Upon seeing the Israeli peanut snack Bamba, Mamdani smiled and shared that he grew up eating it at the home of a Jewish friend.

By JFeed

In a visit described by many as both significant and surprising, Mayor Zohran Mamdani spent several hours touring the Jewish Children’s Museum, located directly across from the iconic Chabad World Headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway.

The Mayor was hosted by Devorah Halberstam, a prominent activist against antisemitism.

Joining the delegation were NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and Councilmember Crystal Hudson, who represents the Crown Heights district.

Building Bridges After Crisis

The relationship between the new Mayor and the Chabad community has strengthened since a harrowing ramming attack occurred near 770 in January.

Halberstam noted that Mamdani contacted her personally that night and arrived at the scene within hours.

During the tour, Halberstam shared that the Mayor has shown great respect for the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s legacy, even learning to properly pronounce the term “Yahrtzeit” during official press conferences.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani visits the Jewish Children’s Museum in Crown Heights. (X Screenshot)

Bamba and Shabbat Traditions

The tour took a personal turn as the Mayor navigated the museum’s interactive exhibits:

The Kosher Supermarket: Upon seeing the Israeli peanut snack Bamba, Mamdani smiled and shared that he grew up eating it at the home of a Jewish friend.

The Shabbat Table: The Mayor received detailed explanations on the laws of Kashrut and the significance of Shabbat candle lighting, specifically the Rebbe’s campaign to encourage women and girls to participate in the mitzvah.

From Personal Tragedy to Public Policy

A poignant part of the visit took place on the museum’s upper floors, where Halberstam recounted the tragic impetus for the museum’s creation, the 1994 murder of her son, Ari Halberstam, in a terrorist attack on the Brooklyn Bridge.

The timing was particularly emotional, occurring just days before Ari’s birthday on May 6.

Halberstam detailed her long struggle to have the FBI recognize the shooting as a terrorist act rather than “road rage,” and her subsequent role in drafting New York’s first anti-terrorism laws under Governor Pataki.

A Future of Collaboration

The visit concluded with a private meeting focused on two key goals:

Security: Strengthening the protection of the Chabad 770 center.

Education: A proposal to bring New York City public school students to the museum to combat antisemitism through heritage education.

Following the visit, Mayor Mamdani took to social media to praise Halberstam’s lifelong dedication, tweeting:

“This morning, she welcomed me… to discuss the importance of ensuring this city is a place where Jewish history can be celebrated and shared with everyone, including New York’s youth. In this Jewish American Heritage Month, we honor the rich culture and history that Jewish New Yorkers contribute to our city every day.”

Halberstam expressed optimism following the meeting, describing the Mayor as attentive and respectful, signaling a potential long-term partnership for the safety of the community.

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Yaron Lischinsky and his fiancée-to-be, Sarah Milgrim, both of whom were employed by the Israeli embassy, were shot and murdered during an antisemitic terrorist attack in Washington DC. 

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

The two victims gunned down outside of an event held at a Jewish museum in Washington D.C. have been identified as Yaron Lischinsky, an employee of the Israeli Foreign Ministry serving as a staffer at the Israeli Embassy in Washington D.C, and his girlfriend, Sarah Milgrim.

Lischinsky and Milgrim, who also worked as a staffer at the Israeli embassy, were shot dead Wednesday night at approximately 9:15 p.m. as they exited the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington D.C., accompanied by two other people.

The gunman, 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez of Chicago, was detained by museum security personnel shortly after the shooting when he attempted to enter the building.

Police arrived on the scene soon afterwards and placed Rodriguez under arrest.

Video footage of the arrest shows Rodriguez shouting “Free, free Palestine” while being handcuffed.

Eyewitness Sara Marinuzzi told CNN that Rodriguez confessed to police who arrived to place him under arrest, telling them he was motivated by Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

“I did it, I did it for Gaza. Free Palestine!”

According to a statement by embassy spokesperson Tal Naim, Rodriguez shot the two staffers at point-blank range.

An immigrant to Israel who moved from Germany at the age of 16, Lischinsky, 28, worked as a research assistant in the Israeli Embassy in Washington’s Middle East and North Africa Affairs office.

Milgrim worked in the Foreign Ministry’s public diplomacy department at the Washington embassy, after previously working with Tech2Peace, a group promoting Arab-Jewish coexistence via technology.

Lischinsky and Milgrim, who were planning to get engaged according to Israeli Ambassador to Israel Yechiel Leiter, were murdered after they attended an American Jewish Committee event for young diplomats.

“Sarah and Yaron were stolen from us,” said American Jewish Committee CEO Ted Deutch. “Moments before they were murdered, they were smiling, laughing, and enjoying an event with colleagues and friends. We are in shock and heartbroken as we attempt to process this immense tragedy.”

