tenment contributed significantly to the change in status of Jews. However, it is important to mention that many Jews of Europe, specifically Spain, were exiled for their religious convictions and forced to practice in secret, which allowed Jews to practice as individuals and follow their own laws without the strict adherence to a Rabbi as an authority figure. This set into motion of sense of individualism for Jews and allowed them to practice more independently. Industrialisation marked a significant shift in society, society metamorphasized into an industrial society from the traditional agrarian one, which previously existed. The introduction of urbanisation resulted in many people moving into developing cities and coming into contact non-Jews for the first time. As the economy shifted to an industrial one the Jews were well established and prepared. Since there was a massive relocation to the city both Jews and Christians these two people were now living in closer contact. Suddenly the boundaries between Jews and Christians were not as clear as before. This lack of boundaries fast lead to tensions between the two cultures. Another significant factor leading to the changes of status of Jews was the emergence of the age of Reason or the Enlightenment. This period was marked by a significant transition in the Christian world, the emergence of both democracy and capitalism impacted the status quo and permanently altered Europe. More significant, was that a fact was a fact regardless of what religious beliefs one prescribed to. It was at this point that some Jews became accepted, sometimes even embraced into the Christian society. Jews were accepted as individuals, but certainly not as a group or community. This was because of the situation of the Court Jews. These Court Jews were wealthy Jews who were moneylenders and advisors to the King and his court. They came into contact with Gentiles on a daily basis, adopted their practices and b...
