Catholic Bishops Condemn Murder of Israeli Diplomats in D.C. as Antisemitic Hate Crime

Two U.S. Catholic bishops have strongly denounced the brutal killing of two Israeli Embassy staffers in Washington, D.C., in what has been widely condemned as an anti-Semitic hate crime. In a joint statement issued on May 23, Bishop Joseph C. Bambera of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Metropolitan Archbishop Borys A. Gudziak of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia expressed their "profound grief and outrage" over the deaths of 26-year-old Sarah Milgrim and 30-year-old Yaron Lischinsky, who were fatally shot as they left a diplomatic reception at the Capital Jewish Museum on May 21.

The two victims, who worked at the Israeli Embassy, were reportedly planning to become engaged in Jerusalem the following week. Yechiel Leiter, Israel’s ambassador to the U.S., confirmed Lischinsky had purchased a ring just days before the attack. The suspect, 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez of Chicago, was caught on camera chanting “Free, free Palestine” after the murders and has been charged with multiple federal and local counts, including the murder of foreign officials and first-degree murder.

The attack has shocked both the Jewish and broader interfaith communities. In their statement, Bishops Bambera and Gudziak said, “We stand in prayerful mourning with our Jewish brothers and sisters and denounce this act of violence and anti-Semitic hatred in the strongest possible terms.” They emphasized the Catholic duty to reject hatred and promote solidarity, referencing the Second Vatican Council’s landmark 1965 document Nostra Aetate, which emphasized the Church’s shared spiritual heritage with the Jewish people and condemned all forms of antisemitism. This year marks the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, adding poignant context to the bishops’ renewed call for vigilance.

The bishops also warned of the dangers of inflammatory language amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East. “Complex political realities can never justify rhetoric that demonizes a people, faith, or community,” they said, noting the rise in anti-Semitic incidents globally since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, terrorist attack.

Bambera and Gudziak urged leaders and the public alike to choose "truth spoken in love" (Ephesians 4:15) over hate and dehumanization. They warned that even unintentional demeaning language can fuel suspicion and violence.

In December, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), in partnership with the American Jewish Committee (AJC), released Translate Hate: The Catholic Edition, a glossary of anti-Semitic terms countered with Catholic teachings. The 61-page document, developed in part by Bishop Bambera and AJC’s Rabbi Noam Marans, aims to educate Catholics and promote interfaith solidarity against rising antisemitism.

“To our Jewish neighbours, partners, and friends: We walk with you. We grieve with you. We stand with you,” the bishops concluded. Quoting the prophet Micah, they called on all people of faith to “Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your G-d.”