Private memorial held for Israeli Embassy staffer killed in DC ambush
Milgrim, a 26-year-old from the Kansas City suburb of Prairie Village, Kansas, was leaving a reception for young diplomats at the Capital Jewish Museum alongside 30-year-old Yaron Lischinsky on May 21 when they were shot to death. A suspect, 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez, was arrested and shouted 'Free Palestine' as he was led away. Charging documents said he later told police, 'I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza.'
Lischinsky had bought an engagement ring before the shooting and was planning to propose to Milgrim in the coming days, those who knew the couple have said.
Instead of an upcoming wedding, those close to Milgrim eulogized her at a private service Tuesday at Congregation Beth Torah in Overland Park, Kansas, the temple she attended as a child with her family.
Rabbi Doug Alpert of Congregation Kol Ami in Kansas City, Missouri, gave an impassioned eulogy as scores of attendees sniffled and softly sobbed.
Alpert first drew laughs as he relayed early childhood memories from her parents, Bob and Nancy Milgrim, including her love of hiding as a young child that earned her the label of 'sneaky.' They also recalled her as creative, funny and preternaturally empathetic to animals. She was a vegetarian for most of her childhood and once saved an abandoned baby bunny using her mother's oven mitts, which she promptly then returned to their kitchen drawer unwashed.
But laughter soon turned to tears as Alpert noted the backlash Milgrim faced from strangers and even some acquaintances when she joined the Israeli Embassy staff and expressed her desire for a peaceful solution to end the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.
'We would like nothing more right now than to ask Sarah, to talk to Sarah, to learn from such a beacon of light amidst a world of darkness,' Alpert said. 'We've been cheated out of that opportunity. And for the Milgrim family, cheated out of so much more.'
Milgrim's boss at the embassy, Sawsan Hasson, recounted how Milgrim championed women's and LGBTQ rights and always stuck to her mission of peace and bringing people together — especially those opposed to one another on religion, politics and ideology.
'This morning, you and Yaron were meant to be in Israel, celebrating with his family,' Hasson said. 'Instead, through an unthinkable tragedy, you have brought Israel here to Kansas to meet your own loving family in your hometown. Somehow, even in your passing, you have created connection and unity.'
Milgrim earned a bachelor's degree in environmental studies from the University of Kansas in 2021. She was remembered as a warm, uplifting presence at Shabbat dinners and holiday gatherings at the Chabad Center for Jewish Life on campus.
After graduating, Milgrim worked at at a Tel Aviv-based organization centered on technology training and conflict dialogue for young Palestinians and Israelis, according to her LinkedIn profile. She had been trained in religious engagement and peacebuilding by the United States Institute of Peace, an organization that promotes conflict resolution and was created by the U.S. Congress.
After earning a master's degree in international affairs from American University in 2023, she went to work at the Israeli Embassy, where her job involved organizing events and missions to Israel.
Milgrim would have been teenager when her Kansas community was rocked by another deadly antisemitic attack in 2014. Frazier Glenn Miller Jr., an avowed anti-Semite and white supremacist, fatally shot three people at two Jewish sites in Overland Park in April of that year. At his trial, Miller openly stated that he targeted Jews for death — though none of his victims were Jewish. Miller was convicted in August 2015 and later sentenced to death.
Sheila Katz, CEO of the National Council of Jewish Women, last week lauded Milgrim for her work with women's groups, LGBTQ communities and multi-faith groups and said Milgrim was studying whether friendships between Arabs and Israelis could promote peace.
