From the time they first arrived seeking a haven from persecution, Curaçao's small, Jewish community has had an extraordinary impact on the island's economy, politics and culture. The first permanent Jewish settlers, seventy Sephardim of Portuguese descent, arrived in 1659. Relations with the local Dutch Protestant elite were good, and no laws limited Jews in their work or residences. They became highly successful in trade and shipping.

In the 20th century, other Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants worked their way up the economic ladder after having started out as peddlers and small-scale merchants.