The Suassos, a Marrano family of Antwerp, returned to Judaism in Holland and became one of Amsterdam's most prominent Jewish families. Sephardic Jews did business in the Dutch East and West India companies, the stock exchange, banking, manufacturing, medicine, and printing. They became wealthy and sophisticated members of Dutch society. Religiously Jewish, they spoke contemporary Spanish and Poprtuguese (and eventually, Dutch), wore modern dress, and participated fully in secular culture.
