With heavy hearts, we share the following message from the Shalom Alliance in response to the murder of Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky, two Jewish Israelis in Washington, D.C. May their memories be for a blessing.
Rabbi David
Tragedy and Terror: A Response to the Murder of Two Jewish Israelis in Washington, DC
The tragic murder of two young Jewish Israelis last night in Washington, DC, has sent shockwaves of grief and fear through our community in Vermont and across the nation. We are all feeling this deeply within ourselves. The loss of innocent lives in an act of senseless violence is heartbreaking, and we mourn with their families, friends, and all Jews and Jewish allies impacted by this devastating event.
We must stand together to honor the memory of Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky—not only through mourning, but by redoubling our efforts to speak out against the rising tide of antisemitism and hate. Violent rhetoric has real consequences, and unchecked hate speech can—and does—fuel real-world atrocities.
We all desire a peaceful and secure future for both Palestinians and Israelis. But the individual who carried out this heinous act was not pursuing peace. His actions were not driven by a vision of justice or safety for any people; they were driven by extremism and a dangerous ideology that has no place in a civilized society.
This same ideology underpins much of what we are facing in Vermont. And we have seen first-hand the impact of this hate speech on many Jews in our community.
As we grieve today, let us commit to peaceful and humane action tomorrow. We must strengthen our voices against antisemitic hate, wherever and however it appears. We must build bridges across communities, speak with clarity and compassion, and reject the false divisions that seek to turn us against one another.
Antisemitism is not a left or right issue—it is a human issue. And only by coming together with courage, honesty, and shared humanity can we begin to heal and create lasting change. May the lives and memory of Sarah and Yaron be a blessing—and may their loss strengthen our resolve to build a world free from Jew hate.
Jewish Community of Greater Stowe 1189 Cape Cod Road Stowe, VT 05672 jcogs.org
