Family Photographer in Hilton Head Island, SC

One story in the Torah that has always haunted me is the episode in Leviticus chapter 10:1-3 where the two sons of Aaron, Nadav and Abihu, were caught offering a sacrifice contrary to the instructions of God. Suddenly God sends a fire that consumes them and they perish. Then the Torah says: “Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what Adonai (The Lord) meant when God said: Through those near to Me I show Myself holy and gain glory before all the people.”

And Aaron was silent.

It is the last phrase that I cannot grasp in my soul. One medieval commentator wrote, “Aaron was silent because Aaron’s heart turned to lifeless stone. He did not weep and mourn like a bereaved father, nor did he accept Moses’ attempts to console him, for his soul had left him and he was speechless.”

Aaron’s silence is what haunts me. He is beyond tears and anger and all the rest of the spectrum of human emotions at that moment.

We are used to silence as a means of reflection and meditation. Silence is a healing experience. Silence is a retreat into ourselves to behold a deeper truth about ourselves and God. For me, silence is the beginning of the poetic moment. Silence is a pathway to God.

Aaron’s silence is one formed from rage and shock.Yet, there is a another kind of silence that is destructive. There is a silence when we see gross injustice and destruction and we remain silent that sends a completely different message. That kind of silence means acquiescence and approval to something evil and unjust. Silence as a form of assent to a war, for example, like what we are seeing Russia and Putin conduct in Ukraine. That kind of silence is a profane and godless action itself.

For this reason, I have story to tell you that defies that kind of immoral and sacrilegious silence. This story is about those in Hilton Head who say, “We will not be silent to the unprovoked and despicable conduct which we witness every day in the media in Russia’s war against the people of Ukraine.” These citizens of Hilton Head say “Enough!”

A consortium of communal leaders from the business community, nonprofits and the interfaith communities have joined together and in a few short weeks have put together a plan to raise funds with the guidance and support of the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry and the town of Hilton Head to present an event that says, ‘We will not be silent to the bloodshed.’

At noon on May 22 at Celebration Park, the community is invited to a concert ranging from classical music from the Symphony Orchestra to Hilton Head’s favorite rock ‘n’ roll bands. The concert will be free and the hope is that we shall succeed in raising funds through individual donations and sponsorships from the business community for two charities. For medical supplies the proceeds will go to Doctors Without Boarders. For food supplies to refugees and those still inside Ukraine, the proceeds will go to World Central Kitchen founded by chef Jose Andres.

When we think about what makes Hilton Head special we tend to answer, ‘Nice people and great beaches and golf.’ All that is true but do we forget that what makes us a faith in action community is that we can put aside all that divides us and unify under the banner of “L’chayim To Life: To save a soul is to save the world.”

That is exactly what this event will do, which is to save the lives of Ukrainian people. This concert and the fundraising and sponsorships that I hope individuals and businesses will support is our community’s way of making a difference. So many people have said to me, ‘How can I help? I feel helpless. What can I do?’

Our refusal to remain silent in the face of indiscriminate and cruel bombing, executions and kidnapping populations of non-combatants back to Russia requires us to say, ‘No more.’ It should ring a bell throughout the land that we learned a lesson from World War II when the world was silent as the Nazis and their collaborators committed genocide against the Jewish people and many others in Europe.

Yes, the world was silent. Now we have a chance to learn and prove to ourselves let alone to God that we are different. Hilton Head is different and it is something I am appealing to everyone to give what we can to this worthy event. Go to HH4Ukraine.com and you will find a link taking you directly into the Community Foundation website where you can make your donation. It is so easy to do. Just click and save a life.

I am directly involved in this group and I wish you could see how these leaders who did not know each other before this effort have risen to the high ground and done what appeared to be the impossible in a few short weeks. These are some of Hilton Head’s finest citizens. You, too, can join them in this noble effort.

If we can all join together and take great pride in the PGA Heritage golf tournament as a flagship event in our community, can we add one more event to show the world who we are and how we care, and that we are willing to share our resources with those most in need at this hour? Is this not doing God’s work?

Join us on May 22 and enjoy the music, the community and the feeling of saying, “I made a difference and I helped save lives.”

Rabbi Brad L. Bloom serves Congregation Beth Yam. He attended the University of Wisconsin and lives on Hilton Head Island.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (WSAV) – May 18 is International Museum Day, and wouldn’t you know, Hilton Head has several museums that you can enjoy while visiting the island. The following is a list of four museums on Hilton Head that you can go to in order to recognize the impact that museums have on the community.

The Coastal Discovery Museum was opened in 1985 and was officially recognized as a Smithsonian affiliate in 2015. Their mission is to inspire people to care for the Lowcountry. You can read about their strategic plan through the link here.

The Coastal Discovery Museum has 68 acres of outdoors to explore and 2,000 square feet of indoor exhibits to learn from. According to their website, admission to the museum is free, though some events do require reservations.

The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. They are located on Honey Horn Drive and they have events every weekday for you to enjoy. You can check out their calendar on their website through the link here.

