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Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
People react to Israeli embassy shooting: It's 'the definition of antisemitism'
WASHINGTON – Sarah Remes prepared herself for the sight of yellow caution tape and blinking police lights on her walk to work the morning of May 22. It didn't help. She burst into tears anyway. At about 9 p.m. the night before, steps away from where Remes walked, two Israeli embassy staff members were fatally shot while exiting the Lillian & Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum. Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, 26, had been leaving the American Jewish Committee's annual Young Diplomats reception. The murder suspect, identified as Elias Rodriguez, 30, allegedly chanted "Free Palestine, Free Palestine.' Police are still investigating the motive behind the crime. More: 'Senseless hate': 2 Israeli embassy staffers fatally shot at Jewish event: Live updates But for Remes, who describes herself as a 'culturally observant jew,' the shock of seeing the crime scene this morning crystalized a terrifying thought: 'two people had been murdered because they were Jewish,' she said. Most people USA TODAY spoke to near the Capitol Jewish Museum expressed similar fear. They said the killings sparked a mix of anger, pain and sadness. Some said the murders highlighted the need for more nuanced discussions about antisemitism in the United States and the ongoing Israeli Palestinian conflict. Since Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel, Remes' said the sight of the Capital Jewish Museum on her near-daily walks has served as a reminder of community. Its presence, she said, gave her relief. 'Like many Jewish Americans, we have buried in our DNA this idea that (expletive)could hit the fan at any time,' Remes, 41, told USA TODAY. 'The events of Oct. 7 brought that to the forefront for me and for a lot of people.' The shooting shattered any sense of safety she felt. 'Do I now have to be scared if I go there, or any other Jewish space? The answer is yes,' she wrote in a post on Facebook. A self-described critic of the Israeli government's actions in Gaza and Benjamin Netanyahu's leadership, Remes said the murders have also confirmed her deep-seeded concerns about the black-and-white way people discuss the conflict. 'Some people have conflated criticism of Israel with antisemitism, and I think it is very possible and very legitimate to criticize Israel and the positions of the Israeli government, and that doing so is not in and of itself, antisemitic,' she said over the phone. 'But killing people because they are Jewish, even if you are acting out of an anger about the Israeli government's actions … is the definition of antisemitism,' Reme added. Others milling around the security perimeter near the Capitol Jewish Museum expressed similar concerns. Anna Beth Havenar, 31, had just arrived at her hotel in Washington last night from Atlanta, with her friend, Mariah Charnock, 38, for a girl's vacation when their phones began blowing up with messages from friends asking if they were safe. The pair work for a Jewish-Christian bridge building organization, though neither of them is Jewish. Their visit to the nation's capital was a consolation prize, after a trip they planned to Israel was cancelled due to Houthi missile strikes. Havenar lived in the region for several years and said she has friends who live in both Israel and Gaza. 'My mom texted me this morning. She's like, I can't believe like, you couldn't go to Israel because of violence, and you went to D.C. instead, and now look what happened,' Havenar said. The AJC's Young Diplomats event, which was themed around turning pain into purpose and addressing humanitarian crises, would have been right up their alley, Charnock said. Havenar lived in the region for several years and said she has friends who live in Israel and Gaza. 'It's really sad, and my heart's broken,' Havenar said. 'People don't understand that you can absolutely have compassion and seek justice and long for that without demonizing one side.' Nissimmi Naim Naor, 41, stood by the caution tape staring at the scene for more than half an hour. A rabbi from Jerusalem, Naim Naor had been visiting cities along the east coast of the United States for about a week to teach workshops. He said he walked the streets of Washington, D.C. last night, and heard about the shooting when he got to his hotel room. 'I just felt like I had to come,' he said of the site of the shooting. 'I'd like to remind the Jewish community in the U.S. how our hearts are open with them, and how much we feel the same way they felt on Oct. 7,' he said. 'It was important to me to come here to show this, to tell them that we're standing with them.' This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Definition of antisemitism:' People react to Israeli embassy shooting
USA Today
02-06-2025
- USA Today
Security tightened at Jewish center, Boulder on edge after fiery attack
