Friends of Yaron Lischinsky Share His Faith

"He was a man of conviction, of humility, of warmth, and of profound integrity."

The Union of Messianic Jewish Congregation shared a beautiful tribute today about the slain Israeli couple, Sarah Milgrim & Yaron Lichinsky:

As most of us are aware, two Israeli Embassy staff workers were gunned down and murdered in cold blood while leaving an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC. Their murderer was arrested brandishing a keffiyeh while shouting “Free Palestine!”

What is less well known is their relationship to the Messianic Jewish community in Israel.

Yaron Lischinsky was a Messianic Jewish believer and a member of King of Kings, Jerusalem. In the words of Yaron’s friend and fellow Messianic believer, David Boskey:

“My dear friend Yaron Lischinsky was murdered last night. You could not have met a kinder soul. He and I used to talk in the back of our congregation on Friday evenings in Jerusalem about life, ministry, identity, our futures, our passions, our faith. . . . He was a man of conviction, of humility, of warmth, and of profound integrity. A man of whom the world was not worthy.

“His precious family has served as a shining example of sacrificial love and of servanthood to our community for the many years I have known them. I weep with them for the loss of their dear son and brother. He was the best of us.”

Yaron was going to propose to his beloved fiancee, Sarah Milgrim, in Jerusalem next week. Now instead of wedding preparations, the families will be sitting Shiva for them. They are the latest victims of the indiscriminate bloodlust that is antisemitism.

Once again we have been reminded of the final solution desired by the keffiyeh-wearing mobs chanting “Free Palestine” from within our nation's colleges and institutions these past years. They hide the demon of antisemitism with the masquerade of “Anti-Zionism,” claiming the moral high-ground, while condoning murder. Their call is one of true genocide for all Jews, religious, secular, and Messianic alike.

Anti-Zionism is Antisemitism.

What sharpens the pain is that these are our children. They are the future of the Messianic Jewish world. They are our leaders, our ambassadors for a brighter future, and a future mother and father.

We in the UMJC stand united with our Jewish brothers and sisters. We mourn with the families of Yaron and Sarah. We mourn with their friends. We mourn with God's beloved people, Israel.

In last week's haftarah portion, Jeremiah seeks comfort for the violence against the righteous:

Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise. Jeremiah 17:14

At this time of mourning, we are reminded that our healing comes from the Lord and we are reminded that our salvation comes from him as well. We pray for God's healing spirit to fill the hearts of the families of Yaron and Sarah and we wait for God's salvation.

In the memory of Yaron and his beloved Sarah. May their memory be a blessing.

Baruch Dayan HaEmet

-Barney Kasdan, UMJC