Established in 2003 by Louise Miller Cohen, a Native islander, The Gullah Museum of Hilton Head Island is focused on the preservation, restoration and revitalization of Gullah history. According to their website, they are dedicated to “maintaining Gullah customs, traditions, language, stories, songs and structures,” on the island. You can read more about their history and mission through the link here.

The museum is by appointment visitation only, so you’ll have to book online if you would like to visit. However, your admission fee includes a guided tour.

Admission is $20 per person, and you can find more information through the link to their website here. They are located on Georgianna Drive a short drive away from the Boys and Girls Club of Hilton Head Island.

According to the Sandbox Children’s Museum website, in the early 2000s, a group of moms realized the need for “a community space to provide educational play for preschool- and elementary-aged children and their families.” It took several years of hard work and fundraising but eventually, they were able to create this space for families in the Lowcountry and the museum opened its doors in 2005. The Sandbox Children’s Museum now has one location in Bluffton and one location on Hilton Head.

The mission of the Sandbox Children’s Museum is to provide an environment for children to learn and explore that is inclusive and safe. This exploration is to happen with their peers and caregivers through hands-on discovery that is paired with “imaginative play that cultivates their physical, social and cognitive development.” You can read more about their mission statement and history through the link here.

The Sandbox Children’s Museum has plenty of indoor exhibits for your child to enjoy playing with. Their museum is designed for children up to the age of 12, including a two-story “sandcastle” and a model shrimp boat.

The museum is located on Nassau Street and admission is $10 per person aged 1 to 64. Individuals 65 and older need only pay $7.50 for their admission. They are open every day of the week for three-hour general admission sessions. For more information on how that works and how you can buy your tickets, you can visit the link here.

The Harbour Town Lighthouse is just over 50 years old and still standing strong. According to their website, the museum’s mission is to ensure that all of those who visit the lighthouse “have a memorable experience that they will cherish for years.” You can learn more about the history of the lighthouse, as well as the ways the museum has contributed to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s, through the link here.

Each level of the lighthouse has historical information to go along with it. You can learn about the history of the island all while climbing to the very top of the red and white structure.

Admission to the lighthouse is $5.75 per person and children who are under 5 are free. The lighthouse is open from 10 a.m. to sundown every day. You can find more information about admission by visiting the link here.

A ready-to-eat sandwich company is expanding into South Carolina and is investing millions in a new operation, according to Gov. Henry McMaster’s office.

E.A. Sween Company announced plans to set up shop in a facility in Greenwood County, the governor’s office said in a news release. The company is investing $38 million and will create 300 jobs, according to the release.

The company’s plan marks the largest number of jobs created in Greenwood County since 2013, Greenwood County Council Chairman Chuck Moates said.

“When an industry leader like E.A. Sween Company locates in South Carolina, it’s further proof that our state’s business-friendly environment and talented workforce offer companies the recipe for success,” McMaster said in the release.

Founded in 1955, E.A. Sween Company is a private company that produces and ships sandwiches and other ready-to-eat products across the U.S., the governor’s office said. Its brands include Deli Express, Market Sandwich, San Luis Burritos and Simply Delicious Bakery, and it sells more than 100 million sandwiches annually, according to the release.

When the new facility in South Carolina is fully operational, the company said it expects to produce an additional 75 million sandwiches a year. The facility, which will be at 5730 Highway 25 North in Hodges, is expected to be up and running in 2023, the governor’s office said.

“From the moment we first visited the community, we knew it was a perfect fit,” E.A. Sween Company President and CEO Tom H. Sween said in the release. “South Carolina is a place where people, partnerships, relationships and opportunity matter to everyone we came across.”

The Coordinating Council for Economic Development has approved job development credits related to this project.

Those interested in applying for a job can visit the company’s careers page.

“E.A. Sween Company’s decision to locate their newest facility in Greenwood shows that the Upstate continues to be a key location for food and beverage companies,” Upstate SC Alliance President and CEO John Lummus said in the release. “Our region’s proximity to consumer markets and logistical advantages, combined with an available, trained workforce, makes Upstate South Carolina an ideal location as companies look for an East Coast location.”

This story was originally published May 18, 2022 12:45 PM.

A new address in the private Hilton Head Island community of Long Cove Club was recently put up for sale. Unlike the average home, however, this one offers a bit of an artistic twist.

5 Delta Lane, located in the gated golf community in the 29928 zip code, currently belongs to locally renowned, world-class artist Uschi Niner.

Born in Germany and raised in the Middle East, Uschi Niner has lived and painted all over the world. She now owns this Hilton Head Island home that’s currently on the market for $949,000.

The 3,896 square foot home outwardly reflects the classic Hilton Head Long Cove Club style. However, the inside of the property displays European, Middle Eastern, and North African influences. The artist combined the influence her travels gave her with that of Lowcountry living.

“In designing the home, Niner emphasized open space and sightlines, informed by her childhood spent abroad and her creative sensibilities. She drew inspiration from her farmhouse in France, where she converted extra-large barn doors to windows, allowing for an unfettered view of the Burgundy countryside,” according to a press release by Daniel Ravanel Sotheby’s International Realty.

