29-05-2025
Hundreds attend memorial for Israeli Embassy workers killed outside Capital Jewish Museum
WASHINGTON - The D.C. community came together Wednesday night in unity, honoring the lives of two Israeli Embassy employees murdered last week at the Capital Jewish Museum.
Hundreds gathered in solidarity with the Jewish community to remember the lives of the young couple.
READ MORE:2 Israeli Embassy staff members killed in shooting outside DC's Capital Jewish Museum identified
Security was incredibly tight—guests had to walk through metal detectors and canines were inspecting our equipment. It speaks to the level of heightened anxiety and the safety concerns from the Jewish community.
It was a heartbreaking night of mourning this senseless killing but also an opportunity for the Jewish community to unite.
The backstory
One week ago, a night of hope turned into a night of violence and bloodshed in the streets of D.C. Two staffers at the Israeli Embassy, a young couple who were soon to be engaged were gunned down as they left a peace event at the Capital Jewish Museum.
"How devastating to lose two young beautiful souls who dedicated their lives to building bridges. That's the irony of it all," said D.C. resident Vicki Meyouhls.
The victims—30-year-old Yaron Lischinsky, a dual Israeli-German national, and 26-year-old American Sarah Milgrim—were remembered by name and legacy, bringing together a grieving yet resolute community.
READ MORE: Two Israeli Embassy staffers fatally shot outside Capital Jewish Museum
"We're at an inflection point. Anti-Semitism has been with us for a long time but can not be tolerated," said Ron Halber, CEO Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington.
Speaker after speaker gave their sentiments, highlighting the resilience of the Jewish community and the need to do more to fight against hate.
Big picture view
MPD was out in full force and even D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith was there speaking about the increased patrols.
"This is such a tragic incident. We're all healing. Anyone visiting our churches, mosques, and synagogues has the support of MPD," Smith said.
The most emotional part of the evening, Sarah's father phoned in with a message of hope and peace.
READ MORE: 'Did it for Gaza:' Capital Jewish Museum shooting suspect could face terrorism charges
"Our hearts are broken. But Sara would not want our hearts to remain broken," he said. "She would want our hearts to mend so we can do what she set out to do—fight hate, fight antisemitism, create love, bridge gaps with all marginalized communities in the world."
Dig deeper
However, not all voices in attendance were focused solely on healing. Some speakers voiced frustration over the absence of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, who was expected by many but did not attend.
"I thought she would come here tonight and try to heal some wounds that were created only a few yards away by their indifference, and she didn't do it," said Rabbi Levi Shemtov. "So maybe Chief, with all due respect to you and to your force, I hope you'll tell the Mayor we're very disappointed she didn't come tonight."
READ MORE:Israeli Embassy staffers killed: The final hours of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim
FOX 5 reached out to the Mayor's office, which confirmed she was never officially scheduled for the vigil.
However, officials stated she plans to attend the reopening of the Capital Jewish Museum set for Thursday. MPD has confirmed that officers will be present to ensure the safety of all attendees.
