May 22, 2025 — Washington, DC
American
Jewish Committee (AJC) mourns the devastating loss of Sarah Milgrim and
Yaron Lischinsky, cherished members of the AJC community, who were
murdered outside of the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., last
night following AJC’s annual Young Diplomats Reception.
“Sarah
and Yaron were stolen from us,” said AJC CEO Ted Deutch. “Moments
before they were murdered, they were smiling, laughing, and enjoying an
event with colleagues and friends. We are in shock and heartbroken as we
attempt to process this immense tragedy.”
Sarah,
an American Jew from Overland Park, Kansas, was warm and compassionate,
committed to peacebuilding and passionate about sustainability and
people-to-people relations. She was engaged with AJC as a lay leader of
AJC ACCESS, AJC’s Young Professional Division, and was a beloved member
of the AJC-Mimouna Michael Sachs Fellowship for Emerging Leaders
community, where she joined other American, Israeli, French, and
Moroccan leaders focused on advancing relations in the Middle East and
North Africa.
Yaron
always had a smile on his face and a welcoming presence. As a staff
member of the Political Department at the Embassy of Israel focused on
Middle East issues, he attended numerous AJC events throughout his time
in Washington. At last night’s event, he shared how excited he was to be
going back home to spend the Jewish holiday of Shavuot with his family
in Israel.
Words
cannot adequately express our sorrow. We mourn with Sarah and Yaron’s
families, their friends, and all who loved them. May their memories be a
blessing.
The
event was organized by AJC ACCESS, AJC’s young professional division,
which empowers Jewish leaders to advocate on behalf of critical domestic
and global issues facing the Jewish community. This annual reception
brings together Jewish young professionals (ages 22–45) and diplomats
from around the world. At this year’s event, attendees heard from
members of the Multifaith Alliance and IsraAID on humanitarian diplomacy
and how a coalition of organizations - from the region and for the
region - are working together in response to humanitarian crises
throughout the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
AJC
is the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people. With
headquarters in New York, 25 regional offices across the United States,
15 overseas posts, as well as partnerships with 38 Jewish community
organizations worldwide, AJC’s mission is to enhance the well-being of
the Jewish people and Israel and to advance human rights and democratic
values in the United States and around the world. For more, please visit
www.ajc.org.
My condolences and prayers for the families who lost these two beautiful young people.😭
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