From the President & Executive Director
From the President & Executive Director
We are deeply heartbroken by the tragic murder of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C.
This was not merely an attack on two individuals. At the Virginia Holocaust Museum, we educate about the devastating consequences of unchecked hatred. Today, we witness the painful outcomes of a climate in which antisemitism is tolerated, amplified, and ignored. Since October 7, Jewish students have been harassed, synagogues and businesses targeted, and now this horrifying act of violence has occurred.
According to the ADL, antisemitism in the U.S. has reached an unprecedented high—with over 9,300 incidents recorded this year alone. These numbers represent not just statistics, but real fear, real pain, and now, devastating loss.
Our hearts and thoughts go out to the victims’ families, the Israeli Embassy, the staff of the Capital Jewish Museum, and the entire Jewish community. But thoughts alone are not enough. We call on all Virginians—especially our elected leaders—to unite and say with one voice: Antisemitism has no place here.
Samuel H. Asher
President & Executive Director
Virginia Holocaust Museum
