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Hamilton Spectator
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Kansas community holds private memorial for Israeli Embassy staffer killed in DC ambush
Family and friends of Sarah Milgrim, one of two Israeli Embassy staffers fatally shot last week in an apparently politically motivated ambush in Washington, D.C., gathered for her funeral Tuesday in the Kansas community where she grew up. 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 prepared to eulogize her at a private service Tuesday at Congregation Beth Torah in Overland Park, Kansas, the temple she attended through high school with her family. 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. 'She believed in connections, in building community and bringing people together,' Rabbi Zalman Tiechtel said in the days after her death. He also recalled that she 'was filled with so much love.' 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. A vigil held in her hometown last week drew a standing-room only crowd, including her college roommate, Amanda Birger. Birger described Milgrim as an animal lover and a passionate advocate for the environment. 'She was very tactful about how she used her voice, which sometimes came off as cautious,' Birger said. 'But when it looked like she wasn't speaking up, it's because she was trying to keep the peace.' 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, lauded Milgrim as a point person for her organization with women's groups, LGBTQ communities and multi-faith groups. 'She accomplished so much in her short life, and she deserves to be remembered for all the things she brought to this world,' she said. Before her work at the embassy, Milgrim was studying whether friendships between Arabs and Israelis could promote peace, Katz said. 'We knew something like this could happen,' she said. 'I just don't think we thought it would happen to her.'
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Kansas community holds private memorial for Israeli Embassy staffer killed in DC ambush
Family and friends of Sarah Milgrim, one of two Israeli Embassy staffers fatally shot last week in an apparently politically motivated ambush in Washington, D.C., gathered for her funeral Tuesday in the Kansas community where she grew up. 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 prepared to eulogize her at a private service Tuesday at Congregation Beth Torah in Overland Park, Kansas, the temple she attended through high school with her family. 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. 'She believed in connections, in building community and bringing people together,' Rabbi Zalman Tiechtel said in the days after her death. He also recalled that she 'was filled with so much love.' 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. A vigil held in her hometown last week drew a standing-room only crowd, including her college roommate, Amanda Birger. Birger described Milgrim as an animal lover and a passionate advocate for the environment. 'She was very tactful about how she used her voice, which sometimes came off as cautious,' Birger said. 'But when it looked like she wasn't speaking up, it's because she was trying to keep the peace.' 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, lauded Milgrim as a point person for her organization with women's groups, LGBTQ communities and multi-faith groups. 'She accomplished so much in her short life, and she deserves to be remembered for all the things she brought to this world,' Before her work at the embassy, Milgrim was studying whether friendships between Arabs and Israelis could promote peace, Katz said. 'We knew something like this could happen,' she said. 'I just don't think we thought it would happen to her.'
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Flight attendant killed in midair collision near D.C. honored with service in Charlotte
A flight attendant who was killed in the midair collision last week near the nation's capital was remembered Wednesday for his devotion to family and passion for travel, as Ian Epstein's family and others start to hold memorials for loved ones who were among the 67 victims in the deadliest U.S. air disaster since 2001. Comforting, entertaining, and special: Former passengers pay tribute to Ian Epstein The celebration of life for Epstein took place at the Chabad Center for Jewish Life in Charlotte. The 53-year-old was described as a loving father, stepfather, husband, brother and uncle, with a career that afforded him the opportunity to connect with people and explore the world. Epstein's daughters and wife spoke about a doting father with a love of adventure. Debra Epstein called her husband her fifth child on trips to Disney World. His daughters remembered a dad helping them overcome their fears or trying to make a meal out of tuna. Debra Epstein said her husband's schedule changed, moving him to the flight that crashed. But she said she thinks he was still supposed to be there. 'We believe he was supposed to be on that flight because it was full of laughter and fun before the tragedy,' his wife said. What we know about Charlotte-area victims who died in the DC mid-air collision The celebration was filled with people in pilot and flight attendant uniforms and the family's friends. A public vigil was also planned Wednesday to honor all of the lives lost following the collision between the American Airlines passenger jet and the Army Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The crash killed everyone on board both aircraft. Rabbi Yossi Groner noted the videos that poured in on social media showing Epstein calming cranky babies, joking with passengers and making a routine flight special. Army helicopter, plane collide: Remains of all 67 killed recovered Epstein had both a warmth and humility that made him one of those people who just glowed, Groner said. 'His true joy in life was helping those around him,' Groner said. Lynne Southmayd went to flight attendant training with Epstein five years ago. It was a tough, stressful time, but Epstein was the light of the entire class. 'He could make us laugh no matter how hard we were crying,' Southmayd said. Southmayd, who no longer has the job but flew from Delaware to celebrate her friend, said they bonded even more because while their job remains very safe and a U.S. commercial flight hadn't experienced a fatal crash in over 15 years, that safety depends on them trusting and working with each other. Prior to leading Epstein's service, Groner said that although those who lost loved ones in the collision face unfathomable pain, the soul is eternal and the victims didn't live a life in vain. 'The message is that whatever they accomplished in life, the positive things they did, that we would like to carry on for the future and know that there will be a better world in the future,' Groner told The Associated Press. The services were happening a day after federal officials confirmed that the remains of all of the victims have been recovered. The cause of the crash, which sent both aircraft into the Potomac River, remains under investigation. All but one of victims has been identified. Sixty passengers and four crew were on the American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas, including figure skaters returning from the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating Championships there. The Black Hawk was on a training mission. Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O'Hara, 28, of Lilburn, Georgia; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, of Great Mills, Maryland; and Capt. Rebecca M. Lobach, of Durham, North Carolina, were aboard. VIDEO: Vigil at Charlotte Douglas honors local flight crew
The Independent
05-02-2025
- General
- The Independent
Flight attendant killed in midair collision near D.C. to be honored in service Wednesday
A flight attendant who was killed in the midair collision last week near the nation's capital was set to be remembered for his devotion to family and passion for travel on Wednesday, as Ian Epstein's family and others start to hold memorials for loved ones who were among the 67 victims in the deadliest U.S. air disaster since 2001. The celebration of life for Epstein is taking place at the Chabad Center for Jewish Life in Charlotte. The 53-year-old was a loving father, stepfather, husband, brother and uncle, with a career that afforded him the opportunity to connect with people and explore the world, his obituary said. 'He leaves behind a legacy of kindness, adventure, and love,' the obituary continued. A public vigil was also planned Wednesday to honor all of the lives lost following the collision between the American Airlines passenger jet and the Army Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The crash killed everyone on board both aircraft. Prior to leading Epstein's service, Rabbi Yossi Groner said people had been sharing online videos of Epstein in their encounters with him as a flight attendant because of his funny style and engaging words. Groner said that although those who lost loved ones in the collision face unfathomable pain, the soul is eternal and the victims didn't live a life in vain. "The message is that whatever they accomplished in life, the positive things they did, that we would like to carry on for the future and know that there will be a better world in the future,' Groner told The Associated Press. The services come a day after federal officials confirmed that the remains of all of the victims have been recovered. The cause of the crash, which sent both aircraft into the Potomac River, remains under investigation. All but one of victims has been identified. Sixty passengers and four crew were on the American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas, including figure skaters returning from the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating Championships there. The Black Hawk was on a training mission. Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O'Hara, 28, of Lilburn, Georgia; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, of Great Mills, Maryland; and Capt. Rebecca M. Lobach, of Durham, North Carolina, were aboard. ___ Jonathan Mattise contributed from Nashville, Tennessee.
