Tragedy in D.C.: Israeli Embassy Workers Killed in Shooting Were Planning a Future Together
Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky, two passionate young professionals working at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., were killed in a tragic shooting outside an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee. Their story is one of love, purpose—and a future that was cut heartbreakingly short.
A Hidden Proposal, Revealed Too Late
Sarah’s parents didn’t know that Yaron had planned to propose to their daughter during their upcoming trip to Jerusalem. The couple was set to fly to Israel on Sunday. Just days before, Yaron had purchased an engagement ring. Tragically, they never made the trip.
Nancy Milgrim, Sarah’s mother, was scheduled to travel from Prairie Village, Kansas, to Washington to take care of Sarah’s beloved goldendoodle, Andy. But on Wednesday night, everything changed.
Robert Milgrim, Sarah’s father, was about to go to bed when he received news alerts of a deadly shooting near the Capital Jewish Museum. Concerned, he contacted the FBI and local police, but received no immediate answers. Nancy used a location-sharing app to track her daughter’s phone—it was still at the scene.
“I pretty much already knew,” Robert said. “I was hoping to be wrong.”
Soon after, Israel’s ambassador to the U.S., Yechiel Leiter, called. He confirmed that Sarah and Yaron had died, offering his condolences—and revealing that Yaron had intended to propose during the trip.
“The irony is we worried for our daughter’s safety in Israel,” said Robert. “But she was murdered three days before going.”
A Life of Purpose and Passion
Sarah, 26, and Yaron, 30, were both deeply committed to their diplomatic work.
Sarah, raised in Prairie Village, had joined the Israeli Embassy to coordinate missions and diplomatic visits. Yaron, a researcher there, had met her family multiple times and left a strong impression.
“He was incredible,” Robert Milgrim said. “Very much like Sarah: passionate, intelligent, and dedicated to what’s right.”
Yaron, born in Israel, spent part of his youth in Germany before returning to Israel at 16. He played soccer for Beitar Jerusalem’s youth team and later earned a degree in international relations and Asian studies from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he specialized in Japanese affairs.
“He was an idealist,” said Prof. Nissim Otmazgin. “He wanted to build bridges between Israel and other countries, especially in Asia.”
Despite being a practicing Christian, Yaron identified with the Jewish people and planned to join Israel’s diplomatic corps. His background was complex—he came from a Jewish-Christian family and described personal struggles growing up in secular and religious societies.
Sarah’s Global Impact and Local Roots
Sarah held a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas and two master’s degrees: one in natural resources and sustainable development from the U.N. University for Peace in Costa Rica, and another in international affairs from American University.
At the embassy, she focused on environmental diplomacy and projects fostering Israeli-Palestinian cooperation on water and sustainability. Those who knew her described her as a “bridge builder” and a beacon of optimism.
“She was doing what she loved,” her father said. “She was doing good. And that’s what brought her life to an end.”
Sarah’s life had been shaped by both global experiences and painful local events. In 2014, a deadly shooting at a Jewish community center near her hometown deeply affected her. In 2017, swastikas were found at her high school.
“I worry about going to my synagogue, and now I have to worry about safety at my school,” she said in a local interview at the time. “That shouldn’t be a thing.”
A Legacy of Hope
Together, Sarah and Yaron represented a new generation of diplomats—idealistic, driven, and committed to peace. Their deaths are not just a loss to their families, but to the causes they served with such devotion.
Michael Herzog, former Israeli Ambassador to Washington, called them a “vibrant, bright, and talented” couple who were “brimming with energy and always smiling.”
Their story is a stark reminder of the human cost of violence—and the precious lives behind the headlines.
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