They Came From Different Worlds, Found Love in DC — and Were Tragically Killed Together

Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim’s paths to Washington, DC couldn’t have been more different — he came from Germany, she from Kansas. But they shared a dream: to build peace through diplomacy. At the Israeli Embassy in DC, that dream brought them together. And just as their relationship was set to take the next step, it was heartbreakingly cut short.

On Wednesday night, May 21, the couple was shot and killed as they left an event at the Capital Jewish Museum — a gathering focused on interfaith cooperation and humanitarian aid.

A Diplomatic Love Story

Lischinsky, 30, had been working in the political section of the Israeli Embassy for over two years. He was born in Germany, moved to Israel as a teenager, and studied international relations and Asian studies at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Known as thoughtful, kind, and driven, he aspired to become a diplomat — a dream just beginning to take shape.

Milgrim, 26, had arrived in DC to pursue a master’s degree at American University. After volunteering with a peace initiative in Israel called Tech2Peace, she joined the embassy following the October 2023 Hamas attacks. Her role focused on organizing delegations to Israel and building bridges through shared cultural and political experiences.

Their colleagues watched their love story unfold. “It was the cutest love story,” one Israeli official told CNN. “Like a Netflix rom-com.”

Lischinsky had even purchased a ring and was planning to propose in Jerusalem on an upcoming trip. The ambassador of Israel to the US, Yechiel Leiter, confirmed the plan, describing the couple as “beautiful souls, deeply committed to peace.”

Remembering Yaron

Friends and mentors described Lischinsky as a man of quiet strength and deep purpose. A top student at Hebrew University, he had a passion for diplomacy and photography. His former professor, Nissim Otmazgin, said Yaron “symbolized the hope of Israel — idealistic, globally minded, and committed to doing good.”

He held dual citizenship — German and Israeli — and straddled both identities with pride. A friend from Reichman University called him “a man of purpose” who believed in the Abraham Accords and worked tirelessly for peace in the region.

Remembering Sarah

Milgrim, raised in Overland Park, Kansas, had long been involved in Jewish community life. As a student leader at the University of Kansas Hillel, she was inspired to blend environmentalism, diplomacy, and advocacy.

During her volunteer year at Tech2Peace, she facilitated dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians in the tech sector. Her peers remember her as curious, compassionate, and fully present. “She gave people her full attention,” said one colleague. “She didn’t just come to work — she became part of the community.”

After returning to DC, Milgrim began working at the embassy. Meredith Jacobs, CEO of Jewish Women International, recalled how Milgrim lost friends over her decision to work for the Israeli government. Still, she stood firm in her beliefs.

“She found community, she found purpose — and she found love,” Jacobs wrote in a letter to members of her organization. “The world has lost the lives they would have lived and the difference they would have made.”