Mokum
Season 1
The story of Amsterdam cannot be told without the Jews, the story of the Jews cannot be told without Amsterdam. For centuries Amsterdam has been a pluralistic city in many ways. Of great significance is the presence of its Jewish inhabitants; to this day, Amsterdammers affectionately call their city Mokum -which means "place" in Yiddish. Jews have lived in Amsterdam since the early 17th century and for a long time the city was a leading center for Jewish life in Europe. The unique interaction between the city and its Jewish population is still visible in many places in Mokum. In this diptych professors Irene Zwiep and Bart Wallet take the viewer through the city, past those buildings and places where Jewish history has shaped and colored Amsterdam.
Where to Watch Mokum • Season 1
2 Episodes
- Van gabbers naar geteisem
E1Van gabbers naar geteisemIn this first part of Mokum they focus on the arrival of the first Jewish immigrants from Portugal in the seventeenth century. Many of them settled on the landscaped island of Vlooienburg in the Amstel river. At that time Amsterdam was one of the richest cities in the world; the Jewish community earned its living by trading in tobacco, diamonds and money. This went well for a long time, until Amsterdam's economy also began to shrink.