Local Organization Statements On Washington, D.C. Shooting At Capital Jewish Museum

Several local Jewish organizations have released statements since the shooting deaths of Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky on Wednesday, May 21, at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. The list will be updated if more statements are released.

Click on an organization to navigate to its statement.

Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas

What “Globalize the Intifada” Looks Like to Our Jewish Community: A Moment of Grief, Clarity, and Commitment

We feel it in our bones: as Jews, we are connected – deeply, powerfully, across time and place.

Whether you were born Jewish or – like our matriarch Ruth – chose to align your life and fate with the Jewish people, you are part of an extraordinary extended family. A people that transcends time, citizenship, ethnicity, race, and religious observance.

Our Jewish peoplehood gives us strength. It brings us joy. It holds us in moments of meaning and memory.

And yet today – as on October 7, 2023, and too many days since – that same connection is also the source of searing pain.

Wednesday night, we felt that grief again. Our community was shaken by another act of antisemitic terror.

Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky—may their names forever be for a blessing—were murdered simply for attending a Jewish event at the Capitol Jewish Museum. An event about humanitarian relief organized by AJC, the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people.

It’s hard to find words for this heartbreak. But we must also name the truth: Sarah and Yaron’s murder was not random. It is the lethal consequence of nearly 600 days of people chanting “globalize the intifada” and other eliminationist antisemitic rhetoric. It is also the result of far too many – including elected officials – remaining conspicuously silent.

Many have long warned that the threat from the anti-Zionist far-left is no less deadly than that from the far-right. Perhaps, now the doubters, including within our own community, will finally listen and act accordingly.

Yesterday, many friends and colleagues shared words of warning, grief, and strength:

Ted Deutch, AJC’s CEO, a former Democratic member of Congress, reminded us:
“Words have consequences. From online memes to chants in the streets, antisemitic rhetoric fuels violence. What many dismiss as ‘just slogans’ can create the conditions for deadly hate, and Jewish communities around the world are paying the price.”

Rabbi Jill Avrin, who will soon join our JCRC staff, wrote:
“Sarah and Yaron: I’m sorry we couldn’t protect you from hate. I’m sorry the hatred has spread this deeply in this country. We needed you and you will, like so many others we’ve lost in the last 594 days, be a loss we can never fill. The best we can do is ensure that we will honor your memory by committing to rebuilding the Israel of your dreams and an America that is safe for all people.”

Rabba Rori Picker Neiss, a valued colleague from JCPA, added:
“Part of our work is to proactively tell the Jewish story. And so, this morning you might use this moment to share this story with your partners and to emphasize to them that the Jewish community is feeling vulnerable and scared right now.”

We did not personally know Sarah and Yaron – two young and exceptionally gifted Israeli Embassy staffers – but within hours, several friends shared how they were connected.

One dear colleague, who was part of the team that organized last night’s AJC event for young leaders, was with the soon-to-be-engaged couple just moments before they were murdered. Another friend, a pillar of our community, is connected to Sarah through her son. Yet another friend from Rehovot knew Yaron.

These connections don’t make us unique. They make us family. We know that many others within our extended Jewish community are also linked to last night’s horror—and to every act of antisemitic terror that has preceded it.

On June 8, JCRC will hold our annual event.

We look forward to a safe, meaningful celebration of our shared work, joined by members of our Jewish community and by non-Jewish allies whose messages of love and support today have meant so much. Your calls, texts, and emails have wrapped us in hesed—lovingkindness—we will not forget.

At our event, we will also hear from keynote speaker Dr. Mijal Bitton, whose essay That Pain You’re Feeling Is Peoplehood and teachings on Jewish identity and antisemitism feel more urgent than ever.

In the spirit of Ruth’s words to Naomi, we say to our fellow Jews:

“Where you go, we will go. Where you lodge, we will lodge.”

We may not always be together in place, but we carry one another in our hearts. In joy and in terror, in hope and in heartbreak – your fate is our fate.

Am Yisrael Chai – the people of Israel live.

