To our Jewish Colorado Community:
The American and global Jewish community is devastated by last night’s killing of two Israeli embassy employees at reception in the nation’s capital. Our hearts break over the loss of life and the horrific violence that has taken two young, vibrant, and promising lives.
The two staffers include 27-year-old Sarah Milgrim, who was a devoted Jewish American staff member at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., and her partner, Yaron Lischinsky, a research assistant in Middle East and North African Affairs at the same embassy. Sarah was from Kansas City, with strong roots in the local Jewish community there. According to our Federation partner, she was active in the Jewish Student Union in high school, took part in many Jewish leadership programs, and graduated in 2021 from the University of Kansas. She later served on the board of directors for KU Hillel. Yaron Lischinsky, the Israeli Embassy staffer killed alongside Sarah, had purchased a ring and was set to propose to Sarah in Jerusalem in the coming days.
Sarah Lynn Milgrim, 27 and Yaron Lischinsky, 30
What We’re Doing
Beginning immediately after this incident occurred, the local team of Secure Community Network (SCN) at JEWISHcolorado has been in repeated contact with a range of law enforcement agencies statewide and beyond. Our partners in law enforcement are answering the call to increase presence around Jewish institutions and at major events. In addition, the SCN and ADL national-level teams are aggressively leveraging their joint resources for any actionable intelligence on this matter. As the investigation of the attack continues to unfold, there have been no identified ties or specific, related threats in Colorado against any Jewish facility or individuals.
“This is another grim reminder of the need for all Jewish facilities in Colorado to ensure effective training and preparation for their safety/security elements,” said JEWISHcolorado’s SCN Regional Security Advisor Kevin Farrington. “With the help of JEWISHcolorado, SCN offers a range of safety/security programs to the Jewish community, all free of cost,” he said.
What You Can Do
Just this week SCN Colorado announced a new training called “Guardian Teams,” which is effective for synagogues and other organizations with safety teams. It is effective for synagogues and other organizations with volunteer or professional safety teams.
Beyond this training, SCN Colorado also offers training in Situational Awareness, Countering Active Threats, De-escalation, safety training for camps and campuses, and creating Emergency Operations Plans. All these trainings can be augmented with scenario-based drills. The time to prepare to keep our community safe is now. Please reach out with questions or to schedule training at the contact information included below. Finally, please make sure you advise the SCN Colorado team of any security related incidents at your facility.
Together, forward
The Jewish community of Colorado is strong. We stand in solidarity with Jews across the country and around the world in our commitment to combat hate. We are not alone. We received a letter of support this morning from our partnership community in Nitzana, Israel: “This terrible incident is a powerful and painful reminder of the importance of unity, compassion, and resilience. In times of darkness, it is our shared values and collective strength that carry us forward. Now more than ever, we must stand together — strong, empathetic, and committed to building a safer and more peaceful world for Jews and all.”
May we have an unbreakable resolve to move forward together, and may the memories of Sarah and Yaron be for a blessing—and a source of strength.
Sincerely,
Renee Rockford, President & CEO, JEWISHcolorado
Ben Lusher, Board Chair, JEWISHcolorado
Contact Kevin Farrington, Regional Security Advisor, SCN, with questions:
Email: kfarrington@securecommunitynetwork.org
*SCN Colorado is made possible by JEWISHcolorado and its partners, Rose Community Foundation, the Jay & Rose Phillips Family Foundation of Colorado, the LiveSecure program of JFNA and in cooperation with the ADL.