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ruth in the bible
ICEJ Reports

Yaron, Sarah & the Message of Ruth in the Bible

By: Shelley Neese; Coordinator, American Christian Leaders for Israel 

The tragic deaths of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim on May 21, 2025, sent shockwaves through Israel and the United States. The gunmen’s motive, to “free Palestine,” quickly revealed this was not a random act of violence but a direct expression of Jew-hatred. 

Sarah, a sharp and dedicated Jewish professional from the American heartland, was driven by a desire to contribute positively to the world and to Israel. Yaron, from a devout Christian Israeli family in Jerusalem, served his country both militarily and diplomatically. At global vigils honoring them, signs read: “We are all Yaron and Sarah.” Their layered identities made their deaths deeply personal for American Jews, expatriate Israelis and Christian Zionists. Each group saw its own reflection in the story of their lives and the tragedy of their deaths. 

The Unsettling Reach of Hate 

The attack gave Israeli expatriates a chilling reminder that their nation’s enemies are not confined to the Middle East. Yaron and Sarah were not high-level diplomats targeted for their powerful positions. They were young, idealistic civil servants committed to serving Israel in ways that aligned with their individual educations and backgrounds. Their killer’s intent was to murder any Jewish person or Israeli who crossed his path. 

We are living with a grim new reality: The radicalization of young people through online hate speech and antisemitic university environments means a newly committed terrorist can lurk in the shadows of any street in America. They do not need training from Hamas or attendance at an Iranian Revolutionary Guard camp; two hours scrolling on a phone can be enough. 

American Jews’ Deepest Fears Realized 

For American Jews, Yaron and Sarah’s deaths represent the realization of their darkest fears. Being Jewish feels like having a target on one’s back, whether you are a staunch Zionist or a committed peace activist.  

Sarah embodied both. She advocated for building bridges between Israelis and Palestinians, while also working to strengthen Jewish identity at home and Israeli security abroad. A humanitarian and environmentalist, Sarah spent a year in Israel fostering dialogue and engagement through tech initiatives, believing deeply in the power of relationships to overcome hate and violence.  

Before a deranged terrorist shot Yaron and Sarah on a sidewalk outside the Jewish Museum, they were attending a discussion for young professionals hosted by the American Jewish Committee, brainstorming how multi-faith organizations could collaborate to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza and other suffering regions. 

A Shared Grief for Christian Zionists 

For Christian Zionists, the event resonated profoundly because Yaron’s family is part of the Christian community in Jerusalem. His parents, Daniel and Ruth, are close church friends with the president of the International Christian Embassy of Jerusalem (ICEJ), Dr. Juergen Buehler.  

By all accounts, Yaron was a committed follower of Christ. After serving three years in the Israel Defense Forces, he became a research assistant in the political department at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar honored his service, telling Yaron’s father his son “was a warrior on our diplomatic front that fell just like a soldier on the battlefield.” 

ruth in the bible harvesting barley with boaz looking on
Ruth in Boaz’s Field (Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld (1794–1872) 

The Enduring Message of Ruth in the Bible 

On June 1, 2025, only one week after Yaron and Sarah’s deaths, the Jewish people will celebrate Shavuot, also known as the Feast of Weeks. Shavuot commemorates the giving of the Torah to the Israelites at Mount Sinai. Israel’s holidays often align with important periods on the agricultural calendar of the Land of Israel, and Shavuot coincides with the end of the barley harvest and the beginning of the wheat harvest — a time when ancient Israelites brought their first offerings to the temple. 

For centuries, Jewish communities have held a special place for the book of Ruth in their Shavuot synagogue services, and for good reason. The story unfolds during the barley and wheat harvest, precisely when Shavuot occurs. It also commemorates when Moses received directly from God’s own hand the covenant, the Ten Commandments and all the laws that were to govern His people.  

“We Will Obey” 

This was the moment God first declared that out of all nations, if they kept His covenant, the children of Israel would be His treasured possession and a kingdom of priests (Exodus 19:5). After hearing the laws and stipulations, the people declared, “We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey” (Exodus 24:7 NIV). For all of Israel, this is the nation’s conversion moment, the origin story of their national consecration. 

By tying the book of Ruth into the anniversary of the giving of the Torah, Jewish tradition recognizes that even those who did not descend from the tribes present at Mount Sinai can still choose to follow the one true God. Ruth in the Bible was not Jewish. She was a Moabite woman who embraced the Jewish people and aligned her fate with the Israelite nation. Just as the Israelites willingly took on the obligations of the Torah, Ruth willingly embraced the Jewish people and their God. Naomi, knowing the hardships Ruth would face as a Moabite widow moving into a foreign land, urged her to return to her own family. Instead, Ruth declared her undying loyalty to Naomi. Jewish tradition has ever since hailed her as the archetype of the righteous convert. Her selfless dedication and sincere embrace of Judaism are the ideal model for anyone choosing to join the Jewish people. 

Ruth in the Bible, the First Christian Zionist 

Perhaps it’s more than anachronistic, but I like to think of Ruth in the Bible as the first Christian Zionist, or at least the first gentile Zionist. Like all Christians who love Israel, Ruth in the Bible fully cast her lot with the Jewish people and declared her loyalty to their God. Certainly, without Ruth, there would have been no King David, and without King David, many of us would not know Jesus or perhaps ever have heard the great call of Israel’s God. 

Ruth’s immortal pledge to Naomi echoes through the ages. Within these powerful words, we hear the unwavering devotion of those who have cast their lot with the Jewish people. As Christian Zionists, we embrace Ruth’s pledge as our own:  

“Do not urge me to leave you or to turn back from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” (Ruth 1:16–17 ESV) 

“You Are Not Alone, Israel” 

Just as Ruth in the Bible vowed to Naomi, Christian Zionists pledge to the Jewish people—both in Israel and the diaspora—a solemn promise: You are not alone, and you will never be alone again. This pledge translates into tangible action: 

  • “Where you go I will go”: The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ), headquartered in Jerusalem for the last 45 years, actively sponsors the return of Jewish families to their ancient homeland from across the globe and provides the support they need to fully integrate into Israeli society. 
  • “Your people shall be my people”: The ICEJ lovingly cares for aging Holocaust Survivors in a dedicated community home in Haifa. 

Shelley Neese is the coordinator for American Christian Leaders for Israel (ACLI), a project of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem – USA (ICEJ USA) that mobilizes thousands of Christian leaders to advocate for Israel and the Jewish people. The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem exists to comfort Israel through practical assistance, stand with her through advocacy, and teach truth through biblical education. 

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