Pride and Purpose

D.C.'s Capital Jewish Museum focuses on building bridges, before and after the devastating shooting

- H.ALAN SCOTT

LEADERS OF JEWISH INSTITUTIONS rarely need a reminder that antisemitism, like other forms of discrimination, still exist. But when Washington, D.C.'s Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum launched its new exhibition, "LGBTJews in the Federal City," in May, they had no idea that a deadly attack would unfold on their doorstep.

On May 21, Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Milgrim, 26, two Israeli embassy staffers attending an event at the museum, were shot and killed. The suspect, Elias Rodriguez, 31, allegedly told police as he was apprehended: "I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza."

In contrast, Lischinsky and Milgrim were at the museum to attend an annual interfaith event held by the American Jewish Committee for young people in diplomatic service, to promote peace and understanding despite differences of beliefs and opinions, specifically focused on humanitarian diplomacy. Rodriguez was charged the following day with murder of foreign officials, amongst other serious federal offenses.

“Such acts of terror attempt to instill fear, silence voices and erase history—but we refuse to let them succeed,” Dr. Beatrice Gurwitz, executive director of the museum, said in a statement after the shooting. “The Capital Jewish Museum was built to tell the centuries-old story of the greater Washington region’s vibrant Jewish community. We are proud to tell these stories of Jewish life. In our work, we share Jewish stories in the service of building bridges and opening dialogue in our beautiful city.”

Building those kinds of bridges is what the museum is especially proud of, and what its new exhibit represents. Shortly before the killings,