Jews in the News - For Better and For Worse

24 Iyyar 5785
39 Days of the Omer 

Today's biggest news story and the facts that may not be so apparent...

Yaron Lischinsky, Sarah Milgrim named as victims of Washington, DC, shooting

Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim were named on Thursday morning as the victims of the Wednesday night shooting at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC.

Lischinsky and Milgrim were both employees at the Israeli Embassy in Washington. According to Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter, the two were about to be engaged and Lischinsky had purchased a ring this week with the intent to propose next week in Jerusalem.

Tal Naim Cohen, a spokesperson for the embassy, said the two were shot at close range while attending a Jewish event at the museum.

...Lischinsky, 28, moved to Israel from Germany at the age of 16. He moved to the US in September 2022 to work in the political department of the Israeli Embassy in Washington.

According to the bio on his Times of Israel blog, Lischinsky had a master’s degree in Government, Diplomacy & Strategy from Reichman University and a bachelor’s in International Relations from Hebrew University.

He wrote on his LinkedIn page: “I’m an ardent believer in the vision that was outlined in the Abraham Accords and believe that expanding the circle of peace with our Arab neighbors and pursuing regional cooperation is in the best interest of the State of Israel and the Middle East as a whole. To this end, I advocate for interfaith dialogue and intercultural understanding.”

...Milgrim worked in the public diplomacy department at the embassy. She held a master’s degree in international studies from American University and an additional master’s degree in natural resources and sustainable development from the United Nations University of Peace.

“My passion lies at the intersection of peacebuilding, religious engagement, and environmental work,” Milgram wrote on her LinkedIn page. “While working with Tech2Peace in Tel Aviv, Israel, I conducted comprehensive research on peacebuilding theory, emphasizing grassroots initiatives in the Israeli-Palestinian region.”

 

The event the couple were attending last night when a man yelling "Free Palestine" shot them to death was sponsored by the AJC.  Here is a further look at the "Capital Jewish Museum" where the AJC event was taking place.  It appears that it is a favorite event venue in DC. 

I can't imagine what made this locale such a target...