Questions for 9/16

1. What did Jewish identity consist of for former Portuguese conversos who emigrated to the "Port towns," especially Amsterdam?

At first many of the conversos had to practice Judaism in secret in Portugal.  Many Jews practiced in secrecy because of religious persecution and maintained a Christian life style in public. Because of that persecution many Jews left and went to Spain where they remained a Christian lifestyle until the end of the sixteenth century when many Jews left to go to Amsterdam to practice Judaism freely.  Once they were in Amsterdam Jews started to practice different traditions and practices.  Jewish identity was restored once many Jews moved to Amsterdam. 

2. Why do scholars consider the former converso communities of Amsterdam, Hamburg, and London to be the "first modern Jews"?

Since many of the Jewish families that moved to Amsterdam hadn't practiced Judaism for years.  Being able to restart many of the Jewish traditions was one of the main reasons why scholars considered these Jews the "first modern Jews".  Religious persecution led to many traditions being lost and these Jews that were allowed to embrace their religion go to restart those traditions. Scholars believe that the Catholicism that had been practiced in these families for years had an affect on the way the "first modern Jews" reestablished the Jewish cultures in their families.