The reputed wealth and benevolence of the Portuguese Jews of early modern Amsterdam attracted many of poor and impoverished people. Not only ex-conversos from the Iberian peninsula but also Jews from many different countries moved into a city that was both prosperous and renowned for its relative tolerance. They were hoping for a better future, away from persecution, wars, and economic malaise. Behind the facade of richness, however, poverty was a serious problem for the Portuguese Jewish community. It was one of the main themes that preoccupied the leadership and influenced its policy on...