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Sima ElyashevichKaraite public figure, writer, poet, artist, inventor
Date of Birth: 01.01.1879
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Content:
- Simcha Saadovich Eliyash (1876-1934)
- Literary and Artistic Pursuits
- Karaite Nationalism and Political Activities
- National Library and Cultural Heritage
- Transition to Atheism and Internationalism
- Social Work and Pedagogy
- Aeronautical Invention
- Death and Legacy
Simcha Saadovich Eliyash (1876-1934)
Early Life and EducationSimcha Saadovich Eliyash was born in Sevastopol to Saady Simovitch and Rachel Adonievna Eliyashevich. In 1892, the family moved to Moscow, where Simcha attended the Stroganov School of Industrial and Applied Arts and later graduated from the 7th Moscow Gymnasium.
Literary and Artistic Pursuits
In 1912, Eliyash published the first part of his book "Two Testaments" (The Essence of the Old Testament or the Teachings of the Karaites). He participated in the Moscow Symphony Chapel under the guidance of V. A. Bulychev, where he studied vocal performance.
Karaite Nationalism and Political Activities
In 1914, Eliyash moved to Crimea. He played a pivotal role in the 1917 Karaite National Congress in Yevpatoria, advocating for the unification of Karaites from Lithuania and Crimea. He founded the "Karaite National-Democratic Party of Cultural Self-Determination" and served as its chairman. From 1917 to 1919, he served as secretary of the board of trustees for the Yevpatoria Karaite Trade School named after S. A. Cohen.
National Library and Cultural Heritage
From 1918 to 1921, Eliyash was in charge of the "Karay-Bitikligi" National Library in Yevpatoria. He oversaw the preservation of architectural monuments in the city.
Transition to Atheism and Internationalism
In 1921, Eliyash relocated to Moscow, where he renounced his religious beliefs and embraced atheism and internationalism. He wrote the treatise "On the Basic Principles of Cognition and Existence" from a Marxist-materialist perspective.
Social Work and Pedagogy
Eliyash and his wife provided shelter and support to over 200 homeless Moscow children. He adopted one of them, Mikhail Nikulin, who later died in the Great Patriotic War. In the late 1920s and 1930s, Eliyash taught drawing at the "Forest School," a branch of the Nekrasov Library in Sokolniki.
Aeronautical Invention
Eliyash was also an inventor. In collaboration with glider pilot S. N. Garay, he developed a design for an aircraft with rotating wings, which could prevent crashes and maintain the pilot's orientation in various flight conditions. The patent for this invention was posthumously granted in 1934.
Death and Legacy
Simcha Saadovich Eliyash died in Moscow from typhus. His legacy as a Karaite activist, writer, artist, and inventor continues to be remembered in the Karaite community and beyond.
