Montreal Holocaust Museum joins North American institutions in condemning fatal D.C. shootings
The Montreal Holocaust Museum has joined eight institutions across North America in issuing a joint statement condemning the attack that killed two Israeli Embassy staff members outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C.
The fatal shootings, which occurred earlier this week, claimed the lives of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim. Both were affiliated with the Israeli diplomatic mission in the U.S. capital.
In a joint statement, the museums said they were 'devastated and heartbroken' by what they called a 'brutal, senseless act,' describing the shooting as a targeted act of antisemitic violence in a public space dedicated to celebrating Jewish history and life.
'This is a moment to stand together and say: Enough,' the statement said. 'It is a time to remind the world of some of the most important lessons of the Holocaust … that unchecked hate and antisemitic rhetoric lead to violence.'
It comes amid rising concern over antisemitism in Canada. According to the latest audit by B'nai Brith Canada, 6,219 incidents targeting Jews were reported in 2024, the highest figure since the organization began tracking such data more than 40 years ago. It represents a 124.7-per-cent increase over 2022, and a 7.4-per-cent rise from 2023, which had previously set the record.
The joint statement was signed by Holocaust museums in Montreal, New York, Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, Cincinnati, Skokie, Farmington Hills and St. Petersburg, Fla.
It concluded with a call to action: 'Antisemitism is not just a Jewish problem. When Jews are targeted, it harms all of society.'
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