Peter Stuyvesant

Stuyvesant to the Amsterdam Chamber of Directors, September 22, 1654

from ''The early history of the Jews in New York, 1654-1664. Some new matter on the subject'' by Samuel Oppenheim, //Publications of the American Jewish Historical Society//, No. 18 (1909), pp. 4-5
The Jews who have arrived would nearly all like to remain here, but learning that they (with their customary usury and deceitful trading with the Christians) were very repugnant to the inferior magistrates, as also to the people having the most affection for you; the Deaconry [which takes care of the poor] also fearing that owing to their present indigence [due to the fact that they had been captured and robbed by privateers or pirates] they might become a charge in the coming winter, we have, for the benefit of this weak and newly developing place and the land in general, deemed it useful to require them in a friendly way to depart; praying also most seriously in this connection, for ourselves as also for the general community of your worships, that the deceitful race-such hateful enemies and blasphemers of the name of Christ-be not allowed further to infect and trouble this new colony, to the detraction of your worships and the dissatisfaction of your worships' most affectionate subjects.

Amsterdam Jewry’s Intercession for the Jewish Immigrants, January, 1655

from ''The early history of the Jews in New York, 1654-1664. Some new matter on the subject'' by Samuel Oppenheim, //Publications of the American Jewish Historical Society//, No. 18 (1909), pp. 9-11

To the Honorable Lords, Directors of the Chartered West India Company, Chamber of the City of Amsterdam.
The merchants of the Portuguese nation [the Sephardic Jewish community] residing in this City [of Amsterdam] respectfully remonstrate to your Honors that it has come to their knowledge that your Honors raise obstacles to the giving of permits or passports to the Portuguese [Sephardic] Jews to travel and to go to reside in new Netherland , which if persisted in will result to the great disadvantage of the Jewish nation. It can also be of no advantage to the general Company but rather damaging.
There are many of the nation who have lost their possessions at Pernambuco and have arrived from there in great poverty, and part of them have been dispersed here and there. [Pernambuco, or Recife, the stronghold of Dutch Brazil, was captured by the Portuguese, January 1654.] So that your petitioners had to expend large sums of money for their necessaries of life, and through lack of opportunity all cannot remain here [in Holland] to live. And as they cannot go to Spain or Portugal because of the Inquisition, a great part of the aforesaid people must in time be obliged to depart for other territories of their High Mightinesses the States-General [the Dutch government] and their Companies, in order there, through their labor and efforts, to be able to exist under the protection of the administrators of your Honorable Directors, observing and obeying your Honors' orders and commands. [The West India Company owned the young Dutch colony of New Netherland.]
It is well known to your Honors that the Jewish nation in Brazil have at all times been faithful and have striven to guard and maintain that place, risking for that purpose their possessions and their blood. [The Jews distinguished themselves in the defense of Pernambuco, remaining there until its fall in 1654.]

Yonder land [New Netherland] is extensive and spacious. The more loyal people that go to live there, the better it is in regard to the population of the country as in regard to the payment of various excises and taxes which may be imposed there, and in regard to the increase of trade, and also to the importation of all the necessaries that may be sent there.
Your Honors should also consider that the Honorable Lords, the Burgomasters of the City and the Honorable High Illustrious Mighty Lords, the States-General, have in political matters always protected and considered the Jewish nation as upon the same footing as all the inhabitants and burghers. Also it is conditioned in the treaty of perpetual peace with the King of Spain [the treaty of Muenster, 1648] that the Jewish nation shall also enjoy the same liberty as all other inhabitants of these lands.

Your Honors should also please consider that many of the Jewish nation are principal shareholders in the [West India] Company. They having always striven their best for the Company, and many of their nation have lost immense and great capital in its shares and obligations. [The Company lost heavily through the capture of Brazil by the Portuguese.]