Security tightened at Jewish center, Boulder on edge after fiery attack Show Caption Hide Caption FBI investigating 'attack at Colorado mall The FBI is investigating a report of a "targeted attack" in a Boulder, Colorado mall. BOULDER, Colo. − A pedestrian mall was quiet and some police barricades were being removed Monday, but many in the community remained on edge after a "targeted" terror attack by a man with a makeshift flamethrower and firebombs set eight people aflame and fueled chaos on the streets. The attack Sunday afternoon came as a group of demonstrators called for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. One of the burn victims is a Holocaust survivor, a local rabbi said. The suspect, identified by authorities as Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, was taken into custody at the scene and was scheduled to appear in court Monday. The victims, ages 52 to 88, suffered injuries ranging from serious to minor, Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn said Sunday. Police, in a brief statement Monday, said no victims had died overnight. The Boulder attack occurred at a "regularly scheduled, weekly, peaceful event," FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek said. Anyone with videos, social media posts or digital recordings was asked to upload them at 'We stand in full solidarity with those targeted,' Michalek said. 'We will continue to ensure that justice is pursued swiftly, support is provided to victims and their communities, and preventative action is taken to protect everyone's safety.' 8 injured in Boulder: Group had gathered to support Israeli hostages Four miles from the scene of the attack, security was extra tight at the sprawling Boulder Jewish Community Center campus, where outdoor summer camp programs were being held under the watch of both police and armed private security. The JCC serves as a central hub for many area Jewish residents, and security guards are a regular at the JCC said they are still discussing how to best honor the victims of the attack and declined to comment publicly. "When events like this enter our own community, we are shaken. Our hope is that we come together for one another," center officials said in a social media post. "Strength to you all." The attack fell on the Jewish holiday of Shavuot and came less than two weeks after two Israeli Embassy aides were fatally shot outside a Jewish museum in Washington, D.C. Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and his girlfriend Sarah Lynn Milgrim, 26, were shot after a Young Diplomats reception hosted by the American Jewish Committee. The suspect in that attack, Elias Rodriguez, 31, chanted "Free Palestine, free Palestine," after being taken into custody by event security. He is charged with a long list of crimes including federal and local murder charges and the murder of foreign officials. The May 21 shooting is being investigated as a hate and terrorism crime. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday expressed solidarity with the victims who were attacked "simply because they were Jews. " He said he was confident U.S. authorities would prosecute "the cold blood perpetrator to the fullest extent of the law." "The antisemitic attacks around the world are a direct result of blood libels against the Jewish state and people, and this must be stopped," Netanyahu said in a statement. Soliman, of El Paso County, Colorado, was taken into custody after witnesses pointed him out, authorities said. He was booked on multiple preliminary charges including first-degree murder and using explosives or an incendiary device while committing a felony. Police said Soliman was injured in the incident and taken to a hospital to be medically evaluated before he was booked in the Boulder County jail. Stephen Miller, President Donald Trump's deputy chief of staff, said Soliman overstayed a tourist visa issued in 2022. "In response, the Biden administration gave him a work permit," Miller said in a social media post. "Immigration security is national security. No more hostile migration. Keep them out and send them back." Multiple outlets said Soliman is an Egyptian national, including CBS and Fox News, citing unnamed sources. FBI agents searched Soliman's home in El Paso County hours after the attack, the agency's field office in Denver said on X. Read more here. Soliman was in the United States on a B-2 tourism visa, according to Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. A B-2 visa is generally used for tourism and is issued by the State Department. In general, the visas are valid for six months and can be used for vacations, visiting relatives, medical treatment or participation in music, sports or events. The State Department issues millions of B-1 and B-2 visas each year. B-1 visas are similar to B-2 and allow for nonimmigrants to visit for six months for conferences and business reasons. Soliman entered the United States in August 2022 and his visa expired in February 2023. In addition, McLaughlin wrote on X that Soliman applied for asylum in 2022. That claim was likely still pending. As of March, the immigration court backlog was around 3.6 million cases, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University. − Nick Penzenstadler Rabbi Israel Wilhelm, the Chabad director at the University of Colorado Boulder, told CBS Colorado the 88-year-old victim is a Holocaust refugee who fled Europe. Wilhelm described the woman as a "very loving person." Chany Scheiner, a friend of the victim, told KUSA-TV the woman is an 'amazing." "She has spoken at our synagogues as well as other synagogues and schools just about her background and the Holocaust and from her own perspective,' Scheiner said. 'Her life wasn't easy, but she is just a bright light. And anybody who is her friend is a friend for life.' The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the U.S. and around the world over Israel's military campaign in Gaza. The war has dragged on for 20 months, since the Hamas attack on Israeli border communites that killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and saw more than 250 others dragged across the border into Gaza as hostages. The conflict has fueled antisemitic hate crime in the U.S. Reports of incidents of antisemitism rose for a second year in a row in 2024, according to an annual report released by the Anti-Defamation League in April. The controvery also has prompted supporters of Israel, including President Donald Trump, to brand peaceful, pro-Palestinian protests as antisemitic. Who is Mohamed Soliman? FBI raids home of suspect in Colorado terror attack Earlier Sunday, Boulder dispatch received several calls to the county courthouse at around 1:26 p.m. local time, Redfearn said. Initial reports indicated that there was a man with a weapon, and people were being set on fire at the scene. Responding officers encountered multiple victims who were injured with wounds consistent with burns and other injuries, Redfearn said. Contributing: Thao Nguyen, Susan Miller and Michael Collins, USA TODAY; Reuters
