May 22, 2025, New York, NY — Harriet P. Schleifer, Chair, and William C. Daroff, CEO, of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, issued the following statement following the shooting attack outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. at an American Jewish Committee event:
We are shocked and appalled by last night’s fatal shooting outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., which murdered two young Israeli diplomatic personnel—Yaron Lischinsky, Z”l, an Israeli-German and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, Z”l, an American from Kansas— attending an American Jewish Committee event for young diplomats. According to multiple eyewitness and media accounts, the shooter shouted ‘Free Palestine’ before his arrest.
This is a heinous act of antisemitic and anti-Israel terrorism carried out in cold blood—just steps from the FBI’s Washington Field Office and in the heart of the capital of the free world. It is a jarring escalation in the wave of Jew-hatred we have seen sweeping across our country since October 7, and part of a dangerous trend in which those who incite, excuse, or downplay antisemitism are emboldening violence against Jews in America, attempting to globalize the Intifada.
This attack represents a despicable and intolerable assault, not only on Jews and Israelis, but on the very democratic values that underpin American society. That such an act could occur at a Jewish institution in the shadow of our federal law enforcement offices is a sobering reminder of how serious the threat has become—and how urgent the need is for unequivocal moral leadership and action from every level of government.
We are grateful to the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, and other federal and local agencies for their swift response and ongoing investigation. We appreciate the engagement of President Trump and key members of his administration, including Attorney General Bondi and FBI Director Patel. We urge law enforcement to treat this as an act of domestic terrorism and to pursue justice with the full force of the law.
Last night’s tragedy must also prompt serious reflection in political and civic arenas. There is a direct line between demonizing Israel, tolerating antisemitic hate speech in the public square, and violent action.
We are now witnessing the deadly consequences of months of relentless antisemitic incitement—amplified by international organizations and political leaders across the globe—since the horrors of October 7. This is not a debate over policy; it is the mainstreaming of hatred, and its consequences are measured in blood.
The atmosphere in which Jewish Americans are expected to live—on campuses, in city streets, and now at official events—is increasingly saturated with hostility, scapegoating, and fear. That must end.
We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims, to the Government of Israel, and to the entire Israeli diplomatic corps who serve with courage and dignity. We also express our solidarity with the Capital Jewish Museum, the American Jewish Committee, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington in the face of this trauma.
The Jewish community will not be silenced nor cowed. We will not retreat into the shadows. We will continue to gather proudly, to celebrate our heritage, and to defend our people—here and everywhere. We call on national and local leaders to join us in standing against this violence and reaffirming that antisemitism, in all its forms, has no place in the United States of America.
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The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations is the consensus-based, central coordinating body representing 50 diverse national Jewish organizations on issues of national and international concern. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of every member organization.
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