The Board of Deputies of British Jewry quietly marked a unique anniversary today – the 110th anniversary of the seating of the first Jewish Member of Parliament. Present at the reception tendered by the Board were members of the House of Lords and the House of Commons.
The campaign for removal of Jewish political disabilities in Britain, begun in 1829, was not effective until 1858 when Baron Lionel de Rothschild was formally admitted to the House of Commons, the first professing Jew to be admitted to membership. Previously, baptized Jews had occupied seats in Parliament. From 1847 until 1858, a number of professing Jews won election to the House but, because of their religion, were not permitted to take the oath and be admitted.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
