The Jewish population of 26,000 is divided as follows: Charlotte, 8,500; Raleigh, 6,000; Chapel Hill-Durham, 4,600; Greensboro, 2,500; Asheville, 1,300; and Wilmington, 1,200. North Carolina was among the first of the 13 colonies to welcome Jews. It was not until the second half of the 19th century, however, that German Jews began to arrive and establish communities and synagogues in the state. Today, there are two dozen synagogues in the state, mainly Reform and Conservative.