The residence is full of light from the far-reaching, vast windows that allow sunlight to showcase each piece of artwork displayed in the home, as well as give an unobstructed view of the nearby lagoon with all manor of flora and fauna native to the Lowcountry. This space became a focal point to Niner.

Inside her home, Niner was able to display a variety of artwork, making the home look like a gallery itself: an artist’s dream.

The home also features a vast array of library shelving to allow preferential storing for any avid literary collector.

Niner and her late husband were initially drawn to the island’s abundant natural beauty and availability of world-class golf, a similar draw many visitors and locals experience. The en plein air painter routinely captured these beautiful sights on canvas.

After falling in love with the local weather, beach and access to abundant cultural opportunities, the artist will miss her muse.

“The Long Cove Club is a warm and welcoming community that I will miss.”, said Niner in a recent press release.

This story was originally published May 12, 2022 5:00 AM.

One story in the Torah that has always haunted me is the episode in Leviticus chapter 10:1-3 where the two sons of Aaron, Nadav and Abihu, were caught offering a sacrifice contrary to the instructions of God. Suddenly God sends a fire that consumes them and they perish. Then the Torah says: “Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what Adonai (The Lord) meant when God said: Through those near to Me I show Myself holy and gain glory before all the people.”

And Aaron was silent.

It is the last phrase that I cannot grasp in my soul. One medieval commentator wrote, “Aaron was silent because Aaron’s heart turned to lifeless stone. He did not weep and mourn like a bereaved father, nor did he accept Moses’ attempts to console him, for his soul had left him and he was speechless.”

Aaron’s silence is what haunts me. He is beyond tears and anger and all the rest of the spectrum of human emotions at that moment.

We are used to silence as a means of reflection and meditation. Silence is a healing experience. Silence is a retreat into ourselves to behold a deeper truth about ourselves and God. For me, silence is the beginning of the poetic moment. Silence is a pathway to God.

Aaron’s silence is one formed from rage and shock.Yet, there is a another kind of silence that is destructive. There is a silence when we see gross injustice and destruction and we remain silent that sends a completely different message. That kind of silence means acquiescence and approval to something evil and unjust. Silence as a form of assent to a war, for example, like what we are seeing Russia and Putin conduct in Ukraine. That kind of silence is a profane and godless action itself.

For this reason, I have story to tell you that defies that kind of immoral and sacrilegious silence. This story is about those in Hilton Head who say, “We will not be silent to the unprovoked and despicable conduct which we witness every day in the media in Russia’s war against the people of Ukraine.” These citizens of Hilton Head say “Enough!”

A consortium of communal leaders from the business community, nonprofits and the interfaith communities have joined together and in a few short weeks have put together a plan to raise funds with the guidance and support of the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry and the town of Hilton Head to present an event that says, ‘We will not be silent to the bloodshed.’

At noon on May 22 at Celebration Park, the community is invited to a concert ranging from classical music from the Symphony Orchestra to Hilton Head’s favorite rock ‘n’ roll bands. The concert will be free and the hope is that we shall succeed in raising funds through individual donations and sponsorships from the business community for two charities. For medical supplies the proceeds will go to Doctors Without Borders. For food supplies to refugees and those still inside Ukraine, the proceeds will go to World Central Kitchen founded by chef Jose Andres.

When we think about what makes Hilton Head special we tend to answer, ‘Nice people and great beaches and golf.’ All that is true but do we forget that what makes us a faith in action community is that we can put aside all that divides us and unify under the banner of “L’chayim To Life: To save a soul is to save the world.”

That is exactly what this event will do, which is to save the lives of Ukrainian people. This concert and the fundraising and sponsorships that I hope individuals and businesses will support is our community’s way of making a difference. So many people have said to me, ‘How can I help? I feel helpless. What can I do?’

Our refusal to remain silent in the face of indiscriminate and cruel bombing, executions and kidnapping populations of non-combatants back to Russia requires us to say, ‘No more.’ It should ring a bell throughout the land that we learned a lesson from World War II when the world was silent as the Nazis and their collaborators committed genocide against the Jewish people and many others in Europe.

Yes, the world was silent. Now we have a chance to learn and prove to ourselves let alone to God that we are different. Hilton Head is different and it is something I am appealing to everyone to give what we can to this worthy event. Go to HH4Ukraine.com and you will find a link taking you directly into the Community Foundation website where you can make your donation. It is so easy to do. Just click and save a life.

I am directly involved in this group and I wish you could see how these leaders who did not know each other before this effort have risen to the high ground and done what appeared to be the impossible in a few short weeks. These are some of Hilton Head’s finest citizens. You, too, can join them in this noble effort.

If we can all join together and take great pride in the PGA Heritage golf tournament as a flagship event in our community, can we add one more event to show the world who we are and how we care, and that we are willing to share our resources with those most in need at this hour? Is this not doing God’s work?

Join us on May 22 and enjoy the music, the community and the feeling of saying, “I made a difference and I helped save lives.”

Rabbi Brad L. Bloom serves Congregation Beth Yam. He attended the University of Wisconsin and lives on Hilton Head Island.

This story was originally published May 6, 2022 12:10 PM.