This story is about an Amsterdamer who applied himself to the task of improving his fellow citizens living conditions. His name was Samuel Sarphati and was born in 1813 to a middle-class Jewish family. Through the support of his parents’ wealthy acquaintances, Sarphati was able to study medicine, at the age of 13. Samuel eventually graduated in 1839 and settled himself as a general practitioner in Amsterdam. Wanting to help his fellow citizens, he started to work for the Portuguese-Jewish board of the guardians of the poor and later he became appointed to the Portuguese-Israelite hospital. With exposure to the low quality of life in Amsterdam, he began a life full of social commitment and devotion to improve public health and working class life. This engagement earned Sarphati several royal honors. He died in 1866, at the age of 53. His funeral was a massive tribute.