Coalition for Jewish Values Condemns DC Embassy Murders: “Blood on the Hands of Those Who Enable Anti-Semitic Rhetoric”

By: Fern Sidman

In a blistering rebuke of anti-Semitic violence and the rhetoric that fuels it, the Coalition for Jewish Values (CJV)—representing over 2,500 traditional, Orthodox rabbis across the United States—has issued a forceful condemnation following the brutal murder of two Israeli Embassy staffers in Washington, D.C.

Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgram, described by friends as “dedicated and kind,” were gunned down Wednesday evening outside the Capital Jewish Museum, where they had attended an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee. The young couple, both in their twenties and working at the Israeli Embassy, were reportedly soon to be married. Their tragic deaths have sent shockwaves through the Jewish and diplomatic communities.

As authorities investigate the attack as an anti-Semitic act of terror, the CJV is sounding the alarm over what it sees as a deeply rooted ideological threat—one that extends far beyond a single shooter. The Coalition’s statement, released late Thursday, blames not only the killer but also the politicians, activists, and institutions that promote or excuse anti-Israel rhetoric.

“This heinous killing is yet another reminder of the relentless assault on not just Israeli civilians, but Jews,” the CJV said. “And of the anti-Semitic rhetoric which seeks to justify these acts of terrorism.”

The suspect, Elias Rodriguez, was arrested at the scene and, according to law enforcement, reportedly shouted slogans such as “Free Palestine” and “There is only One Solution”—phrases the CJV categorically equates to incitement to genocide.

“These are not calls for peace or coexistence,” the rabbis’ statement emphasized. “They are calls for ethnic cleansing and genocide.” The group underscored the historical parallels to Nazi-era ideology, pointing out that “Judenrein”—a term used by the Nazis meaning “free of Jews”—is the direct implication of calls to eliminate the Jewish presence from Israel.

Calling Israel “the only free country in the Middle East,” the CJV blasted those who claim to support Palestinian rights while simultaneously demanding the eradication of the Jewish state.

“This is not advocacy. This is ideological warfare,” the organization said. “These are demands for a Judenrein Holy Land. Such ideology is not new. It is an echo of the leading German academics of the 1940s who designed the Final Solution.”

The CJV’s reference is a stark reminder of the systematic elimination of European Jewry during the Holocaust, driven not merely by soldiers, but by doctors, lawyers, professors, and intellectuals who laid the philosophical groundwork for genocide. The rabbis argue that today’s anti-Semitic chants and slogans are modern versions of that same hate speech.

The organization also called out members of Congress, singling out Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) for refusing to condemn the murder and for not labeling the slogans voiced by the shooter as anti-Semitic.

“Rep. Ilhan Omar, who refused to label these cries anti-Semitic, also refused to condemn the brutal murder of Jews just steps from her office,” the CJV said.

The group’s statement suggests that lawmakers who fail to denounce anti-Semitic language are complicit in the growing normalization of hate speech and violence targeting Jews.

Rep. Omar and other progressive lawmakers have faced criticism for controversial remarks in the past about Israel, often blurring the line between legitimate policy criticism and anti-Semitic tropes. The CJV’s statement adds new urgency to calls for a clearer ethical and rhetorical boundary in American political discourse.

The CJV warned that anti-Semitic rhetoric has moved from the fringes into mainstream spaces: university campuses, legislative offices, and civil society. Tolerance for hate speech masquerading as political dissent, they argue, has laid the ideological groundwork for the kind of attack that took the lives of Lischinsky and Milgram.

“Those who issue these calls, whether on campus, in Congress, or in so-called civil society, are no different from the architects of the Holocaust,” the statement declared. “Those who accepted, much less voiced this rhetoric now have blood on their hands.”

The organization is urging swift consequences for anyone who propagates or tolerates calls for Israel’s destruction, warning that the current climate of leniency only enables more violence.

The Coalition for Jewish Values, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is the largest rabbinic public policy organization in the United States. Its mission is to promote religious liberty, human rights, and classical Jewish ethics within the American public sphere. In moments of crisis—like this week’s double murder—the CJV has often acted as a moral clarion, calling upon both Jewish and non-Jewish leaders to uphold the sanctity of life and the dignity of the Jewish people.

As the community reels from the senseless killing of two young diplomats, the CJV’s message is clear: anti-Semitic rhetoric must no longer be tolerated under any guise.

The murders of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgram are not isolated tragedies, the organization insists, but the grim outcome of a global permissiveness toward hate—from classrooms and protests to congressional halls.

“Future use of these terms, and tolerance thereof, must be met with immediate consequences,” the Coalition said.

The Jewish community, and indeed the broader public, now faces a moral test: Will society respond with resolve—or with silence? The CJV demands the former, in defense of both memory and justice.