One for Israel, a messianic organization “with the express goal of reaching Israelis with the Good News of Yeshua, training and equipping the Body of Messiah in Israel, and blessing our community with Yeshua’s love,” according to its website, posted on social media after the attack:

“We are deeply saddened and appalled by the devastating news of the violent terrorist attack that took the lives of two of our dedicated Embassy staff in Washington — Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim,” One for Israel, a messianic organization “with the express goal of reaching Israelis with the Good News of Yeshua, training and equipping the Body of Messiah in Israel, and blessing our community with Yeshua’s love.

“Both were Messianic believers. Yaron was well known among the believing community in Israel and will be deeply missed.

“Our hearts go out to their grieving families in this time of sorrow, and we remain steadfast in our support for them. May their memories be a blessing.”

We are deeply saddened and appalled by the devastating news of the violent terrorist attack that took the lives of two of our dedicated Embassy staff in Washington — Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim.

Both were Messianic believers. Yaron was well known among the believing… pic.twitter.com/3kSJjfDota

— ONE FOR ISRAEL Ministry (@oneforisrael) May 22, 2025

American Jewish Committee CEO Ted Deutch responded to news of the shooting, calling it an “unspeakable act of violence.”

“We are devastated that an unspeakable act of violence took place outside the venue,” Deutch said.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar condemned the shooting as a terrorist attack, declaring that “Israel will not surrender to terror.”

“Horrified by this morning’s terrorist attack, in which two of our Embassy staff in Washington D.C. were murdered. Israeli representatives around the world are constantly exposed to heightened risk – especially in these times. We are in close contact with American authorities. Israel will not surrender to terror.”

Ambassador Ron Prosor, who taught Lischinsky at Reichman University, wrote:

Yaron and Sarah— working together at the Israeli Embassy in Washington D.C.— were murdered in a terrorist attack outside the Jewish Museum.
A young couple with a bright future planning their life together.

Yaron, born in Nuremberg, wasn’t just a colleague.
I had the privilege of… pic.twitter.com/0fu3usprAF

— Ambassador Ron Prosor (@Ron_Prosor) May 22, 2025

“A young couple with a bright future planning their life together. Yaron, born in Nuremberg, wasn’t just a colleague. I had the privilege of having him as my master’s student at Reichman University.

“Bright, curious, engaged. He was a Christian, a true lover of Israel, served in the IDF, and chose to dedicate his life to the State of Israel and the Zionist cause. He embodied the Judeo-Christian values and set an example for young people worldwide. I paid my condolences to his parents this morning.

“Israeli diplomats don’t just represent a flag. They stand on the front line, defending the shared values that we all cherish in democratic societies. They serve publicly, proudly—and far too often, at great personal risk. This didn’t happen in a warzone. It happened in the capital of the free world, in the heart of Washington D.C.

Chanting ‘Free Palestine’ is not just a slogan, it’s a call to action to target Jews wherever they are. We will not let terror win. May the memory of Yaron and Sarah be a blessing.

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President Donald Trump and his Israeli counterpart, Isaac Herzog, condemn deadly shooting attack outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington as an act of antisemitic violence.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

American and Israeli leaders condemned the shooting of two Israeli embassy staffers outside an event at a Washington, D.C. Jewish museum as antisemitic. The gunman shouted “Free, free Palestine” while being placed under arrest.

At approximately 9:15 p.m. on Wednesday, 30-year-old Chicago resident Elias Rodriguez opened fire on a group of four people as they exited the Capital Jewish Museum during an event hosted by the museum.

Two staffers at the Israeli embassy were killed during the shooting.

Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, said the victims were a “young couple” who were planning on getting engaged in the near future.

Eyewitness Sara Marinuzzi told CNN that Rodriguez confessed to police during his arrest, linking the attack to the war in Gaza. “I did it, I did it for Gaza. Free Palestine!”

Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, called the shooting a “depraved act of antisemitic terrorism.”

“Harming the Jewish community is crossing a red line. We are confident that the US authorities will take strong action against those responsible for this criminal act. Israel will continue to act resolutely to protect its citizens and representatives – everywhere in the world.”

Three hours after the shooting, President Donald Trump denounced the attack, writing on his Truth Social account that it was “obviously” motivated by antisemitism.

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Gunman reportedly shouted “Free Palestine” while gunning down Israeli embassy staffers outside an event in the Jewish Museum in Washington.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

Two people were killed in a shooting attack outside of a Jewish museum in Washington D.C. Wednesday night, in an incident which the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations has described as a “depraved act of antisemitic terrorism.”