The Company has by a general resolution consented that those who wish to populate the Colony shall enjoy certain districts of land gratis. Why should now certain subjects of this State not be allowed to travel thither and live there? The French consent that the Portuguese Jews may traffic and live in Martinique, [Saint] Christopher, and others of their territories, whither also some have gone from here, as your Honors know. The English also consent at the present time that the Portuguese and Jewish nation may go from London and settle at Barbados, whither also some have gone. [Martinique, Saint Christopher, and Barbados are in the West Indies. ]
As foreign nations consent that the Jewish nation may go to live and trade in their territories, how can your Honors forbid the same and refuse transportation to this Portuguese nation who reside here and have been settled here well on to about sixty years, many also being born here and confirmed burghers, and this to a land that needs people for its increase? [Jewish "New Christians" from Portugal had settled in Holland as early as 1593.]
Therefore the petitioners request, for the reasons given above (as also others which they omit to avoid prolixity), that your Honors be pleased not to exclude but to grant the Jewish nation passage to and residence in that country; otherwise this would result in a great prejudice to their reputation. Also that by an Apostille [marginal notation] and Act the Jewish nation be permitted, together with other inhabitants, to travel, live, and traffic there, and with them enjoy liberty on condition of contributing like others… .

See commentary

Rev. Johannes Megapolensis, New Amsterdam to the Classis, the Governing Board of the Dutch Reformed Church, Amsterdam, Holland, March 18, 1655

from ''The early history of the Jews in New York, 1654-1664. Some new matter on the subject'' by Samuel Oppenheim, //Publications of the American Jewish Historical Society//, No. 18 (1909), pp. 73-74

Last summer some Jews came here from Holland, in order to trade. Afterwards some Jews, poor and healthy, also came here on the same ship with D[omine Theodorus] Polhijmis. It would have been proper that these have been supported by their own nation, but they have been at our charge, so that we have had to spend several hundred guilders for their support. They came several times to my house, weeping and bewailing their misery, and when I directed them to the Jewish merchant [Jacob Barsimson?] they said that he would not lend them a single stiver. Now again in the spring some have come from Holland, and report that a great many of that lot would yet follow and then build here their synagogue.
This causes among the congregation her a great deal of complain and murmuring. These people have no other God than the unrighteous Mammon, and no other aim than to get possession of Christian property, and to win all other merchants by drawing all trade towards themselves.
Therefore we request your Reverences to obtain from the Lords Director that these godless rascals, who are of no benefit to the country, but look at everything for their own profit, may be sent away from here. For as we have here Papists, Mennonites and Lutherans among the Dutch; also many Puritans or Independents, and many Atheists and various other servants of Baal among the English under this Government, who conceal themselves under the name of Christians; it would create a still greater confusion, if the obstinate and immovable Jews came to settle here.

The West India Company to Peter Stuyvesant, April 26, 1655

from ''The early history of the Jews in New York, 1654-1664. Some new matter on the subject'' by Samuel Oppenheim, //Publications of the American Jewish Historical Society//, No. 18 (1909), pp. 8

We would have liked to effectuate and fulfill your wishes and request that the new territories should no more be allowed to be infected by people of the Jewish nation, for we foresee therefrom the same difficulties which you fear. But after having further weighed and considered the matter, we observe that this would be somewhat unreasonable and unfair, especially because of the considerable loss sustained by this nation [the Jewish community], with others, in the [Portuguese re-]taking of Brazil, as also because of the large amount of capital which they still have invested in the shares of this company. Therefore after many deliberations we have finally decided and resolved to apostille [to note in the margin] upon a certain petition presented by said Portuguese Jews [January 1655] that these people may travel and trade to and in New Netherland and live and remain there, provided the poor among them shall not become a burden to the company or to the community [in the future poor Jews would not be supported by the Manhattan churches], but be supported by their own nation. You will now govern yourself accordingly.

Petition of Jews to Acquire a Jewish Burial Ground, July, 1655

from ''The early history of the Jews in New York, 1654-1664. Some new matter on the subject'' by Samuel Oppenheim, //Publications of the American Jewish Historical Society//, No. 18 (1909), p. 75

shearith-israel-burial-ground.jpg

Abraham de Lucena, Salvador Dandrada and Jacob Cohen, Jews, in the name of the others, petition the Honorable Director General this day to be permitted to purchase a burying place for their nation, which being reported to the meeting and voted on, it was agreed to give them the answer that inasmuch as they did not wish to bury their dead (of which as yet there was no need) in the common burying ground, there would be granted them when the need and occasion therefor arose, some place elsewhere of the free land belonging to the Company.

