The history of the Sephardic Jews of Amsterdam has often been narrated through the prism of the city’s celebrated “Dutch Golden Age,” when the Sephardic community rose to prominence as a vibrant hub of religious, cultural, and economic life in the diaspora. These years of splendor have rightly received extensive scholarly attention, yet the story usually fades as Amsterdam’s centrality within the wider Sephardic world began to wane in the decades that followed.

This workshop seeks to challenge this historiographical imbalance by turning the spotlight on a period too often overlooked: the eighteenth century. Far from representing a simple decline, these years witnessed significant developments that shaped the lived realities of Amsterdam’s Sephardim. By exploring this period in depth, we aim to open new perspectives on continuities, transformations, and the evolving identity of the community in a changing European landscape.

The discussions will address a wide range of themes, including material culture, economic life, cultural production, the interplay between private and public spheres, and the complex relationships between Sephardic and Ashkenazic Jews in Amsterdam. Bringing these elements into focus not only enriches our understanding of Amsterdam’s Jewish past but also sheds light on broader dynamics of early modern Jewish history.

The workshop is organized by the Chair for Jewish Thought at the University of Potsdam, which has long been committed to the study of cultural forms across the Sephardic diaspora. By convening an international group of scholars, we hope to foster dialogue, stimulate new research, and contribute to a more nuanced appreciation of Amsterdam’s Sephardic community beyond the well-trodden narrative of the Golden Age.