First Jews arrived to Grabów in the 16^th century, but they only started to settle in the town in larger numbers in the second half of the 18^th century (only around a dozen Jews had lived there beforehand). In 1773, Grabów had 45 Jewish inhabitants; they paid a total of 90 zlotys in poll tax. At the time, they already owned a wooden synagogue located by the road to Podgrabów (pulled down in 1860).

In 1820, the Grabów Jews purchased a house at Kępinska Street from Magdalena Tarnowska for the price of 550 zlotys (90 thalers and 20 groshen in silver). The building was used as a house of prayer. In 1857, a new brick synagogue was erected right next to the house; it remained in use until 1939. At first, the Jewish deceased were buried at the cemetery in Kępno. It was only in 1817 that the community purchased a plot of land for 150 zlotys for the purpose of establishing a necropolis. It was located by the roads leading to Ostrów Wielkopolski and Biernacice.[1.1]

In 1830, a fire broke out in the town, leaving many Jews without a roof over their heads. Over the course of the 19^th century, the town’s Jewish population was gradually growing in size, reaching its peak with 177 people in 1905. In the subsequent years, the community started to shrink.

Grabów Jews had their representatives in the local government. In 1843, one of the members of the Municipal Council was Samuel Rosenthal, while in 1905, the same post was held by Marcus and Jakubowicz.

During the French-Prussian war of 1870–1871, two local Jews were conscripted to the army: Jacobowicz and Glogowski. The latter was fatally wounded in combat.[1.2]

In 1879, the erstwhile owners of Grabowskie Starosty (children of Wanda, Countess Festetics de Tolna: Emeryk, Wanda, and Anna) sold their estate to a Jew – Jakub Urenowicz Engelmann (he formally became its owner on 17 January 1880).

The main sources of income of Grabów Jews were trade, crafts, and petty industry. At the end of the 19^th century, Twaroger, Tischler, and Jakubowicz owned three out of the town’s six taverns. Moreover, three out of all seven establishments selling alcoholic beverages belonged to local Jews: Markus, Lewkowicz, and Grabowski. There were also five Jewish-owned storage depots among eight such enterprises in Grabów; they were run by Juliusz Markus, Salomon Markus, Wilhelm Markus, Gabriel Tischler, and Grabowski. A Jew owned one of the town’s five bakeries. Until 1894, a watermill on the Prosna River belonged to Engelmann. In 1900, Salo Grünberg built a sawmill by the road to Ostrzeszów. In 1905, Jews from Grabów also owned a total of 42 hectares of farmland and meadows.

After World War I, most Jews left Grabów and migrated to Germany. In 1921, there were 61 Jews living in the town, with their number falling to 38 by 1938. In the interwar period, the local Jewish population formed a subkehilla subordinate to the religious community in Kępno, which was also responsible for the operation of the local synagogue and cemetery. In 1933, the Grabów community was dissolved due to a small number of members. Its property was taken over by the kehilla in Ostrów Wielkopolski.[1.3]

After the outbreak of World War II, Grabów was seized by the Germans. As early as December 1939, the local Jews were deported one of the ghettos in General Government.