Peter Stuyvesant On the Implications of Giving Rights to the Jews, Letter to the West India Company, October 30, 1655

from ''The early history of the Jews in New York, 1654-1664. Some new matter on the subject'' by Samuel Oppenheim, //Publications of the American Jewish Historical Society//, No. 18 (1909), p. 20

To give liberty to the Jews will be very detrimental there, because the Christians there will not be able at the same time to do business. Giving them liberty, we cannot refuse the Lutherans and Papists.

Jacob Barsimson and Asser Levy Petition to Serve Guard Duty, November 5, 1655

from ''The early history of the Jews in New York, 1654-1664. Some new matter on the subject'' by Samuel Oppenheim, //Publications of the American Jewish Historical Society//, No. 18 (1909), p. 25

Jacob Barsimson and Asser Levy request to be permitted to keep guard with other burghers, or be free from the tax which others of their nation pay, as they must earn their living by manual labor.

After a vote, the answer was given: Director General and Council persist in the resolution passed, yet as the petitioners are of opinion that the result of this will be injurious to them, consent is hereby given to them to depart whenever and whither it pleases them

Directors of the Board of the West India Company, Amsterdam, to Peter Stuyvesant, March 13, 1656

from ''The early history of the Jews in New York, 1654-1664. Some new matter on the subject'' by Samuel Oppenheim, //Publications of the American Jewish Historical Society//, No. 18 (1909), p. 21

The consent given to the Jews to go to New Netherland and there to enjoy the same liberty that is granted them in this country was extended with respect to civil and political liberties, without the said Jews becoming thereby entitled to a license to exercise and carry on their religion in synagogues or gatherings. So long, therefore, as no request is presented to you [Stuyvesant] to allow such a free exercise of religion, any consideration relative thereto is too premature, and when later something shall be presented about it you will be doing well to refer the matter to us in order to await thereon the necessary orders.

Jews Ask for Freedom of Worship, Peter Stuyvesant to the Board of the West India Company, Amsterdam, June 10, 1656

from ''The early history of the Jews in New York, 1654-1664. Some new matter on the subject'' by Samuel Oppenheim, //Publications of the American Jewish Historical Society//, No. 18 (1909), p. 21

Considering the Jewish nation with regard to trade, they are not hindered, but trade with the same privilege and freedom as other inhabitants. Also, they have many times requested of us the free and public exercise of their abominable religion, but this cannot yet be accorded to them. What they may be able to obtain from your Honors time will tell.

Jews Observe Religion ''Quietly,'' West India Company to Peter Stuyvesant, June 14, 1656

from ''The early history of the Jews in New York, 1654-1664. Some new matter on the subject'' by Samuel Oppenheim, //Publications of the American Jewish Historical Society//, No. 18 (1909), p. 33

We have here seen and learned with displeasure, that your Honors, against our letter of the 15th of February, 1655, granted to the Jewish or Portuguese nation at their request, have forbidden them to trade at Fort Orange and South River, and also the purchase of real estate, which is allowed them here in this country without any difficulty, and we wish that this had not occurred but that your Honors had obeyed our orders which you must hereafter execute punctually and with more respect.
Jews or Portuguese people, however, shall not be permitted to establish themselves as mechanics (which they are not allowed to do in this city), nor allowed to have open retail shops, but they may quietly and peacefully carry on their business as heretofore and exercise in all quietness their religion within their houses, for which end they must without doubt endeavor to build their houses close together in a convenient place on one or the other side of New Amsterdam—at their choice—as they have done here.

Directors of the Board of the West India Company, Amsterdam, to Peter Stuyvesant, April 16, 1663, in response to the banishment of a Quaker from New Amsterdam

from ''The early history of the Jews in New York, 1654-1664. Some new matter on the subject'' by Samuel Oppenheim, //Publications of the American Jewish Historical Society//, No. 18 (1909), p. 23

Although we heartily desire that these and other sectarians remain away from there, yet as they do not, we doubt very much whether we can proceed against them rigorously without diminishing the population and stopping immigration which must be favored at a so tender stage of the country's existence. You may therefore shut your eyes, at least not force people's consciences, but allow everyone to have his own belief, as long as he behaves quietly and legally, gives no offense to his neighbors and does not oppose the government. As the government of this City has always practiced this moderation and has often had a considerable influx of people, we do not doubt that your Province too would be benefited by it.

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License