'We knew something like this could happen,' she said. 'I just don't think we thought it would happen to her.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
15 minutes ago
- The Hill
Conservative network Newsmax agrees to pay $67M in defamation case over bogus 2020 election claims
DENVER (AP) — The conservative network Newsmax will pay $67 million to settle a lawsuit accusing it of defaming a voting equipment company by spreading lies about President Donald Trump's 2020 election loss, according to documents filed Monday. The settlement comes after Fox News Channel paid $787.5 million to settle a similar lawsuit in 2023 and Newsmax paid what court papers describe as $40 million to settle a libel lawsuit from a different voting machine manufacturer, Smartmatic, which also was a target of pro-Trump conspiracy theories on the network. Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis had ruled earlier that Newsmax did indeed defame Denver-based Dominion Voting Systems by airing false information about the company and its equipment. But Davis left it to a jury to eventually decide whether that was done with malice, and, if so, how much Dominion deserved from Newsmax in damages. Newsmax and Dominion reached the settlement before the trial could take place. The settlement was disclosed by Newsmax on Monday in a new filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. It said the deal was reached Friday. A spokesperson for Dominion said the company was pleased to have settled the lawsuit. The disclosure came as Trump, who lost his 2020 reelection bid to Democrat Joe Biden, vowed in a social media post Monday to eliminate mail-in ballots and voting machines such as those supplied by Dominion and other companies. It was unclear how the Republican president could achieve that. The same judge also handled the Dominion-Fox News case and made a similar ruling that the network repeated numerous lies by Trump's allies about his 2020 loss despite internal communications showing Fox officials knew the claims were bogus. At the time, Davis found it was 'CRYSTAL clear' that none of the allegations was true. Internal correspondence from Newsmax officials likewise shows they knew the claims were baseless. 'How long are we going to play along with election fraud?' Newsmax host Bob Sellers said two days after the 2020 election was called for Biden, according to internal documents revealed as part of the case. Newsmax took pride that it was not calling the election for Biden and, the internal documents show, saw a business opportunity in catering to viewers who believed Trump won. Private communications that surfaced as part of Dominion's earlier defamation case against Fox News also revealed how the network's business interests intersected with decisions it made related to coverage of Trump's 2020 election claims. At Newsmax, employees repeatedly warned against false allegations from pro-Trump guests such as attorney Sidney Powell, according to documents in the lawsuit. In one text, even Newsmax owner Chris Ruddy, a Trump ally, said he found it 'scary' that Trump was meeting with Powell. Dominion was at the heart of many of the wild claims aired by guests on Newsmax and elsewhere, who promoted a conspiracy theory involving deceased Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez to rig the machines for Biden. Though Trump has insisted his fraud claims are real, there's no evidence they were, and the lawsuits in the Fox and Newsmax cases show how some of the president's biggest supporters knew they were false at the time. Trump's then-attorney general, William Barr, said there was no evidence of widespread fraud. Trump and his backers lost dozens of lawsuits alleging fraud, some before Trump-appointed judges. Numerous recounts, reviews and audits of the election results, including some run by Republicans, turned up no signs of significant wrongdoing or error and affirmed Biden's win. After returning to office, Trump pardoned those who tried to halt the transfer of power during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and directed his Department of Justice to investigate Chris Krebs, a former Trump cybersecurity appointee who had vouched for the security and accuracy of the 2020 election. As an initial trial date approached in the Dominion case earlier this year, Trump issued an executive order attacking the law firm that litigated it and the Fox case, Susman Godfrey. The order, part of a series targeting law firms Trump has tussled with, cited Susman Godfrey's work on elections and said the government would not do business with any of its clients or permit any of its staff in federal buildings. A federal judge put that action on hold, saying the framers would view it as 'a shocking abuse of power. '
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Gupta lawyers fail to appear for Trafigura fraud case hearing
By Eric Onstad LONDON (Reuters) -Lawyers representing Indian businessman Prateek Gupta said they failed to appear for a hearing on Monday because of funding difficulties in a long-running fraud case brought by commodity trader Trafigura about nickel cargoes, a London court heard. Geneva-based Trafigura, a major industrial metals and oil trader, filed a lawsuit against Gupta in February 2023, alleging it had been the victim of a $600-million fraud involving nickel cargoes masterminded by Gupta and in which he and his companies participated. Gupta has said in his defence that Trafigura staff devised the scheme at the centre of the case to substitute low-value materials such as scrap for high-grade nickel. Trafigura and its employees have denied any knowledge of fraud. Gupta's lawyers Preston Turnbull informed Trafigura and the court on Friday that due to a lack of funding they would not be attending Monday's hearing regarding the use of documents in a separate arbitration case. "That is an excuse which has been routinely trotted out by the Gupta defendants throughout these proceedings when it had suited them to do so, and it is without any merit," Trafigura lawyer Edward Ho told Monday's hearing. Preston Turnbull did not respond to a request for comment. In March 2024, lawyers for Gupta told a court he had run out of funds to pay legal fees, and in June last year Gupta changed lawyers to Preston Turnbull from Mishcon De Reya. "The court has previously found, and I agree, that there are sources of funding available to the Gupta defendants," Ho added. "Alleged funding issues have been a recurring theme... to justify their failure to meet court deadlines and to comply with court orders." Judges have granted a succession of delays over many months to Gupta to meet deadlines for disclosure of documents relevant to the case, which is due to go to trial in November. Judge Robin Knowles on Monday granted Trafigura's request to use nine documents disclosed by Gupta in the current fraud case in a separate arbitration case due to be heard next month. The arbitration case involves Trafigura and Hong-Kong based Axiom Ltd because Trafigura sold one of the cargoes provided by Gupta to Axiom, which was found not to contain nickel, the court heard. (Additional reporting by Sam Tobin; Editing by Jan Harvey) Sign in to access your portfolio
