JERUSALEM – Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, two young staff members at the Israeli Embassy in the United States, were killed Wednesday evening in Washington in a shooting claimed by a man shouting “Free Palestine.” Both embodied the hope for peaceful coexistence in the Middle East and worked to build bridges between peoples. Their killings have shocked the diplomatic community and renewed fears of a climate of hatred fueled by the conflict in Gaza.
The soon-to-be-engaged couple were leaving an event at the Jewish Museum in the U.S. capital for young Jewish diplomats, which this year focused on humanitarian crises in the Middle East. The shooter, identified as Elias Rodriguez, a 30-year-old from Chicago, targeted a small group outside the museum before being arrested on the spot. Police confirmed that he claimed responsibility in support of the Palestinian cause.
Yaron Lischinsky, a research assistant at the embassy, had long harbored ambitions of becoming a diplomat to contribute to regional peace. A convert to Judaism, born in Bavaria and living between Jerusalem and Nuremberg, he saw himself as a bridge between cultures. His professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Nissim Otmazgin, recalls a passionate, committed student convinced that openness and diplomacy could transform societies.
Sarah Lynn Milgrim, originally from Kansas, was involved in numerous causes, including LGBTQ+ inclusion in the Jewish community. She was a member of Tech2peace, an organization that fosters exchanges between young Israelis and Palestinians through innovation. "She carried with her an unwavering belief in dialogue, peace, and equality," the organization said in a statement.
Their assassination comes as the war in Gaza exacerbates international tensions. The Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent Israeli military response have killed tens of thousands of people and fueled growing polarization, particularly on American college campuses. The couple's murder risks exacerbating these divisions.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the anti-Semitic act as "heinous" and called for a determined fight against hatred. Many institutions, both in Israel and abroad, paid tribute to the two victims, praising their commitment to peace. "These are two people the world should not have lost," said Sabrina Soffer, a colleague at the embassy.
