Beth Sadeh Synagogue
Beth Sadeh Synagogue (House of the Field) or "The Cruse Synagogue" is a small, family synagogue constructed by the Cruse family on the grounds of the Old Stone Vineyard and Winery located outside of Salisbury, NC. Built by the Cruse family in 1947, it is the oldest Orthodox synagogue in continuous existence in North Carolina and the only Sephardic synagogue in North Carolina.
History
Jean and Jacob Cruse were French Jews who fled Bordeaux, France in 1940 to avoid the [...] occupation and internment in concentration camps. Relocating to the piedmont region of North Carolina in 1943, the Cruses purchased 30 acres of land, which they subsequently converted into a vineyard and winery, renaming it "Old Stone Vineyard and Winery" after the old stone house which stood on the property.
After several years, the family had grown to more than twenty members. With the nearest synagogue more than an hour away in Charlotte, NC and the nearest Orthodox synagogue located in Charleston, SC, the members of the Cruse family decided to build their own synagogue on the family's estate.
The synagogue was constructed in a unique dual-architectural style. The exterior of the synagogue is constructed of granite from The Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina in a Greek Revival style while conversely the interior is constructed in a Colonial Revival architecture style with the tebah placed in the center of the sanctuary and pews facing one another. Another unique aspect is the fact that the floor of the synagogue is covered in sand, a tradition of Sephardic Jews to remind them of the Spanish Inquisition when Spanish Jews were forced to worship in cellars and place dirt upon the floor to muffle the sound of their praying.
Services were held on a weekly basis for several decades with Jews from nearby Salisbury, NC often visiting. The liturgy was initially conducted according to the Sephardic rite, making Beth Sadeh the only Sephardic synagogue in North Carolina. However, after several decades and much of the family intermarrying with Ashkenazic Jews of the region, services were changed to the Ashkenazic rite in accordance with Modern Orthodoxy.
The synagogue never had a rabbi as there were virtually no Orthodox rabbis in North Carolina at the time. On special occasions and High Holy Days, a rabbi or chazzan would visit. The family purchased several Torah scrolls over the years and these scrolls were recently donated to Temple Israel (Charlotte, North Carolina) in 2006.
Today
Today, the synagogue is open for tours to the public at Old Stone Vineyard and Winery. A special service is held every year on Tu Bishvat.