CNN
30 minutes ago
- CNN
5 things to know for August 18: Ukraine, Israel-Hamas war, DC, Hurricane Erin, Pollution
Remember this name: Bodhana Sivanandan. The 10-year-old British girl recently made history in the Game of Kings. Here's what else you need to know to get up to speed and on with your day. Prior to last week's historic summit in Alaska, President Donald Trump said he would be disappointed if a ceasefire wasn't reached between Russia and Ukraine, and even threatened 'severe' consequences on Moscow if Russian President Vladimir Putin didn't end the fighting. However, Trump returned from the summit with different priorities. He is now focused on securing a peace deal without a ceasefire and said 'we don't have to think' about sanctions against Russia. Trump will host a summit at the White House today with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and several European leaders to discuss his talks with Putin in more detail. But on his social media site, Trump appeared to preview the message he'll deliver to his visitors: If Zelensky wants the war in Ukraine to end, he must agree to some of Russia's conditions, including that Ukraine cede Crimea and agree never to join NATO. Hundreds of thousands of Israelis gathered around Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on Sunday to demand an end to the war in Gaza and the return of the remaining 50 hostages. Many protesters also participated in a nationwide general strike, blocked major roads and staged rallies in cities across Israel. These events were led by family members of the hostages and the October Council, which represents bereaved families from the war. It was one of the largest coordinated demonstrations since the beginning of the Gaza war nearly two years ago. 'We are united in one simple demand directed at the Israeli government: Put an Israeli proposal on the table today for a comprehensive deal — to end the war in exchange for the return of the last hostage,' said Vicky Cohen, whose son Nimrod is a hostage. Israeli police said at least 38 protesters were arrested for allegedly disturbing the peace. President Trump's recent declaration of a crime emergency in Washington, DC, and his decision to federalize the city's police force have already prompted protests and at least one lawsuit. Now, three Republican-led states are sending hundreds of their own National Guard troops to the nation's capital to assist in Trump's efforts. West Virginia plans to send 300 to 400 National Guard troops, South Carolina has authorized the deployment of 200 troops and Ohio said it will send 150. These units will join the 800 DC National Guard troops that Trump has already deployed to patrol the district along with Border Patrol, ICE, FBI and DEA agents. Although Mayor Muriel Bowser's office declined to comment on the deployment of additional troops in DC, she posted on X: 'American soldiers and airmen policing American citizens on American soil is #UnAmerican.' Hurricane Erin became one of the fastest-strengthening Atlantic hurricanes on record when it transformed from a Category 1 storm with 75 mph winds on Friday to a Category 5 with near 160 mph winds just over 24 hours later. So far, the storm's outer bands have dumped heavy rainfall across Puerto Rico and left 100,000 people without power, Gov. Jenniffer González-Colón said Sunday. Additional rainfall of up to 6 inches is forecast over the Turks and Caicos and the eastern Bahamas through Tuesday. But as it churns through the Atlantic Ocean north of the Caribbean, Erin could double or even triple in size, which may cause rough ocean conditions across much of the western Atlantic, the Hurricane Center said. While the storm is forecast to stay well offshore, its expansive wind field is already sending large swells outward for hundreds of miles and bringing dangerous rip currents to US shores. Satellites will face greater risks in the coming decades during solar-triggered geomagnetic storms because of the effect that climate pollution has on Earth's atmosphere, a new study found. As planet-warming carbon dioxide increases in the upper atmosphere, it will likely make the air less dense. Geomagnetic storms have the opposite effect; they increase how dense the air is in these upper layers, making it difficult for satellites to maintain their speed and altitude. During their study, researchers found that geomagnetic storms later this century could cause bigger spikes in atmospheric density because Earth's upper atmosphere will be less dense overall. Such a rapid throttling up of atmospheric density may damage critical satellite networks — including those used for GPS and communications — and cause problems for society at the Earth's surface. GET '5 THINGS' IN YOUR INBOX If your day doesn't start until you're up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to your new favorite morning fix. Sign up here for the '5 Things' newsletter. Despite back-to-work orders from the Canadian government, more than 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants plan to continue their strike. The tennis champ decided to see a doctor after noticing symptoms such as double vision and weakness in her arms and legs. The wildly popular online gaming platform is accused of perpetuating an environment where sexual predators 'thrive, unite, hunt and victimize kids.' The thrash metal giants are planning to bid their final farewell in 2026. Here are 12 of America's most iconic sandwiches and where to eat them. British actor Terence Stamp dies at 87Stamp appeared in dozens of movies, but he was best known to American audiences for playing General Zod in two 'Superman' films. He later provided the voice of Jor-El, Superman's father, in the hit TV series 'Smallville.' $177 millionThat's how much AT&T has agreed to pay to settle claims related to data breaches in 2024. Millions of customers will be eligible to file claims — and could receive up to $7,500. 'The citizens of the world know what's happening here in the United States, formerly the so-called beacon of democracy. It don't look like that now!' — Spike Lee The Oscar-winning director commenting on President Trump's orders about what should and shouldn't be displayed at the Smithsonian Institution. 🌤️ Check your local forecast to see what you can expect. And he did it all in just one year! Today's edition of 5 Things AM was edited and produced by CNN's Andrew Torgan.
