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Israeli Embassy in Washington/TPS-IL on 22 May, 2025
Diplomatic Couple Killed in Washington: Who Were Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgram?
Jerusalem, 22 May, 2025 (TPS-IL) -- Flags at Israeli embassies around the world were lowered to half-mast Thursday in mourning for Yaron Lischinsky and his fiancee, Sarah Milgram — two members of Israel’s diplomatic staff in Washington who were shot and killed late Wednesday night outside the Capital Jewish Museum.
Lischinsky, who had planned to propose to Milgram next week, was a research assistant in the embassy’s political department, focused on Middle East and North Africa affairs. A Christian who immigrated to Israel from Germany at 16, he proudly identified with both his native and adopted homelands. “Proud to call both Jerusalem and Nuremberg home,” he wrote on LinkedIn. “I believe in the vision of the Abraham Accords, and that expanding the circle of peace with our Arab neighbors… is in Israel’s and the region’s interest.”
Milgram worked in public diplomacy. Born and educated in the U.S., she studied international relations at American University and later earned a master’s degree in natural resources and sustainable development from the University for Peace in Costa Rica. Her profile reflected a personal mission that fused global concerns with spiritual depth: “My passion lies at the intersection of peacebuilding, religious engagement, and environmental work.”
The two were shot as they left an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee at the museum. The suspected gunman, Elias Rodriguez, 30, of Chicago, was arrested at the scene after reportedly shouting “Free Palestine” during his apprehension.
“The entire embassy staff is heartbroken and devastated,” Israel’s embassy in Washington wrote on X. “No words can express the depth of our grief and horror at this terrible loss.”
Ambassador Yechiel Leiter said Lischinsky had intended to propose to Milgram in the coming days. “The couple that was gunned down tonight in the name of ‘Free Palestine’ was a couple about to be engaged,” he said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the attack as a “horrifying antisemitic murder,” and said he had ordered security heightened at Israeli missions worldwide. “My heart aches with the families of the young couple, whose lives were cut short by a despicable antisemitic murderer,” Netanyahu said. He added that U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi had assured him the United States would bring the perpetrator to justice.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar spoke personally with Lischinsky’s father, Daniel. “I told him that his son was a fighter in the political campaign and fell as a soldier falls on the battlefield,” he said. Sa’ar noted that Israeli diplomats have increasingly become targets in a climate of rising antisemitism. “Today we will lower the flag to half-mast,” he announced.
Lischinsky held degrees from Hebrew University and Reichman University, and used his voice to advocate for religious freedom and coexistence. “Israel is the only place in the ME where Christians can thrive,” he wrote in a 2021 tweet. “Not perfect, but livable (speaking as a Christian myself).”
Milgram described herself on LinkedIn as someone “dedicated to fostering understanding between different peoples and promoting interfaith harmony.”
The American Jewish Committee, which was hosting the event, said it was “devastated” by the attack. “At this moment, as we await more information from the police about exactly what transpired, our attention and our hearts are solely with those who were harmed and their families,” said AJC CEO Ted Deutch.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog denounced the shooting as a “despicable antisemitic terror attack,” adding, “America and Israel will always stand united in defending our peoples and common values. We won’t let terror and hate break us.”
