In 1862 Bavarian-born Michael Grausman and his wife, Regina Einstetta, moved from Warrenton, North Carolina to Raleigh. This was the beginning of Jewish culture and religion in our city. Mr. Grausman made uniforms for the army during the Civil War. In addition, the Grausmans were involved in war services and charities, while raising a family in the Jewish tradition.
Not until after the Civil War did other Jews come to Raleigh. It was about 1874 when the Grausmans turned the nursery room of their home into a synagogue and classroom. Mr. Grausman had, at one time, studied to become a rabbi, and he readily assumed the responsibility of teaching Jewish history and Hebrew. This became known as the first synagogue of Raleigh. Some time in the 1880’s, the group outgrew the Grausman nursery, and a room over Rosenbaum’s Millinery on Fayetteville Street became the second synagogue.
In 1912, the Jewish people of Raleigh met and formed the Hebrew Sunday School. The meeting place was moved to new quarters over Mr. M. Rosenthal’s store at the corner of Wilmington and Hargett Streets. This organization later became known as the Raleigh Orthodox Hebrew Congregation.
The early congregation included both the Reform and Orthodox Jews of the town. Therefore, much of the early business was directed toward reconciling their religious viewpoints, in an effort to remain a single congregation. In 1913, to satisfy their social needs, the congregation set up a Y.M.H.A. group. In December of 1913, the synagogue members met for a Hanukkah party at which they held a rather unique auction. To the highest bidder went the privilege of suggesting a new name for the synagogue. The name chosen was House of Jacob. It was the name of our synagogue for the next 35 years.
Members of the House of Jacob were a congregation of thirty or forty devoted and loyal Jews. Around 1923, the building was established. It was a two-story house located on South East Street. Shul services were held upstairs, and the rabbi and his family lived downstairs. Because of this, the congregation would often daven, surrounded by the aroma of tzimmes and other goodies from the rebbetzin’s kitchen.
In the 1940’s the members made the decision to build a new synagogue building. In May 1949, the ground breaking ceremony was held on West Johnson Street. On October 2, the name Beth Meyer Synagogue was established in memory of Meyer Dworsky. Meyer Dworsky was a member of the Raleigh Jewish community who came to Raleigh before World War I. All of his children were born here and his family was active in the Shul. He died in 1943. On May 20, 1951, the new synagogue building was dedicated.
The decade of 1973-1983 was one of growth, planning, and building for Beth Meyer. The Jewish population was expanding rapidly and was projected for at least a 5 per cent annual growth rate. The congregation examined their future in term of their growth and the adequacy of the West Johnson Street Synagogue site. They determined that in order to meet the needs of a rapidly growing community, a new facility had to be built. The congregation evaluated more than twenty sites until the twelve-acre Newton Road tract was selected.
The land was purchased early 1980 and ground broken in the spring of 1982. On Sunday, March 20, 1983, the Torahs were carried under a chupah in proud procession from the old sanctuary to the new. The Torahs were placed in the Ark and the Mezuzzah was affixed to the doorpost. The congregants of Beth Meyer once again had a new spiritual home.
In 1983, Beth Meyer had a membership of about 200 families. Our present facility was built to accommodate the future of the congregation. Members were proud that they finally had adequate classrooms, a beautiful library, a spacious sanctuary, and social facilities for youth and adults. Their dream was fulfilled.
We have grown into a congregation of over 400 family member units. We are proud of our legacy of volunteerism at Beth Meyer; in fact, it is a major part of how we define ourselves. Volunteers, young and old, are involved in many aspects of synagogue life including chanting Torah/Haftarah, leading religious services, and teaching classes.
Entering the 21st Century, our congregational community strives to grow religiously and spiritually. We enthusiastically combine our talents, our neshamot, and our ruach, to grow as Conservative Jews. Hazak, Hazak v’Nithazeik
"The Western Wall of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem, the Golden Gate (one of seven entrances to the Old City that is currently blocked but will be opened when the Messiah arrives), the seven branched menorah (the clerestory above the Sanctuary), and material suggesting familiar Biblical themes are all contributing elements that become the Architecture." 
- Michael Landau, Architect
In our Eastern Wall, visible in the sanctuary, there is a Jerusalem Stone. This piece of stone came from the Western Wall excavation site in Jerusalem, and was officially given to Dr. B. Elmo Scoggin, retired Professor of Hebrew and Old Testament Studies at the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Scoggin describes the colors of Jerusalem stone as unique. "It is a limestone in early stages of development into marble. There are creams, pinks, striations of various colors. Colors change moment by moment, as the light changes: light lavender to pink to dark purple, as night comes on. It is the gold in Jerusalem stone that has given us the phrase 'Jerusalem the golden'."
Raleigh, North Carolina 27615