Affluence and relative tolerance
In the Dutch Republic Jews were free to observe their religious practices but were considered aliens. This meant that Jews were subject to all kinds of restrictions: they did not have the right to settle where they wanted; local authorities determined whether Jews would be admitted; Dutch communities admitting Jews, however, were not allowed to order them to wear distinctive attributes, such as a cap or a yellow star, as many Jews were required to do elsewhere in Europe.
Jews in the Republic had limited occupational options, as most guilds refused to admit them. The exceptions included the brokers’ guild (so that Portuguese merchants could trade on the stock exchange), printers (so that books might be printed in Hebrew), and physicians (so that they could care for Jewish patients). In 1635 the Amsterdam municipal authorities further curtailed the occupational options available to Jews by prohibiting Jewish ownership of shops as well.