Atlanta Jewish community mourns loss of embassy staffers in DC shooting

Jewish community reacts to fatal shooting in D.C.

We are hearing from people here in Atlanta who worked with one of the victims of that horrific attack, Sarah Milgram. A one on one with Atlanta’s regional director of the American Jewish Committee, the group that organized the event last night in D.C. He learned Milgram had many connections in Atlanta.

ATLANTA - Members of Atlanta’s Jewish community are reeling following the deadly shooting of Sarah Milgrim, an Israeli Embassy staffer with close ties to the city, during an attack at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C.

Milgrim and her colleague Yaron Lischinsky were shot and killed during an embassy event Tuesday evening. Authorities have charged Elias Rodriguez, a Chicago man, in connection with the killings, alleging he entered the museum shouting "Free, free Palestine!" before opening fire. Federal prosecutors say additional charges are possible and have not ruled out seeking the death penalty.

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But in Atlanta, the focus has turned to grief, fear, and solidarity.

What they're saying:

"This incident, this event is terrifying and just devastating to me and the entire Jewish community," said Dov Wilker, the Atlanta regional director of the American Jewish Committee (AJC), which had previously worked with Milgrim.

Milgrim had been active in AJC’s ACCESS program, which brings together young Jewish professionals across the country. Wilker said Milgrim was deeply engaged with the Atlanta community, helping lead trips abroad and organize interfaith outreach.

"She traveled with them to Morocco. She did programming with them in D.C. This was really their friend — a beautiful friend of theirs who all she wanted to do was make a positive impact on the world," Wilker said.

Since the shooting, Wilker has been in contact with young professionals who knew Milgrim. "They are absolutely devastated. They never thought that something like this could happen," he said. "As bad as antisemitism got, they never thought that a young Jewish professionals event would be a target of this type of attack."

Anat Sultan-Dadon, Consul General of Israel to the Southeastern United States, said she had met both victims and believed the attack was intended to intimidate those working in diplomacy.

"We were open this morning. We are resilient. We are strong. And we will not allow for terror to win," Sultan-Dadon said. "We will not be terrorized and we will not be afraid to stand up for who we are and for what is right. We will continue to represent Israel proudly."

Wilker echoed calls for strength but acknowledged the deep anxiety now gripping many in the community.

"One of the things that has to happen in the Jewish community — and continues to happen — is an increase of visible security presence," he said.

The AJC is urging residents across metro Atlanta to reach out to their Jewish neighbors in the wake of the shooting.

"Check in with them. Support them. Let them know they are not alone," Wilker said.