TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Members of Tucson's Jewish Community and their supporters gathered at Reid Park Wednesday afternoon, honoring the lives of a young couple shot and killed in Washington D.C. a week before.
Organizer Tony Zinman says this wasn't just a vigil but an act of defiance.
“We’re not going to hide," he said. "We’re not going to cower. We’re going to be out and proud and loud. We’re going to show you that we’re here.”
The group of about 20 circled up, singing and praying while holding battery-powered candles around a picture of Sarah Lynn Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky.
The two were staffers at the Israeli Embassy. They were fatally shot May 21 leaving an event at the Capital Jewish Museum. Israeli Ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter says the two were soon-to-be engaged.
“Yaron worked for one of our senior diplomats," he said. "He did most of the research. He was just a prince of a human being. Sarah worked in our public diplomacy wing, and they were just a beautiful couple together.”
The couple's memory is inspiring vigils across the country, including the one here in Tucson which brought out Arizona Representative Consuelo Hernandez who says this act shows how dangerous rising antisemitism in the United States can be.
“I’ve witnessed mobs of people show up and yell the same chants as the person who murdered Yaron and Sarah,” she said. “When we continue to live our lives like antisemitism doesn’t exist, it continues to snowball."
Zinman says it's everyone's responsibility to help curb antisemitism.
“If you have Jewish friends, call them, tell you’re there for them and you’re always going to be there for them,” Zinman said.
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Alex Dowd is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9, where her work combines her two favorite hobbies: talking to new people and learning about the community around her. Her goal is to eventually meet every single person in Tucson. Share your story ideas with Alex via email, alex.dowd@kgun9.com, or connecting on Instagram or X.