Adath Jeshurun Congregation

Our Adath community mourns, our hearts break, and we speak out as a Jewish community. Last night, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, two staffers at the Israeli embassy, were fatally shot outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC. The suspect shouted “Free, free Palestine” as he mercilessly gunned down this soon-to-be-engaged couple, part of a group of young diplomats attending an American Jewish Committee event. Yaron, who was born in Israel and moved back from Germany at age 16, and Sarah, a Jewish educator who grew up in Kansas City, devoted their lives to peacebuilding, reconciliation, and understanding. There are really no words to fully capture our horror.

Our clergy team is available for pastoral care, and our entire staff joins with our beloved Adath community in solidarity. We hold one another and the Jewish community worldwide in deep sorrow.

Temple Israel/Rabbi Marcia Zimmerman

I woke up this morning, as you did, to the heartbreaking news that Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky—staff members from the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C.—were murdered outside the Capital Jewish Museum. Yaron had just purchased an engagement ring, and today, they should be preparing for their trip to Israel where Yaron planned to propose, not appearing in horrific newspaper headlines. My heart goes out to their families as they mourn the unfathomable loss of these young lives.

The couple had been in attendance at an American Jewish Committee (AJC) event for young diplomats. In two weeks, we will welcome leaders of the AJC to Temple Israel for a special Shavuot program on reimagining peace in the Middle East. I hope you will join me on Sunday, June 1, at 6:30 p.m. for this timely and important conversation. Our presence is more important than ever.

The rise in antisemitism is troubling and frightening. Please know that Temple Israel continues to take security very seriously. Our team works closely with community partners to monitor all threats to the Jewish community, and we continue to allocate significant resources toward security measures, seen and unseen.

Together, we anticipate the coming festival of Shavuot, when we commemorate receiving the Torah. My prayer is that we continue to hold fast to the teachings and traditions of our sacred texts.

May the memories of this young couple be for a blessing.

Jewish Community Action

We are devastated by the murders of Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., and we mourn with all who loved them.

Let us be clear: no one is made safer by this kind of violence.

At a time when so many are afraid and vulnerable, acts like this only deepen our fear and put our communities at risk for further division.

Minneapolis/St. Paul Jewish Federations

The Jewish Federations of North America have released this statement. We are monitoring the situation and will share info as we learn more. We have also been in touch with the JCRC which will assess if our security posture needs adjustment. 

May the families of those lost be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. 

Jewish Federations of North America are horrified at the reported murder of two people outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC.

Our hearts go out to the victims and to our colleagues at AJC, whose event was being held at the museum.

We are working closely with the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and our security partners to monitor the situation, gain a fuller picture of what transpired, and keep our communities informed.

The safety and security of the community is our top priority and we will not rest until that safety is fully restored.

Shir Tikvah

Our hearts break over the murders of Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky—staff members from the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C.—outside the Capital Jewish Museum.

Our tradition teaches that when you take one life, you destroy a whole world. We grieve both for Sarah and Yaron, the specific worlds that were destroyed by this horrific act of violence and condemn the antisemitism and dehumanization that made these acts of violence possible. Please keep the families of Lischinsky and Milgrim in your prayers.

Our clergy team is available for pastoral care, and our entire staff joins with our beloved community in grief and concern. We hold one another and the Jewish community worldwide in deep sorrow.

Shir Tikvah is committed to creating sanctuary – to ensure that it is possible for our community to gather to connect and make meaning, even in the narrowest of times. We take the security of our community very seriously. Our team works closely with our community partners to monitor all threats to the Jewish community, and we continue to allocate significant resources toward security measures.

Through it all, we insist our safety comes through our connections with each other and the strength of our multicultural democracy. We dedicate our sanctuary of prayer and learning to the generational work of deepening solidarity and interconnection, to a world where Palestinians and Jews – all of us – are safe and free.

Baruch dayan ha’emet. May the memories of Sarah and Yaron be for a blessing.

Kenesseth Israel

Our hearts are heavy with grief over the horrific murder of two innocent Jews yesterday outside the Jewish Museum in Washington DC. This act of cold-blooded violence is not only a tragedy, but a piercing reminder of the deep hatred that still festers in the world, and the danger that our people continue to face, even in places meant to represent safety and diplomacy.

We mourn the nashamos that were taken, and we stand in unshakable solidarity with their families and with Jews around the world. This was not only an attack on individuals, it was an attack on our collective people.

