“Not Just Victims—Symbols of a Crisis”: Jewish Leaders Sound Alarm After D.C. Murders of Israeli Diplomats

By: Fern Sidman

In a chilling act of violence that has sent shockwaves through diplomatic and Jewish communities alike, two Israeli Embassy aides—a man and a woman—were shot and killed on Wednesday evening just steps from the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. The attack occurred shortly after the pair had attended a high-profile event hosted by the American Jewish Committee (AJC), drawing immediate and widespread condemnation from American and Israeli leaders.

Yaron Lischinsky, a 30-year-old staffer at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., was one of two Israeli victims shot and killed. As reported by World Israel News, Lischinsky was gunned down alongside his girlfriend, who also worked at the Israeli Embassy.

According to World Israel News, Yaron Lischinsky was a rising figure within Israel’s Foreign Ministry. Originally from Germany, Lischinsky immigrated to Israel at the age of 16, embracing his Jewish identity and committing himself to public service. At the time of his death, he was serving as a research assistant in the Middle East and North Africa Affairs division at the Israeli Embassy in Washington.

The Times of Israel reported that also killed in the shooting was Lischinsky’s girlfriend, Sarah Milgrim who was also employed by the Israeli embassy. Milgrim held dual master’s degrees—one in International Studies from American University, and the other in Natural Resources and Sustainable Development from the United Nations University for Peace. These twin pillars of education, deeply rooted in both diplomacy and environmental justice, have guided her work across several continents.

Her professional path led her to Tech2Peace, a Tel Aviv-based initiative that uses technology and dialogue to foster understanding between Jewish and Arab youth in Israel and the Palestinian territories. There, Milgrim engaged in in-depth research on grassroots peacebuilding theory, delving into frameworks that seek to empower communities from the ground up.

Ambassador Yechiel Leiter, who spoke to the press following the incident, revealed that Lischinsky and Milgrim had been planning to get engaged—a future that was tragically cut short. “They were both deeply committed to their work and to each other,” Leiter said. “This is a devastating loss, not just for the Israeli Foreign Ministry but for everyone who knew them.”

The Israeli embassy in Washington wrote on X that “Yaron and Sarah were our friends and colleagues. They were in the prime of their lives. This evening, a terrorist shot and killed them as they exited an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in DC.”

“The entire embassy staff is heartbroken and devastated by their murder. No words can express the depth of our grief and horror at this devastating loss. Our hearts are with their families, and the embassy will be by their side during this terrible time.”

The embassy shared a photo of the couple together that Lischinsky had posted on Twitter this month. It appeared to have been taken during an event at the embassy to mark Israel’s 77th Independence Day.

According to multiple media sources, the alleged gunman has been identified as 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez of Chicago. Citing law enforcement sources, it was reported that Rodriguez opened fire on the two Israeli diplomats shortly after the AJC’s Young Diplomats Reception had concluded.

Some commentators have noted the troubling parallels between the suspect’s behavior and chants regularly heard at recent anti-Israel demonstrations. Calls to “globalize the intifada”—a phrase widely used by pro-Hamas and anti-Zionist activists—have been increasingly echoed in protests across American cities. Wednesday’s attack may tragically represent the real-world consequences of such rhetoric.

Longtime Jewish activist, prolific author and lecturer, Phyllis Chesler told The Jewish Voice, “I began calling for an Iron Dome against the propaganda 15 years ago knowing that it would lead to this & many more such assassinations.”

The attack has drawn widespread condemnation from Jewish leaders and advocacy organizations, with many linking it to the surging tide of anti-Semitism and political extremism in the United States and beyond.

“This act of terror will not drive us into the shadows,” said Ambassador Ronald Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress, in a statement carried by multiple outlets. “We will not hide our faces or our symbols. We will live openly and proudly, as a courageous people.”

Lauder called on President Trump and global leaders to take urgent and concrete action to reinforce security around Jewish institutions.

At the same time, Gideon Taylor and Mark Weitzman of the World Jewish Restitution Organization (WJRO) issued a joint statement of solidarity, decrying the attack as a stark reminder of “the threats that continue to face Jewish people around the world.”

“We are heartbroken by the tragic shooting… and extend our deepest condolences to the victims and their loved ones,” they said, reaffirming their commitment to combating antisemitism and promoting justice.

For Zionist organizations active in Washington and nationwide, the murders of Milgrim and Lishinsky are not isolated tragedies—they are symptoms of an increasingly dangerous climate. Ronn Torossian, chairman of Betar USA, described D.C. as a “pro-Hamas ticking time bomb”, warning that anti-Israel rhetoric and inaction have created an environment where such attacks are no longer unthinkable.

“Earlier this week, a Code Pink jihadi was found not guilty in court after choking the leader of Betar Washington in front of a police officer,” Torossian said, referencing another incident The Times of Israel previously covered. “We call upon the Trump Administration to expedite the deportation of illegal pro-Hamas agitators nationwide.”

Torossian urged American Jews to either make Aliyah to Israel or prepare to fight back against anti-Semitic violence, noting that “there’s no one coming to save the Jews.”

Matt Brooks, CEO of the Republican Jewish Coalition, condemned the murders in unambiguous terms:

“This horrific attack requires complete, total, and forceful condemnation from everyone. Silence is not an option—it is complicity,” he said. “We are praying for the victims and their families. Those responsible for this heinous attack must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Brooks called the attack a “blaring warning” of how anti-Semitism continues to fester on American soil, and pointed to the “dramatic spike in lawlessness, violence, sickening anti-Semitism and anti-Americanism” seen across the country since October 7th.

Daniel Rosen, President of the American Jewish Congress, condemned the anti-Semitic incitement that has been escalating in the lead-up to this tragic event, stating that: “For those who claim ‘globalize the intifada’ is peaceful and not anti-Semitic, the horrifying shooting of two young Jewish adults is proof that you are wrong. Words matter. Just because one person pulls the trigger doesn’t mean they acted alone.”

He added: “This heinous act of terror, carried out in the heart of our capital, is a direct result of rising anti-Semitism across the United States: in our streets, on college campuses, within government institutions, and in international forums. We must stand united as a community, care for one another, and fight anti-Semitism with all our strength.”

The loss of two Israeli diplomatic personnel in the heart of the U.S. capital is not just a diplomatic tragedy—it is a searing indictment of the growing atmosphere of Jew hatred that has found a foothold in American cities. Jewish communities and their allies are demanding swift justice and enhanced security, not only for diplomatic missions but for Jewish institutions across the country.

As federal and local authorities continue to investigate, both the United States and Israel have vowed full cooperation to bring the perpetrator to justice. What remains is a grieving community, a shaken diplomatic corps, and a country grappling once again with the consequences of unchecked hate.