De joden in Amsterdam

ration than by the previous one. Specifically non-Jewish traditions show a reverse tendency.

2.    Half of the Jews in Amsterdam appear to be concentrated in three occupational groups: textiles, jewellery and the professions. A positive correlation has been established between their being active in these occupations and their stricter observance of a number of Jewish customs, and between their being active in these occupations and the more positive attitudes towards the Jewish group.

3.    A positive correlation has been shown to exist between more Jewish knowledge and a stricter observance of Jewish customs, and also between a greater Jewish knowledge and the more positive attitudes towards the Jewish group.

4.    Besides these results, which strongly point in the direction of a confirmation of our hypotheses, we were able to determine in conclusion, that in young families with children, a revival of Jewish traditions is taking place, in connexion with the socialisation of these children. This return to the Jewish tradition is only temporary and generally ends when the children reach adulthood. It easily leads to an error in judgement, however, when comparing the observance of Jewish tradition of various generations, through which one incorrectly thinks to establish a turning point in the tendency of a slackening tradition.

The data collected were compared with inquiries elsewhere, where among other things it was noted that the Amsterdam Jews, compared to recent inquiries which especially took place in the Anglo-Saxon countries, generally distinguish themselves, with regard to the British and American Jews questioned, by a greater slackening in their tradition, with beside it stronger ties with Israel. The results of this inquiry were further tested against theses expounded by persons such as Jan Romein, J. Klatzkin, MaxBrod, C. J. Lammers, Max Weber and Kurt Lewin.

In this inquiry the starting point was the concept „marginal man”, launched by R. E. Park and developed by E. V. Stonequist, but where we put the emphasis on the social-psychological aspects, which

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