An Update from Bishop Budde and Dean Hollerith

In the days since the tragic murder of Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky, we have learned so much about the lives of these extraordinary young people. We wish we had known them in life, because they clearly embodied the values of love, understanding and dialogue that we hold dear.

 What has become clear is that our initial statement did not paint an accurate picture of Sarah and her Jewish identity, and for that, we are sorry. Out of respect for Sarah’s memory, her family and the larger Jewish community, we have revised our initial statement. In hearing from those who knew her best, particularly Rabbi Emeritus Mark Levin of Congregation Beth Torah in Overland Park, Kansas, Sarah was a woman deeply committed to her Jewish identity. As Rabbi Levin told us:

“Sarah celebrated her bat mitzvah in Israel with her synagogue, was a very active member of Hillel and Chabad at the University of Kansas, toured Israel with the Birthright program, and was fully Jewish in every aspect of her life. She remarked to her parents that she was looking forward to raising a completely Jewish family. In those discussions, Sarah made clear that her Judaism was uncompromised and that she loved Yaron for the values and actions that resulted from his religion. … While motivated by different faiths, Sarah and Yaron respected one another’s beliefs and rituals, while remaining fully committed to their own traditions.”

Sarah found love with Yaron, whose own faith journey bridged Jewish and Christian traditions through his parents. Her love for Yaron did not diminish her Jewish identity, nor did she seek to change his Christian path. Our initial statement did not adequately capture the ways that Sarah and Yaron honored each other’s faith while remaining true to their own distinct spiritual paths. As Rabbi Levin put it, “they worshipped the same God in their separate ways” — a beautiful sentiment we can all learn from. May their memory be a blessing.