Latest news with #CapitolJewishMuseum
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The danger in focusing on this detail about the Jewish museum shooting victims
On Wednesday, a young couple, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, was gunned down as they exited a function for young Jewish professionals hosted at the Capitol Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. That function happened to be about delivering humanitarian relief across the Middle East and North Africa, including Gaza, and both victims had dedicated much of their short lives to promoting interfaith and intercultural understanding and peace between Israel and Arab countries. None of this mattered to the man who was apprehended shortly after the victims were shot at close range — even as Milgrim struggled to crawl away. The suspect shouted for the cameras that had gathered, 'I did it for Gaza,' and added a chant ubiquitous in the protests over the Israel-Hamas War: 'Free, Free Palestine.' As the press first reported this tragedy, they did little to challenge the political framing established by the suspect. Outlets across the political spectrum almost universally described Milgrim and Lischinsky as employees of the Israeli Embassy. From Fox News to The Guardian, the New York Post to The New York Times, mainstream media (including MSNBC) immediately focused on the victims' employment — even though there is no evidence that the shooter could have known their place of work. What the shooter did indisputably know, when he purchased a ticket for the event three hours before he assassinated Milgrim and Lischinsky, was that he was targeting an event at a Jewish museum hosted by and for Jews. We must call out this antisemitic violence for what it is. Failing to identify this execution as a targeted, antisemitic act allows the void to be filled by dangerous claims of justified 'political action.' We saw this instantly on social media, where the falsehood that Milgrim and Lischinsky were killed because of their affiliation with Israel, not because they were thought to be Jews (Lischinsky was Christian) spread quickly. Some users ran with the idea that this murder was an act of political protest, that the killing of 'Zionist officials' as the 'highest expression of anti-Zionism.' Many others more quietly minimized the horror of this double-murder as a 'political act,' wrong only in degree, but an extreme manifestation of otherwise legitimate protest. These framings distract from the lethal antisemitism at the heart of this violent act. Rightly, this horrific murder is being investigated as a hate crime, since federal law prohibits targeting based on actual or perceived religion or national identity. Yet the stakes of this moment go far beyond the charges that are brought; this is about our relationship to violence, politics and humanity. If violence and murder are rationalized, even celebrated, in the name of political causes, we are in dangerous territory — and not only for Jews. The callousness that allowed so many to deny or minimize Hamas' rapes of Israeli women or to wave away the firebombing of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's house on Passover hurts us all and can be directed at anyone. Yet these acts are logical outcomes of a culture that celebrates escalation, and in which extremism and dehumanization have become defensible, a phenomenon that history teaches us might begin with persecuting Jews, but will not end there. The least we can do is name it. This article was originally published on
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
American Jewish Committee in Atlanta speaks out after Wednesday attack
ATLANTA (WJBF) – The American Jewish Committee, the group that hosted the event in Washington Wednesday night, says they are still reeling and outraged at the lost of innocent lives. Police say two Israeli staff members were shot and killed Wednesday night around 9 p.m. in Washington, D.C. outside the Capitol Jewish Museum. Tributes continue to pour in from Georgia's Governor Brian Kemp and Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff against the violence and hate against Jewish and the people of Israel. 'This has been a tragic for the Jewish committee but me and my colleagues at the American Jewish Committee. The two individuals were leaving an AJC program and many young professionals here who were connected to the people who were killed. The program that they were at was to understand humanitarian aid in Gaza for diplomats,' said Regional Director of the American Jewish Committee Dov Wilker. 'What's going through my mind is this a tragedy that everybody saw coming. We have seen record breaking antisemitism across the country and world over the past few years,' said Regional Director of the Anti-Defamation League, Eytan Davidson. 'In all I can think about words lead to action and words like globalizing the intifada leads to killing of Jews and Israelis around the world,' said Davidson. There are around 200,000 people Jewish people living in Georgia and according to a recent anti-defamation league audit report, the number of anti semitic activities has gone up after the October 7 attack. In fact, Jewish owned business are seeing more attacks and an increase in violence and the recent report shows more than 340 antisemitic cases in Georgia alone. 