August 21 1835 – 26 Av 5595
The British parliament passed legislation allowing Jews to serve as sheriffs, an ancient and respected office if largely ceremonial. The law marked an important stage in efforts to emancipate Jews and allow them to stand for parliament; efforts which only bore fruit some twenty years later with Lionel Rothschild’s election. One of the first Jews to fill the position of Sheriff of London was Sir Moses Montefiore, who was well known for bringing his own kosher salt beef to aldermens’ meetings – and sharing it around to popular acclaim.