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Not just a Jewish problem': Local Jewish community leaders, advocates speak out on deadly DC shooting
CHICAGO — Leaders from the local Jewish community and advocates are speaking out about the fatal shooting in Washington, DC that left two staff members of the Israeli Embassy dead. The Anti-Defamation League started tracking antisemitic incidents 46 years ago and a recent report says the current numbers are the highest on record. Jewish community leaders and advocates are now urging the public to recognize that this week's attack, and antisemitism as a whole, is not acceptable and cannot be tolerated. Suspect in DC Jewish museum shooting faces murder, firearm charges in 'death penalty eligible case' 'Antisemitism is not just a Jewish problem, it is an American one. This cowardly act of terrorism in the heart of our nation's capital is an assault on the civic soul of this country,' Alison Pure-Slovin, Midwest Region Director for the Simon Wiesenthal Center, said. On Friday morning, leaders from the Anti-Defamation League, Chicago City Council and several Jewish organizations shared their sorrow and outrage over the murders of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Mmilgrim, the couple shot and killed Wednesday night as they were leaving an American Jewish Committee (AJC) Young Diplomats event at the Capital Jewish Museum in DC. Those who spoke out said they believe the deadly shooting is part of an increase in antisemitic attacks nationwide. Suspect in DC Jewish museum shooting faces murder, firearm charges in 'death penalty eligible case' In 2024 the Anti-Defamation League recorded 9,354 antisemitic incidents in the US. That is a 5% increase from 2023, a 344% increase over the past five years and close to a 900% increase over the past 10 years. The AJC's 2024 State of Antisemitism in America report cites that more than half of the Jewish population in the country doesn't feel safe. '77% of American Jews stated that they do not feel safe being Jewish in this country, the United States,' Beth Ida Stern, Interim Regional Director of the Chicago American Jewish Committee, said. 'This isn't about politics anymore, this is about good versus evil and we are all in a position to do something about it. It's our moral obligation to do something,' Ald. Silvana Tabares (23rd Ward) said. Suspect in DC Jewish museum shooting faces murder, firearm charges in 'death penalty eligible case' To help combat hate against the Jewish community, the local leader of the Anti-Defamation League says he wants to see the State of Illinois develop a statewide plan to combat antisemitism. And before the session ends in Springfield next week, he's urging state lawmakers to pass a bill that would require law enforcement to go through hate crimes training. Additionally, he is asking people not to forget the recent attack and to work to stop others from happening. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
After D.C. Shooting, the Time to Act on Antisemitism is Now
Mourners lights candles during a vigil outside of the White House on May 22, 2025, in Washington, D.C. The vigil was held for the victims of the Capital Jewish Museum shooting. Credit - Kevin Dietsch—Getty Images The warning signs were everywhere. The potential for violence was unmistakable. And yet, somehow, two young innocent people are dead. Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, a young couple, were murdered as they walked out of a Young Diplomats event hosted by the American Jewish Committee at the Capital Jewish Museum on Wednesday night. They had their whole lives ahead of them—set to be engaged in Jerusalem next week. As Elias Rodriguez—the suspect who has since been charged with first-degree murder and other crimes—was taken into custody, he shouted: "Free, free Palestine.' It's a chant we have heard time and again across America in the past 18 months. Not just at political events but in front of synagogues, schools, hospitals, and cultural institutions that only have one thing in common—they have a connection to the Jewish community. And so it doesn't come as a surprise that the suspect was allegedly involved with a range of radical causes; Anti-Defamation League (ADL) researchers have connected Chicago resident Rodriguez, with a high degree of certainty, to a manifesto with the heading 'Escalate For Gaza, Bring The War Home.' It confirms what we suspected. This wasn't random violence. This was targeted antisemitism. This was an attack, not just against the D.C. Jewish community, but against all Jewish Americans—and indeed all Americans. What is so infuriating and sad is that, in many ways, it was only a matter of time that a murderous incident such as this would happen. The data has been staring us in the face. Read More: The Rise of Antisemitism and Political Violence in the U.S. Last year