I’m Not Surprised, Just Disgusted—How About You?

Yaron Lischinsky, right, and his partner Sarah Milgrim, both employees of the Israeli Embassy in the US who were killed in a shooting in Washington, DC, on May 21, 2025, in an undated photo. (Israeli Embassy in Washington)

Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky, two innocents outside the Capital Jewish Museum killed by Elias Rodriguez who later bragged about his accomplishment. May Their Memories Be a Blessing. It wasn’t enough to shoot them point blank in their backs, but when he saw them struggling to move away as they were dying, he shot them many more times—the devil incarnate.

After their deaths, this picture of the happy couple has repeatedly been shown throughout the media. Emblazoned on Yaron’s lapel is a yellow ribbon showing that he had not forgotten the hostages remaining in Gaza held by Hamas. There are 58 in total, but’s it’s unclear if 21 or 24 are still alive. Please join me in letting your voices be heard that the hostages must come home now! Let’s not forget Yaron and Sarah either.

In the numerous tributes to both he and Sarah, who was almost his fiancé as they had planned a trip next week where he had intended to propose in Jerusalem, there are countless stories of what great young professionals they were, always working to make the world a better place. Little did they know that their deaths would leave the loudest impact, calling attention to the plight of Jews throughout the world. We all owe them for their sacrifice laying bare the horrific, continual antisemitism we are facing. Their deaths have called it out, will anyone other than Jews give a damn and do something about it?

As the murderer shouted “Free, Free Palestine!” you wonder in what sick universe did he think this would help? He might have fooled himself, but hopefully most people realize if he really wanted to help the people in Gaza, he should have attended the event that night where people were there to support building bridges and providing more humanitarian aid to Gazans.

Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, former Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism under President Biden, told CNN that no matter what “Free Palestine” meant originally, it has become a slogan urging violent attacks against Jewish people.

And “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” has always been the intention by Hamas to rid the land in Israel of Jews and replace them solely with Palestinians.

So many terms have become changed and distorted in today’s world. Some say Globalize the intifada, simply means to activate worldwide resistance to Israeli policies. Others believe it too is a call for violence against Jews. So often, even after October 7^th, the brutalized murder, decapitation, burning alive and rape of women, children and men has also been described as mere resistance. Deplorable.

In an age where attending synagogue services feels like going through an Israeli checkpoint as armed guards greet you and look through your purses, it’s frustrating to hear that Rodriguez was pacing back and forth outside the Jewish Museum, before he took aim. Why didn’t any of the security officers at least ask what he was doing? Shouldn’t security officers in Washington DC know better than to ignore strange behavior? Perhaps it happened too quickly, or out of their sight. For Jews the advice, “If you see something, say something,” once again rings too true for comfort. But of course, hindsight is 20/20.

In my Times of Israel Blog “Defending My People Defends All People. Will Your People Be Next?” published almost exactly one year ago on May 10, 2024, I discussed so many areas where antisemitism was being fomented like on college campuses and how Jewish female victims from October 7^th had been ignored by major female organizations. You don’t have to be a gynecologist to understand what happened when you see the videos shown on the major networks where the women are dragged away with blood-stained pants . And we know, rapes happened from hostage testimonies describing what they saw and experienced. It’s the topic of “Screams Before Silence,” a documentary by Sheryl Sandberg which testifies to Hamas’s brutal sexual violence on October 7^th. But even sexual violence resource centers were silent. Why? No excuse, it was outrageous.

With antisemitism being perpetrated so pervasively that records are being set, how can we look our kids in the eyes and tell them everything will be alright as we send them off to college?

It’s true that the various networks concentrate on the irony, that Rodriguez attacked attendees that were there to forge new connections to help Gazans, but he didn’t care about that. He was on a Jew hunt. Or did the fact that these Jews interacted with Palestinians/Gazans to help provide humanitarian aid enrage him? Between the anti-normalization movement, and Hamas torturing Palestinians like Rami Aman who dared to work on Peace by merely speaking to Israelis on a zoom call, to most people it’s unimaginable that it’s so dangerous for activists to work on Peace to end this conflict.

Just today, once again at Columbia, pro-Palestinian protesters attempted to take over the library. As reported by ABC News, “In March, the university agreed to a list of demands from the Trump administration after it canceled $400 million worth of grants and contracts to the institution due to “continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students,” according to a statement from the Trump administration that month.”

Aren’t finals difficult enough without these extreme circumstances perpetrated on the Jewish students? It can’t be pleasant for the other students either. For what other minority would such actions be tolerated? The Jewish students have contended with this situation far too long. Let’s hope Columbia got the message this time and takes quick action.

Concurrently, Columbia is the campus where demonstrations are occurring regarding the possible deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, the organizer of Pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus and who is alleged to support Hamas in his rhetoric. Even at Columbia’s 2025 graduation ceremony protestors booed acting President Claire Shipman and shouted chants of “free Mahmoud.” Can you imagine being a student who had worked so hard to get accepted into Columbia, survived the grueling classes for four years and then at their celebration when they had finally achieved their goal, having to listen to that?

If you are Jewish, even worse. Once again, even in their hour of achievement having to deal with the oppressive protests, as their parents look on at the reality that their kids have had to live with the last four years. I mean who wouldn’t want to pay $80K per year for such treatment?

Harvard, who has earned an F from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) for protecting Jewish students on campus, still has remained unapologetic and is suing the Trump Administration for trying to prevent them from accepting international students. Certainly, this adventure holds many unforeseen challenges. This seems like a cat and mouse game and only time will tell who will win.

In conclusion, heart-felt condolences to the Milgrim and Lischinsky families. Your pain must be unimaginable and cruel. To our Jewish brethren, take care and protect yourselves. To all others, please take to heart what we’re living with and please do what you can to support our uncomfortable, unconscionable predicament.

May You Live in Peace, שלום and سلام