'Free Palestine, globalize the intifada — these are the slogans terrorists use to terrorize and murder Jews. We have seen quickly how it's gone from chanting slogans to real life consequences. These were two young people who were about to get engaged and start their lives,' said Davidson. The American Jewish Committee regional director in Atlanta says this attack was not due to a lack of security, but rather to denounce antisemitism and people who are seeking the destruction of the state of Israel. Police say the suspected shooter, 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez, made his first court appearance today and chanted 'Free, free Palestine' while in custody and said he committed the act 'For Gaza.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
DC shooting victims were soon to be engaged: Ambassador
(NewsNation) — The two Israeli Embassy staff members who were fatally shot in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday were set to be engaged, according to Yechiel Leiter, Israeli ambassador to the United States. Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim were leaving an event at the Capitol Jewish Museum — a mile from the Capitol Building — when police say Elias Rodriguez approached a group of four people and opened fire. Rodriguez yelled, 'Free, free Palestine' after he was arrested, police said. Rodriguez was observed by onlookers pacing outside the museum before the shooting. He walked into the museum after the shooting and was detained by event security. Global leaders are condemning the fatal attack on 2 Israeli Embassy staffers. Here's what they said 'He ran inside and yelled something,' said witness John Elleson. 'I couldn't make it out, what he said. It was terrible.' Lischinsky had purchased a ring this week with the intent to propose next week in Jerusalem, Leiter said. The District of D.C. just last week awarded security grants to 11 nonprofits in the area, which included the Capitol Jewish Museum. The grants were given to boost security. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
USA Today
22-05-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Fighting with coworkers
Fighting with coworkers Good morning!🙋🏼♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Why are there sardines on seemingly everything? Quick look at Thursday's news: The House is about to vote on a bill that is expected to touch many corners of American life, healthcare to the southern border and the national debt. Two Israeli embassy staff members in Washington were fatally shot on Thursday. An involuntary process is stealing the homes of some Indigenous Americans. Trump tax bill but vote still uncertain A vote on a sweeping Republican bill is on the House's docket Thursday morning after a marathon all-night debate. What it is: The legislation, which President Donald Trump has dubbed the "big, beautiful bill," would enact Trump's major campaign promises like eliminating taxes on workers' tips while benefits would decrease for those in the lowest income levels because of spending cuts. It hasn't been assured House Republicans would get this done. Some GOP from primarily Democratic states held out on raising a tax deduction cap that would benefit their constituents, while fiscal conservatives remained concerned about the cost of the legislation, which is expected to add around $3.3 trillion to the deficit over the next 10 years. Some GOP from primarily Democratic states held out on raising a tax deduction cap that would benefit their constituents, while fiscal conservatives remained concerned about the cost of the legislation, which is expected to add around $3.3 trillion to the deficit over the next 10 years. But Republican holdouts struck a deal with House GOP leadership to advance the bill, with tweaks such as moving up the implementation of Medicaid work requirements from 2029 to December of 2026 with House GOP leadership to advance the bill, with tweaks such as moving up the implementation of Medicaid work requirements from 2029 to December of 2026 Not so "big and beautiful" for all Americans: Trump promises the bill will bring glory, however, wins be limited to those who benefit most from it – top earners, according to analyses from multiple sources. Israeli embassy staff fatally shot near Jewish museum in DC A preliminary investigation indicates that two Israeli embassy staffers were exiting an event Thursday at the Capitol Jewish Museum in Washington when they were fatally shot, authorities and officials said. The suspect, identified as Elias Rodriguez, 30, of Chicago, was observed pacing back and forth outside the museum before the shooting, police said. Rodriguez then approached a group of four people and opened fire, striking the two victims. Rodriguez later entered the museum and was detained by event security, according to police. Police said Rodriguez shouted "Free, free Palestine" when taken into custody. More news to know now What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here. Oklahoma to require schools to teach Trump's 2020 election conspiracy theories Oklahoma's public school history teachers will soon be required to teach the disproved conspiracy theory that the Democratic Party stole the 