was the worst for antisemitic incidents since ADL began tracking over four decades ago. We recorded 9,354 antisemitic incidents across the United States—an increase of 5% from 2023, which was itself a record-setting year. That includes a 21% increase in violent assaults. This represents an 893% increase over the past decade. Just six weeks ago, the home of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro was firebombed as his family slept after celebrating the first Passover seder. The suspect then called 911 and referred to Shapiro as a 'monster' and blamed him for Palestinian deaths in the Israel-Hamas war. That alleged perpetrator reportedly then admitted to authorities that he had 'hatred' for Shapiro and would have attacked him with his hammer if he had the chance. Just six months ago, the FBI arrested Forrest Pemberton of Gainesville, Fla., following a traffic stop during which they allegedly found multiple firearms in his rideshare vehicle. Authorities say he intended to travel to the south Florida offices of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a pro-Israel advocacy group, with the intent of harming people there, possibly in a suicide attack. That same week, FBI agents in Fairfax, Va., arrested an Egyptian citizen and George Mason University student, Abdullah Ezzeldin Taha Mohamed Hassan. According to the criminal complaint, Hassan operated several pro-ISIS and Al Qaeda accounts that promoted violence against Jews. He reportedly was planning a mass casualty attack at the Israeli consulate in New York City. And a day does not go by when we do not witness a terrifying act. Jewish children bullied in public spaces. Jewish students confronted on college campuses. Jews harassed as they walk to synagogue. Jewish businesses and homes vandalized with red triangles, swastikas, or political slogans. Or Jewish people assailed and mocked over social media with unrelenting fervor. We have an antisemitism crisis in this country. This ancient hatred festers on both sides of the political spectrum. It is incubated and grown in the cesspools of social media. It is fueled by people who excuse antisemitism as merely "anti-Zionism,' who dismiss our outrage as an attempt to serve another agenda, and contort themselves into pretzels as they claim a right to free speech – even as that speech crosses the line into incitement to violence, antisemitism and harassment. And it has consequences. Read More: 'It's a Nightmare': 3 Rabbis Discuss the Israeli Embassy Aides Killed in Washington, D.C. When antisemitic rhetoric is normalized, tolerated, or amplified in our public discourse, it creates an environment where violence against Jews becomes not just probable but inevitable. When society allow lies about the Jewish state committing genocide to run rampant, when prominent voices dismiss inciteful rhetoric such as "glory to the martyrs" or 'globalize the Intifada' as youthful free expression, and when the public somehow confuses being anti-Hamas with being anti-Palestinian, it has consequences. Social media platforms deserve more scrutiny as well. In the aftermath of the attempted pogrom against Jewish sports fans in Amsterdam last November, Hasan Piker, one of the most-watched streamers on Twitch, spent hours seemingly minimizing the attack. Earlier this month, the rapper Kanye 'Ye' West streamed a new song called 'Heil Hitler' and promoted it on X where it racked up millions of views. In times like these, we need allies to stand with the Jewish community. Where are the voices of those who claim to fight hatred in all its forms? Where are those who speak out against other bigotries but remain silent when Jews are targeted? This silence is deafening. Stop excusing it. Stop looking the other way. This attack must serve as a wake-up call for our nation to deal once and for all with this rising tide of hate. This moment demands moral clarity. It requires all Americans, regardless of political affiliation, to condemn antisemitism without qualification or deflection. It requires leaders in government, academia, business, and civic life to take concrete action against hate. It requires each of us to speak out when we witness antisemitism in any form. Every antisemitic statement left unchallenged, every double standard applied to Jews and the Jewish state, every instance of minimizing Jewish pain—all of it contributes to this environment where such violence is possible. Yaron and Sarah deserved better. They deserved to live. They deserved to celebrate their impending engagement. They deserved a future. Instead, they became victims of the oldest hatred. We owe it to their memory to ensure no more lives are lost to antisemitism. We owe it to every Jew to create a society where attending a Jewish event doesn't make you a target. The time for action is now. The stakes couldn't be higher. Contact us at letters@
Time Magazine
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Time Magazine
The D.C. Jewish Museum Shooting Was Inevitable. The Time to Act on Antisemitism is Now
