Young Israeli Couple Killed in D.C. Shooting Days Before Engagement Plans
They were young, in love, and on the verge of a life-changing moment.
Yaron Lischinsky had already bought the ring. He was planning to propose to his girlfriend, Sarah Milgrim, during a trip to Jerusalem next week. But before that moment could come, the couple was tragically gunned down outside a Washington, D.C., museum Wednesday night.
According to the Embassy of Israel in the United States, both Yaron and Sarah worked for the Israeli embassy in Washington. The shooting occurred after they attended a diplomatic event at the Capital Jewish Museum. Police say the suspected shooter, Elias Rodriguez, shouted “Free Palestine” as he was taken into custody.
The deaths of Yaron and Sarah have shaken the Israeli diplomatic community and beyond. Embassy spokesperson Tal Naim, a close friend, shared a heartbreaking tribute:
“Instead of walking you down the aisle, we are walking with you to your graves. What an unbearable loss.”
The Israeli embassy confirmed the couple’s identities Thursday morning and posted a photo of them on social media, describing the pair as dedicated, compassionate, and committed to peace.
“Yaron and Sarah were our friends and colleagues,” the embassy said in a statement on Facebook. “They were in the prime of their lives. The entire embassy staff is heartbroken and devastated by their murder. No words can express the depth of our grief and horror at this devastating loss.”
The event they attended was a “Young Diplomats Reception” hosted by the American Jewish Committee, aimed at bringing together Jewish professionals between the ages of 22 and 45.
Yaron, 30, moved from Jerusalem to D.C. in 2022. A standout student, he once represented his university at a Model UN event in Paris, where he was named “delegate of the week.” On LinkedIn, he described himself as a passionate supporter of international cooperation, the Abraham Accords, and interfaith dialogue.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar spoke to Yaron’s father, calling his son “a warrior on our diplomatic front who fell just like a soldier on the battlefield.”
Sarah, 26, had only recently relocated to Washington in late 2023. Before joining the embassy’s public diplomacy team, she worked for Tech2Peace, an Israeli nonprofit promoting dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians. The organization remembered her as someone who believed deeply in unity and empathy.
“Sarah was a deeply curious person, always seeking to learn and connect,” Tech2Peace wrote on Instagram. “She brought people together with empathy and purpose. Her dedication to building a better future was evident in everything she did. Her voice and spirit will be profoundly missed.”
Just six months before the attack, the couple met Israeli President Isaac Herzog during his U.S. visit. In a moving tribute posted Thursday, Herzog called them:
“Flowers of our people who were plucked just before they were supposed to get engaged and build a life together.”
At a press conference, Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter confirmed the couple’s engagement plans.
“The young man purchased a ring this week with the intention of proposing to his girlfriend next week in Jerusalem,” he said.
Now, the ring that symbolized a hopeful future stands as a heartbreaking reminder of what was lost.
