As Jewish college students look South, some discover a long but overlooked history

Students studying Jewish history in the South visit Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim, a synagogue in Charleston, S.C., that was founded in the 18th century. Ashley Walters

For nearly a decade now, news outlets ranging from The Atlantic to the Forward and The Free Press have reported on the increasing number of Jewish students attending college in the South.

This shift is not unique to American Jews. The five states with the fastest-growing number of applicants are all in the South or Southwest. Most American students attend schools in their own state, but Southern institutions have also seen a surge of out-of-state applications, especially from the Northeast.