The warning signs were everywhere. The potential for violence was unmistakable. And yet, somehow, two young innocent people are dead. Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, a young couple, were murdered as they walked out of a Young Diplomats event hosted by the Jewish American Committee at the Capital Jewish Museum on Wednesday night. They had their whole lives ahead of them—set to be engaged in Jerusalem next week. As Elias Rodriguez—the suspect who has since been charged with first-degree murder and other crimes—was taken into custody, he shouted: " Free, free Palestine.' It's a chant we have heard time and again across America in the past 18 months. Not just at political events but in front of synagogues, schools, hospitals, and cultural institutions that only have one thing in common—they have a connection to the Jewish community. And so it doesn't come as a surprise that the suspect was allegedly involved with a range of radical causes; Anti-Defamation League (ADL) researchers have connected Chicago resident Rodriguez, with a high degree of certainty, to a manifesto with the heading 'Escalate For Gaza, Bring The War Home.' It confirms what we suspected. This wasn't random violence. This was targeted antisemitism. This was an attack, not just against the D.C. Jewish community, but against all Jewish Americans—and indeed all Americans. What is so infuriating and sad is that, in many ways, it was only a matter of time that a murderous incident such as this would happen. The data has been staring us in the face. Last year was the worst for antisemitic incidents since ADL began tracking over four decades ago. We recorded 9,354 antisemitic incidents across the United States—an increase of 5% from 2023, which was itself a record-setting year. That includes a 21% increase in violent assaults. This represents an 893% increase over the past decade. Just six weeks ago, the home of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro was firebombed as his family slept after celebrating the first Passover seder. The suspect then called 911 and referred to Shapiro as a 'monster' and blamed him for Palestinian deaths in the Israel-Hamas war. That alleged perpetrator reportedly then admitted to authorities that he had 'hatred' for Shapiro and would have attacked him with his hammer if he had the chance. Just six months ago, the FBI arrested Forrest Pemberton of Gainesville, Fla., following a traffic stop during which they allegedly found multiple firearms in his rideshare vehicle. Authorities say he intended to travel to the south Florida offices of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a pro-Israel advocacy group, with the intent of harming people there, possibly in a suicide attack. That same week, FBI agents in Fairfax, Va., arrested an Egyptian citizen and George Mason University student, Abdullah Ezzeldin Taha Mohamed Hassan. According to the criminal complaint, Hassan operated several pro-ISIS and Al Qaeda accounts that promoted violence against Jews. He reportedly was planning a mass casualty attack at the Israeli consulate in New York City. And a day does not go by when we do not witness a terrifying act. Jewish children bullied in public spaces. Jewish students confronted on college campuses. Jews harassed as they walk to synagogue. Jewish businesses and homes vandalized with red triangles, swastikas, or political slogans. Or Jewish people assailed and mocked over social media with unrelenting fervor. We have an antisemitism crisis in this country. This ancient hatred festers on both sides of the political spectrum. It is incubated and grown in the cesspools of social media. It is fueled by people who excuse antisemitism as merely "anti-Zionism,' who dismiss our outrage as an attempt to serve another agenda, and contort themselves into pretzels as they claim a right to free speech – even as that speech crosses the line into incitement to violence, antisemitism and harassment. And it has consequences. When antisemitic rhetoric is normalized, tolerated, or amplified in our public discourse, it creates an environment where violence against Jews becomes not just probable but inevitable. When society allow lies about the Jewish state committing genocide to run rampant, when prominent voices dismiss inciteful rhetoric such as "glory to the martyrs" or 'globalize the Intifada' as youthful free expression, and when the public somehow confuses being anti-Hamas with being anti-Palestinian, it has consequences. Social media platforms deserve more scrutiny as well. In the aftermath of the attempted pogrom against Jewish sports fans in Amsterdam last November, Hasan Piker, one of the most-watched streamers on Twitch, spent hours seemingly minimizing the attack. Earlier this month, the rapper Kanye 'Ye' West streamed a new song called 'Heil Hitler' and promoted it on X where it racked up millions of views. In times like these, we need allies to stand with the Jewish community. Where are the voices of those who claim to fight hatred in all its forms? Where are those who speak out against other bigotries but remain silent when Jews are targeted? This silence is deafening. Stop excusing it. Stop looking the other way. This attack must serve as a wake-up call for our nation to deal once and for all with this rising tide of hate. This moment demands moral clarity. It requires all Americans, regardless of political affiliation, to condemn antisemitism without qualification or deflection. It requires leaders in government, academia, business, and civic life to take concrete action against hate. It requires each of us to speak out when we witness antisemitism in any form. Every antisemitic statement left unchallenged, every double standard applied to Jews and the Jewish state, every instance of minimizing Jewish pain—all of it contributes to this environment where such violence is possible. Yaron and Sarah deserved better. They deserved to live. They deserved to celebrate their impending engagement. They deserved a future. Instead, they became victims of the oldest hatred. We owe it to their memory to ensure no more lives are lost to antisemitism. We owe it to every Jew to create a society where attending a Jewish event doesn't make you a target. The time for action is now. The stakes couldn't be higher.
