Remembering Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, z”l

Photo credit: Israeli Embassy in Washington

These past few days have been deeply painful. I’m heartbroken over the murders of Yaron Lischinsky (z”l) and Sarah Lynn Milgrim (z”l), two vibrant young leaders who were fatally shot outside the Capital Jewish Museum after attending a Young Diplomats Reception hosted by the American Jewish Committee.

This was triggering for me as it pulled me back to my two friends, Matt and Sarah, z”l, who were murdered by Hamas in Jerusalem 29 years ago on their way to get engaged in Jordan as a symbol of peace. Like this Sarah, Sarah was an environmental activist with many other similarities…

This Sarah and Yaron, their lives were full of promise—planning to become engaged in the coming days—taken from us at an event focused on turning pain into purpose. The cruelty of that is unbearable.

Yaron Lischinsky, 30, was a German-Israeli diplomat working at the Israeli Embassy in DC.

Sarah Milgrim, 26, was a proud Jewish American deeply committed to interfaith peace-building. Raised in Kansas, Sarah was known for her leadership, activism, and deep love for the Jewish community. She was a KU Hillel alum, a Tech2Peace intern in Tel Aviv, and a Mimouna Fellow with AJC, advancing Middle East relations. Her work—bringing Israelis and Palestinians together in dialogue and innovation—was a testament to her belief in peace and understanding.

Their murderer, Elias Rodriguez, shouted “Free, free Palestine” during his arrest. Authorities have classified the shooting as an act of antisemitic terrorism.

This is a brutal reminder: Words of hate lead to acts of hate. What we say—and tolerate—matters. And antisemitism, fueled by rising rhetoric and dehumanization, is not theoretical. It’s deadly.

As Arieh Lebowitz, Executive Director of the Jewish Labor Committee, said in response:

“Such violence cannot be tolerated, excused, or rationalized in a democratic society… Antisemitism must be condemned. It has already taken a toll in fear and division, and we cannot let those who promote it win against community and solidarity.”

It’s particularly tragic that this took place just after an event featuring groups like IsraAID and the Multifaith Alliance, who are working together across divides to respond to humanitarian crises in the Middle East. Sarah and Yaron were literally turning pain into purpose—and their lives were cut short by hate.

We mourn deeply, but we also must speak out. Let their memories be a blessing—and a call to action. We must stand against hate and work toward the world they believed in: one rooted in peace, justice, and human dignity for all.