Opinion: They Were Murdered Because They Were Jews – And the World Must Wake Up
I am outraged.
Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim were more than just names on a tragic headline. I knew them personally, a devoted, warm, and dignified couple who served their country at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C. Their lives were brutally cut short not for political reasons, not in a random act of violence, but for one reason alone: they were Jews.
According to eyewitnesses, the terrorist who murdered them screamed, "Free Palestine!" — a slogan that, in his mouth, became a genocidal call to "kill all Jews." He had no connection to Palestine, no interest in diplomacy or policy. His only mission was hatred.
This was not activism. It was pure anti-Semitism.
For years, I’ve warned that we are losing the ideological battle against radical antisemitism. Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, and their supporters have weaponized the language of social justice to mask their true agenda — incitement, violence, and terror.
Billions of dollars from Middle Eastern Gulf states have flowed into elite American universities, creating an environment where hatred of Israel — and by extension, Jews — is normalized, even romanticized. The result? Young minds radicalized, violence justified, and tragedies like this one made possible.
For me, this isn’t theoretical. It's deeply personal. At the age of 11, I was nearly strangled to death by my own father while trying to protect my Jewish mother from his abuse. I blacked out. When I came to, curled in a fetal position, I cried out to God in rage. I was furious to still be alive. But in that moment, I had a revelation: if I couldn’t save one Jew from a Jew-hater, then perhaps I was born to defend all Jews. That moment defined my life’s purpose — to stand against anti-Semitism wherever it appears.
I have spent the last 15 years serving Holocaust survivors, building homes and community centers in Jerusalem, and fighting anti-Semitism through education, advocacy, and direct aid. The organization I founded, the Friends of Zion Heritage Center in Jerusalem, is now the largest global evangelical platform combating anti-Semitism and BDS. With the late President Shimon Peres as our founding international chairman, we’ve united millions of Christians around the world to stand with Israel and the Jewish people.
Now, in partnership with the State of Israel, we are launching a historic initiative: the Friends of Zion Ambassador Institute. Through this program, we will train thousands of young pastors, influencers, and educators from across the globe in core leadership principles and a strong biblical worldview. In 2025, we are bringing over 1,000 emerging leaders to Israel, with a goal of reaching 10,000 by 2026. These individuals will experience the land, connect with its people, and return home as powerful voices against anti-Semitism — commissioned as honorary ambassadors for Israel.
This is how we fight back. Not just with outrage, but with action. Not just with sorrow, but with strategy. Yaron and Sarah were murdered for being Jews. Let that reality shake us out of our silence and push us into purpose. The time to stand is now — boldly, unapologetically, and united.