2020 presidential election from President Donald Trump. The Republican-led state's new high school history curriculum says students must learn how to dissect the results of the 2020 election, including learning about alleged mail-in voter fraud, "an unforeseen record number of voters" and "security risks of mail-in balloting." The new curriculum also removed a prior proposal for lessons about George Floyd's murder and Black Lives Matter, and teaches as fact the hotly contested theory that COVID-19 emerged from a lab leak. How 'money, power or greed' ripped the Nooksack 306 from their homes - and their tribe Tucked among the spruce and fir trees – with the snow-capped Cascade Mountains towering in the background – in this northwest Washington pocket, are a people called the Nooksack 306. They were raised as members of the Nooksack Indian Tribe, and they self-identify as such. But in 2016, they were stripped of their tribal citizenship and benefits because tribal leaders said they could not prove ancestry of at least one-quarter Nooksack blood. The involuntary process is referred to as disenrollment. USA TODAY's Suzette Hackney shares a first-person account of the great injustice suffered by the Indigenous people from this region. Not one of stolen land, but one of lost homes. Today's talkers 'What's your sign?' The past decade has seen rising interest in New Age practices, largely associated with young people seeking mental wellbeing. Some have cultivated social media followings initiated by pandemic-related anxiety and social distancing. A new report from the Pew Research Center indicates nearly a third of U.S. adults consult astrology, tarot cards or fortune tellers at least once a year, with the share highest among women, young people and the LGBT community. A third of those who do say they do so to gain helpful insights — while the rest say they pursue the practices just for fun. Photo of the day: Looking fresh in France We're suddenly really, really into film after seeing photos of Irish actor Paul Mescal at the Cannes Film Festival on Thursday. He donned a layered look during a press call for the film, "The History of Sound." And those sunglasses, so French, so chic.
Daily Mirror
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Trump sends condolences to families of two people shot in street
A man and a woman have been shot in the street in Washington DC. President Donald Trump has now broken his silence in his first comments on Wednesday night's shooting Donald Trump has sent his condolences to the families of two Israeli Embassy staff members shot in the street in Washington. Emergency services rushed to the scene at around 9.15pm on Wednesday (2.15am Thursday in UK) in the US capital, reports local media. Police officers have warned members of the public to avoid the area around the Capital Jewish Museum in Penn Quarter, Washington DC, following the incident. Pamela Smith, chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, confirmed a suspect is in custody in connection with the shooting. The suspect has been named as Elias Rodriguez, 30, from Chicago, Illinois. Smith said that the suspect was seen pacing outside the museum before he 'approached a group of four people, produced a handgun and opened fire striking both of our decedents.' After the shooting, Smith said that the suspect then entered the museum and was detained by event security. The suspect chanted 'Free Free Palestine' while in custody, Smith said. Rodriguez was not previously known to police prio to this incident. Police say they believe he was the sole shooter and there is no active threat remaining. Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli ambassador to the US, confirmed the two victims were a couple were due to travel to Jerusalem to get engaged after a ring had been purchased. No further details about the man and woman, such as their names and their ages, have been disclosed by police at this stage. Pamela Smith, chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, said: 'The preliminary investigation indicates that both victims were exiting an event at the Capitol Jewish Museum located in the 500 block of Third Street Northwest when the shooting occurred,' Smith said. 'We believe the shooting was committed by a single suspect who is now in custody. Prior to the shooting, the suspect was observed pacing back and forth outside of the museum.' US Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is as the scene, said at a news conference following the shooting which killed two people, that she spoke with President Donald Trump 'multiple times tonight.' President Donald Trump has now broken his silence in his first comments on Wednesday night's shooting. He took to Truth Social to share his condolences to the families of the two Israeli Embassy staff members who were killed near the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC. Trump wrote: "These horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW! Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA. Condolences to the families of the victims. So sad that such things as this can happen! God Bless You ALL!" The incident triggered a major police response and sevreal streets in the city rermain closed to the public while police continue to investigate.
