Beiliss

Beiliss is a term that can refer to several things, the most prominent being Mendel Beilis. Mendel Beilis was a Kiev-based Jewish factory manager who became the central figure in a notorious blood libel trial in the Russian Empire in 1913. He was accused of murdering a Ukrainian boy, Andrei Yushchinsky, and ritually using his blood. The trial was heavily influenced by antisemitic sentiment and was seen by many as an attempt to frame a Jewish person for a crime. Despite the lack of credible evidence, Beilis was put on trial. The prosecution's case was weak, relying on flimsy testimony and accusations of ritual murder. Beilis was eventually acquitted by a jury of his peers, a verdict that was celebrated by Jewish communities and liberal circles worldwide. The Beilis affair is considered a significant event in the history of antisemitism and highlighted the pervasive nature of anti-Jewish prejudice in pre-revolutionary Russia.

In other contexts, "Beiliss" might be a surname of individuals or a localized place name, though these are less widely known than the historical figure. It is important to distinguish between these different uses of the term. The historical significance of Mendel Beilis and the trial continues to be studied and remembered as a stark example of injustice fueled by religious and ethnic hatred.