ABSTRACT
Beth Jacob, founded in about 1602, was the first Jewish congregation to establish itself in Amsterdam. Jews had largely disappeared from the medieval towns of the Low Countries after their initial settlement, but in the late sixteenth century in Amsterdam, a new Jewish community arose out of nowhere. This kehillah was founded by a group of former New Christians. The Inquisition in Spain and Portugal had persecuted them and accused them of remaining faithful to Judaism in secret, but the fear instilled in them was not their only reason for moving to the city. Portuguese merchants were attracted by Amsterdam, which had grown to become a successful global trading centre. They were seeking new opportunities for trade between northern and southern Europe, now that the port of Antwerp was permanently blockaded by the Dutch.