The shooting took place at approximately 9:15 p.m. at the intersection of 3^rd and F Streets NW, outside the Capital Jewish Museum.

During the attack a single gunman opened fire while an event was being held at the museum, shooting at people as they exited the building.

The two victims fatally wounded in the attack were identified by Israeli Ambassador to Israel Yechiel Leiter as embassy staffers who were a “young couple about to be engaged.”

The chief of Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department, Pamela Smith, said the shooter has been apprehended, adding that he chanted “Free, free Palestine” while being arrested.

According to a report by NBC News, the gunman has been identified as Elias Rodriguez, 30, a resident of Chicago.

Prior to the shooting, Rodriguez was seen pacing back and forth outside of the museum, Smith said, before he approached a group of four people exiting the building and opened fire.

Rodriguez then attempted to enter the museum, but was detained by security personnel.

After he was placed under arrested, Smith said, Rodriguez “implied that he committed the offense.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi said Wednesday night that she has spoken directly with President Donald Trump “multiple times tonight” regarding the museum shooting.

President Trump issued a statement via his Truth Social account offering his condolences to the families of the two victims.

“These horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW! Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA. Condolences to the families of the victims. So sad that such things as this can happen! God Bless You ALL!”

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By Jackie Hajdenberg, JTA

Last year, New York City’s Jewish Museum imported a new director from the Israel Museum. Now, it’s bringing the oldest archaeological evidence of the existence of King David from the Jerusalem museum, too.

The Tel Dan Stele, a stone fragment long held exclusively by the Israel Museum, is on view at the Jewish Museum on the Upper East Side until Jan. 5.

A 12-by-13 inch chunk of basalt, the Tel Dan Stele is a 9th-century BCE stone document acknowledging the military victories of a person whom scholars believe to be King Hazael of Aram, an area in contemporary Syria that includes what is today Damascus.

One of those victories was over a descendant of David, the king of ancient Israel.

When it was discovered in northern Israel in 1993, the Tel Dan Stele became the earliest evidence beyond the Bible that King David was a real figure.

“There is no archeological evidence surviving from the First Temple,” said James Snyder, who took the helm of the Jewish Museum a year ago.

“There is from the Second Temple, and that’s at the Israel Museum. From the First Temple, what therefore becomes important are these references to this archeological evidence of the time of the First Temple, and of evidence that reinforces biblical history.”

The First Temple, believed to have been built by David’s son King Solomon in the 10th century BCE, was destroyed during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem in 586 CE.

“What makes the Tel Dan Stele so important is that it’s the oldest archeological evidence of the existence of the House of David, which is the sort of touchstone or fountainhead for the unfolding thereafter of Judaism, Christianity and then Islam,” Snyder added.

In fact, it’s so old that the Aramaic used in the stele was still being written in the Phoenician alphabet — a language that predates Aramaic.

The ancient inscription refers to the “House of David,” in translation saying, “[I killed Jeho]ram son of [Ahab] king of Israel, and [I] killed [Ahaz]iahu son of [Jehoram kin]g of the House of David.”

Before coming to the Jewish Museum, the stele was on display for nearly two months at a biblical archaeology museum in Oklahoma. It was previously displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, just blocks from the Jewish Museum, a decade ago.

(A replica is also on display at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C.)

On view at the Jewish Museum — which recently opened an on-site kosher restaurant, filling the space left vacant by Russ & Daughters during the pandemic — only a few weeks, Snyder says the stele is a treasure for the institution, which he said is increasingly aiming to draw connections between Jewish history and material culture and contemporary art.

Snyder said the loan had been in the works for a few years — beginning while he ran the Israel Museum — but added that it feels particularly timely to have it in the museum after the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

“The House of David has equal importance to the three monotheistic faiths that percolated in the region over 1,500 years,” Snyder said.

“So it’s from Judaism to Christianity to Islam. So the House of David is really the monarchy that envisioned and enabled the unfolding of those monotheistic traditions, and they happened in sequence.”

He added, “This archeological fragment is a perfect example of the intersection of where archeology and biblical history meet.”

The artifact is displayed as part of an exhibition of standout items from the museum’s collection of more than 30,000 works, reflecting “an ever-evolving understanding of the relationship between art and global Jewish culture across time,” according to the museum’s website.

The museum is currently renovating its third- and fourth-floor galleries, which are scheduled to open in next fall.

Across from the stele is a video installation of poppies created this year by Israeli artist Michal Rovner, which explores the coexistence of beauty and violence in nature.

“Culture is an antidote to the polarization and politicization of the times we’re living in,” Snyder said. “Culture is an opportunity to engage in ways that get into a brighter time ahead.”

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