The Jewish Federation & Foundation of Rockland County mourns the killing of a young Jewish couple in Washington last night. The two, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, HY'D, were employees at the Israeli embassy who were attending an event for young professionals at the Jewish Museum. We express our condolences to their families. May the Almighty comfort them among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.

The alleged, apparently proud perpetrator of this heinous crime was an anti-Israel and antisemitic activist from Chicago. Steeped in a culture of hatred for Jewish-self determination and sovereignty, his manifesto demonstrates his motivation to attack and kill Israelis and those he identifies as Israel’s supporters.

None of this happens in a vacuum.

The medieval concept of blood libel - falsely blaming Jews for the ritual or sadistic murder of non-Jews, especially children - has a long and shameful history. This concept has only one purpose: to incite violence against Jews.

72 hours ago, UN Humanitarian Chief Tom Fletcher made the public, inciteful claim that 14,000 babies in Gaza would die within 48 hours because Israel was starving them. This claim echoed the false claims of genocide made these last 18 months, and was picked up and amplified by the BBC, by NBC, and by media and social media across the world.

Yesterday the UN retracted this false, evil accusation, indicating it was concerned about the potential nutritional needs of 14,000 Gazan children over the course of an entire year. Almost no one corrected their false allegations.

Too late. The murderer in Washington had traveled from his home, cased the venue and struck as the unpublicized event was ending.

This was not the first blood libel leveled at Israel and its supporters here in the US or on social media. Right here in Rockland, our own social media pages have been replete with accusations and disgusting calls for Israel’s supporters to ‘shut the f— up’. Others call proud Jewish supporters of Israel demonstrating on Route 59 ‘pro-genocide’, and have used that language with a self righteous sneer for years despite being wholly ignorant of its meaning and legal definition. They are blood libelers in effect, intent, or both. It matters little when the effect is the incitement of violence like we saw in Washington last night.

It is not only jihadists or nazi bigots who use this vile tool of incitement. These people sit comfortably among the lay leaders of local non profits, surrounded by good, generous, kind people who want to make a difference in the world. They betray these organizations with their incitement, and some have become media darlings for their political theatre, using their identity - even their Jewish identity - as a corrupted fig leaf.

There is much to do.

Through Federation’s Community Security Initiative, we are consulting today with law enforcement at every level, sharing information and recommendations with over 250 local institutions in our network. Thousands of local volunteers have received security training through our Security Initiative, and our community is alert to any threat. You can be a part of this comprehensive approach to security.

Reach out to [email protected] to find out how.

Security is vital, but not sufficient. Our community and our allies must identify and call out incitement wherever and whenever it emerges. If you see or hear anyone - no matter how powerful or fleetingly popular they may be - using language or rhetoric like this, call them out! Shine a light on their incitement. Demand accountability from their peers and confederates. Make it clear that hate, antisemitism, and incitement have no place here in Rockland or anywhere else. Share what you see and hear with us and with our partners at ADL.

Above all, do not let baseless and false accusations impair your pride in your Jewish identity and in the centrality of Jewish sovereignty in that identity. The eternal people do not fear, and whatever their political or religious persuasions, they stand for truth, rejecting lies and libels.

Today is a difficult day. We mourn, once again, and then we put our shoulders to the wind and prevail.

Am Yisrael Chai.

Marcy Pressman
President

Evan Karzhevsky
Community Relations Committee Chair

Ari Rosenblum
Chief Executive Officer