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Friends and family of Sarah Milgrim gathered to honor her life with acts of service Sunday, seven months after she and her boyfriend were killed in an antisemitic attack outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington D.C.
Sarah, a Johnson County native, and her boyfriend Yaron Lischinsky were both killed in the attack.
Since their deaths, thousands have mourned their loss, and the Kansas City community has rallied to remember Sarah.
Sunday's event was part of Sarah's Week of Service from Dec. 22-29, a global community service initiative with events in Israel, Washington D.C. and Kansas City.
About 70 volunteers packed about 200 care packages at The J KC - Jewish Community Center in Overland Park, where friends and loved ones gathered to honor Sarah's life through service.
"We were not expecting this,” Bob Milgrim, Sarah's father, said. “You know, I thought there'd be a funeral and things would quiet down and we'd grieve. But it's been a good thing.”
When Bob Milgrim is met with grief, he remembers his daughter Sarah, who never met a stranger.
"She loved people, she loved meeting new people," Bob Milgrim said. "Events like this are what Sarah's all about. Foremost in her mind, no matter what project she did, was service. That's all she did.”
Kylie Schultz has been friends with Sarah since they met in high school.
She showed up Sunday to volunteer packing emergency kits.
"Sarah's one of my best friends, and she is just a delight," Schultz said. "I just felt her in that room.”
The room was filled with people like Amanda Birger, Sarah's roommate and close friend who organized the event as the Kansas City team member for the global initiative.
“[She was] a very warm person,” Schultz said. “She did everything with love and such a bright, bright spirit. I think that was evident. You can see that in Amanda too," Schultz said.
Birger says Sunday’s event was yet another way to positively channel her grief.
"I have a lot of love for Sarah, I always will,” Birger said. “And I didn't have a place to put it, and I wanted to create something that would keep her memory alive, keep her name in my mouth, keep me talking about her, keep me thinking about her," Birger said.
Eventually, she found a place in each of the care packages.
Amanda organized Sunday's volunteer-run event to pack emergency kits with high protein snacks, beef jerky, toiletries, feminine products, socks, hand warmers, hats and scarves.
Volunteers could also write encouraging messages to include in the kits.
The care packages are designed to be kept in cars to help those in need.
About 50 bags were left over from the event — volunteers took the rest with them to pass out.
"A lot of her friends and I were looking for a way to honor her memory,” Birger said. “She was someone who dedicated her life and her values to community service. That was the idea of the day, just spreading a little bit of Sarah's warmth and values.”
Amanda and Sarah met on a trip to Israel in college and became roommates during Amanda's senior year.
They were in quarantine together when COVID happened, strengthening their bond.
“It was just very special to see all the people here, and we thank Amanda very deeply for putting this together," Bob Milgrim said.
The global reach of the initiative has been remarkable, Birger says.
"We had someone sign up from Japan, which was really incredible, so we're proud of the reach that we've gotten," Birger said.
Amanda hopes the event becomes an annual tradition to continue Sarah's legacy.
"I'm excited to see what the future holds for it,” Birger said. “I’m not sure yet, but I know that it doesn't end here.”
Bob Milgrim says he's still learning about new efforts to honor Sarah every week, but it helps to take things day by day.
"We've been overwhelmed in a good way," Bob Milgrim said. "As you can imagine, very difficult. This is our first Hanukkah without her. Tomorrow, Dec. 29, is her birthday.”
There's a timeless gift Sarah left behind.
"The most valuable possession that our family has now is the legacy of Sarah, and coming to events like this, we see Sarah's legacy living on in many different ways," Bob Milgrim said. "Hopefully the legacy will grow, and hopefully it will never be forgotten.”
Sunday was about leaving people with a piece of Sarah, even if they never met.
"It was beautiful to see her light today and to see how many people she touched," Schultz said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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