We do not respond with fear. We respond with strength. With achdus. With an even deeper commitment of living lives of meaning with Torah and mitzvos. We are a nation that has walked through fire and our answer to darkness is light.

As Jews, we know that every neshama is precious. Let us honor those who were murdered not only with our mourning, but by taking a moment today to say a tefilah for the victims, their families, and for the protection of Jews everywhere. May their memories be a blessing. And may we soon see a time when hatred is uprooted from the world, and peace flows like a mighty river.

With a broken heart, and unwavering hope,
Rabbi Mordechai Kalatsky

Beth El Synagogue/Rabbi Alexander Davis

Sarah and Yaron, both employees of the Israeli Embassy, were soon to be engaged. They were committed to peace, coexistence, and building bridges between Israel and its neighbors and among people of all faiths.

Sarah was a graduate of KU. She had lived abroad in several places, including in Costa Rica, where she earned her master’s degree in natural resources and sustainable development from the University of Peace, established by the United Nations.
Yaron who grew up in Germany and Israel with a Jewish grandfather and Christian mother was devoutly Christian and deeply committed to Israel. He served in the IDF. Yaron had already purchased a ring and was planning on “popping the question” on their upcoming trip to Israel.

Of course, that will never be after the tragic terror attack that left them dead, murdered in cold blood, because they were Zionists. Here they were visiting a Jewish museum in our nation’s capital. “The ironic part,” Sarah’s father said, “is that we were worried for our daughter’s safety in Israel. But she was murdered three days before going.”

If you want to know what “Globalize The Intifada” means, this is what it means: the murder of an idealistic, young couple, Yaron and Sarah. If you want to know what “Intifada Revolution” and “By Any Means Necessary” means, this is what it means: the theft of laughter yet to be heard, of love just begun. This horrific act is direct result of ongoing efforts to demonize Israel and incite hatred. And “Free Free Palestianian” is not a slogan of resistance, liberation, and freedom fighting. Calls to end the Jewish State and globalize the intifada have always been calls to violence- and today, that violence has been realized.

Of course, not everyone who marches for a ceasefire, or in solidarity with Palestinians is calling for the end of Israel. But sadly, we have seen the legitimate struggle for Palestinian rights, the legitimate cry of pain for the suffering in Gaza has been hijacked by an international movement poisoned by violence and hatred. And sadly, this act will likely only further embolden certain leaders to stifle legitimate criticism of Israel and clamp down on expressions of free speech.

But while the kaffiyeh-clad crowds chant “Globalize the Intifada!,” in Gaza some Palestinian are marching against Hamas chanting, “Out! Out! Out! All of Hamas out!” As the Forward’s Rob Eshman writes, “…instead of marching in solidarity with these Palestinians, too many American protesters have become leading Hamas apologists, mimicking their rhetoric and justifying their murderousness.” Sadly, rather than inspire cheshbon hanefesh, self-critique, in too many circles, the murderer is being lauded and his acts justified.

The event Sarah and Yaron were attending focused on humanitarian diplomacy to help both the people of Gaza and Israel. The theme of the evening was, “Turning Pain into Purpose.”

Today, that is our call to action. In pain and anger, we mourn their murder. And we know that to honor their memory, we must continue to uphold their values and work to realize the dreams they held dear. Thus, may their memories be a blessing.

Bet Shalom/Rabbi David Locketz

This has been another week of difficult news for the Jewish Community. We join our extended Jewish family in mourning the senseless and hateful murder of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim this week in Washington DC. They were staff members at Israel’s embassy. Zichronam Livracha. May their memories be for a blessing.

Oseh Shalom Bimromav – May the peace that exists in the heavens above finally be known here too, in Jerusalem, and across the entire world. I know what happened in Washington adds to the very real concerns for safety and security for the Jewish Community. And so we must do more than offer prayers.

As I looked back through my notes this morning, I was stunned to see that the first time I sent a communication to our congregation about security was in 2017 after a series of threats to JCCs around the world. While the rise of antisemitism in our country and the threats against Jews feels very recent, in truth we have been seeing this ancient hate increase, once again, for the better part of a decade.

