‘It hits you like a ton of bricks’: Kansas City’s Jewish community mourns loss of local woman killed in D.C. shooting

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Kansas City’s Jewish Community is mourning the loss of one of their own, tragically shot outside a Jewish museum in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday night.

“This is not some random person in our community. This is Sarah Milgrim,” said Jewish Federation president Jay Lewis.

Leadership at the Jewish Community Center describes Sarah Milgrim as a humanitarian. They say this is what makes the loss hurt even more, knowing someone so ionate about peace was taken in such a violent way.

“We’re not healing yet. This is still fresh, this is still a moment where we are hurting,” said Jewish Federation president Jay Lewis.

Lewis says he’s known Sarah and her family for years, mentoring her as a student leader with the KU Jewish Organization Hillel, and as an intern with the Jewish Federation. Since the anti-Israeli attacks on October 7, 2023, he says the Jewish community has faced a surge of antisemitism. Now, this tragedy feels like salt on an already open wound.

“When you hear about acts of violence, you never think it could be somebody you know or one of your own, and especially when it happened in Washington D.C., it just was, I mean it hits you like a ton of bricks,” Lewis said.

Those familiar with her work say she touched people’s lives and the pain is very real.

“It’s not theoretical, this is tangible and we need to be coming together to ensure everyone in our community feels safe,” said Jewish Community Relations Bureau executive director Neta Meltzer.

READ MORE: KU Chabad mourns Sarah Milgrim’s death, announces plans to honor her

Meltzer says she hopes allies will wrap their arms around their community as they try to heal from another act of anti-semitic violence. They plan to continue the work Sarah Milgrim started.

“She cared about humanitarian causes. She was somebody who wanted to do good in the world and if there’s anything we can do, we have to carry that forward,” said Meltzer.

According to the American Jewish Committee, 46 percent of Jews have changed their behavior due to fear of antisemitism. This includes avoiding certain clothing, places, and posting content online that would identify them as Jewish.

Kansas City Jewish leaders say these fears are real, but their community is resilient. They plan to continue doing the work Sarah Milgrim started.

READ MORE: Man charged with murder in shootings of Overland Park woman, boyfriend outside Jewish museum

“She cared about humanitarian causes. She was somebody who wanted to do good in the world and if there’s anything we can do, we have to carry that forward,” said Meltzer.

As the Jewish community focuses on healing and continuing the fight against antisemitism, they are calling on allies to stand with them and speak out.

“When people hear anti-Semitic comments, there’s a lot of times you can dismiss it and say it’s just words, and when something like this happens to Sarah you realize those words can lead to action and can lead to violence and so when people hear hate speech stand up and say something, don’t just let it happen,” said Lewis.

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