sunday; Hassell Street is closed for the day..
On the menu
Weinman recently delivered 500 pounds of cabbage from Restaurant Depot to the KKBE Kitchen that will be paired with a family recipe to make about 1,600 stuffed cabbages for the Nosh. In addition to this classic dish, diners will find corned beef and pastrami sandwiches, knishes, hot dogs, bagels, lox and cream cheese, chopped liver, baked goods, challah, matzo ball soup and Dr. Brown’s sodas, a drink synonymous with New York delis.
Kugel and stuffed cabbage dishes are made by volunteers. Meanwhile, a caterer prepares dishes like knishes, chopped liver and chicken soup using family recipes provided by KKBE congregants. Baked goods like babka, black and white cookies, hamantaschen and rugelach are sourced from Green’s Bakery in Brooklyn. Bagels come from Charleston’s own Bagel Nation.
The Nosh is more than just about food. Traditional Jewish music and tours of KKBE’s historic sanctuary will be open throughout the day. And for the little ones, the Kid Zone will have games, activities, cotton candy and a Noah’s Ark theme.
“It’s an amazing, happy time,” Weinman said. “You can enjoy your lunch, you can enjoy phenomenal music and – if you haven’t – you get to see a historic sanctuary in the midst of Charleston. It appeals to those who like to eat, those who like music, those who are appreciative of history and culture. Bring an appetite!”
More information and the pre-order form is available on kkbe.org.
Glossary of Jewish foods
Babka: a sweet, braided cake originating in Jewish communities in Poland and Western Ukraine. Traditional fillings include jam and nuts, and you can also find chocolate, cinnamon, cheese and fruit filling today.
Black-and-white cookie: a fixture in Jewish delis, the black and white cookie has a soft, cakelike vanilla base and is frosted with both vanilla and chocolate fondant.
Challah: a traditional, braided bread most commonly served on Shabbat (Judaism’s weekly day of rest, observed from just before sunset on Friday until nightfall on Saturday) and major Jewish holidays. Challah uses an “enriched” dough made with more oil and eggs than a traditional bread, the latter giving it its yellowish color.
Hamantaschen: a triangular-shaped filled cookie traditionally eaten during the Jewish holiday of Purim (a Jewish holiday celebrating the survival of the Jewish people in ancient Persia from a plot to destroy them). Hamantaschen is a distinct triangle shape and has a sweet filling like poppy seeds or prunes.
Knish: an Eastern European snack with a savory filling like mashed potatoes, wrapped in a thin pastry dough then baked or fried.
Kugel: a baked casserole made with egg noodles or grated potatoes. For noodle kugel, there is a custard of eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream, butter and sugar. In a potato kugel, you will most commonly find onions, eggs, oil or shmaltz (chicken fat).
Rugelach: Created by Ashkenazi Jews in Eastern Europe, rugelach is a traditional Jewish pastry made with a flaky dough, rolled with sweet or savory fillings.
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