During that time, we at Bet Shalom have developed significant and effective security protocols. Given our building’s unique location, structure, and usage patterns, we work continuously with security professionals, including the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) and the Minnetonka Police Department to develop these protocols tailored specifically to our needs. This ongoing consultation assures us that our security measures are appropriate and effective for our particular circumstance. We have several layers of protection across these agencies and feel confident about inviting you, our members, into our sacred space each and every day.

I hope you will continue to feel safe coming to our beautiful building and stunning grounds. And tonight is a perfect opportunity. Please join us for our Shabbat services at 6pm with some nosh at 5:30pm. We will join together in grieving these senseless murders, honor our American Memorial Day, acknowledge the fifth anniversary of the murder of George Floyd and our commitment to antiracism, and bask in kehilah kedosha – sacred, and so very much needed, community. We promise some joy, too.

We’d love to see you in person, but you are always welcome to join by Zoom as well. On behalf of our Bet Shalom Clergy, Staff, and Board of Trustees, I wish you each a Shabbat Shalom.

Jewish Community Outreach Organization

We are heartbroken and outraged by the tragic shooting of Israeli Embassy staff members Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim outside the Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., where they were attending an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee. This brutal and targeted act of violence is a devastating reminder of the rising threat of antisemitism in our country.

There is space for passionate dialogue about Gaza, Israel, and the future of the region but that dialogue must never include violence or hatred. The murder of Yaron and Sarah is not a form of protest, it is an act of terror, and it must be unequivocally condemned.

In this moment of grief, we call for unity across faiths, communities, and political beliefs. We call to reject antisemitism, denounce hate-fueled violence, and affirm the dignity and safety of all people. We urge elected officials, law enforcement, and civic leaders to take concrete, visible steps to ensure the safety of Jewish institutions, schools, and places of worship.

No Jew should fear for their life while attending a Jewish event, walking into a synagogue, or expressing their identity. We stand in solidarity with the victims’ families, the Israeli diplomatic community, and Jewish communities everywhere.

May the memories of Yaron and Sarah be a blessing and their loss inspire action to protect and uplift all those who live proudly and visibly as Jews.

Minnesota GOP

I join countless Minnesotans and Americans in condemning in the strongest possible terms the antisemitic attack that took place last night in our nation’s capital.

The murder of two Israeli diplomatic staffers outside the Jewish Museum is not only an attack on Israel, it’s an attack on the values of freedom, democracy and decency that our country was founded upon.

Antisemitism is not new, but what we are witnessing now in our cities, on our campuses and from too many elected officials, is a dangerous, unescalating tolerance for hate and violence masquerading as political expression.

Sadly, we’ve seen this pattern here in Minnesota as well. Just last week, Governor Tim Walz compared ICE officers, men and women enforcing US immigration law to the Gestapo, the Nazi regime, secret police.

This grotesque analogy dishonors the victims of the Holocaust, vilifies our own law enforcement officers and its fuel to the fire of radicalism that is already burning out of control. We demand that the governor apologize for the thoughtless comment.

Worse still members of Walz’s own party. Have faced harassment of public condemnation, not from political opponents, but from within their own ranks, simply for speaking out against Hamas in the horrors of October 7.

When Jewish Democrats are attacked by their own party for defending Israel’s right to exist, we have crossed a line when silence or justification meets antisemitic violence. Complicity is no longer accidental. It is deliberate.

The Republican Party of Minnesota stands firmly with the Jewish community in Minnesota, across the country and around the world. We are unwavering in our support for Israel and for the values of police for the values of peace, freedom, and truth.

Let me be clear: There is no room for excuses or communication. If you cannot condemn antisemitism without a disclaimer, then you are not condemning it at all.
Alex Plechash, MN GOP Chairman

Or Emet

We are horrified by the killing of Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky, staff members at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., outside the Capital Jewish Museum last week. We reject any rhetoric that justifies or weaponizes the murder of Jews. As we continue to dream of and work for a world in which all people can be safe and free from violence, let us honor Sarah Milgrim’s commitment to making peace and building bridges. In these troubling times, may we be blessed by the memory of her dedication to “a vision that seeks to rise above the noise of vengeance and violence by focusing instead on shared humanity and the mutual right to dignity, safety and peace for Jews and Muslims.”