Ambulance of Zaka.
ZAKA (Hebrew: זק"א, abbreviation for Zihuy Korbanot Asson) is the acronym in Hebrew for Identification of Disaster Victims, an organization founded in 1995 by Yehuda Meshi Zahav in response to a series of terrorist attacks. Until then, Israel did not have an organized system to deal with the body parts and blood of the victims and to be buried according to Jewish law, it is an identification service for the victims of disasters, it is an Israeli charity. , recognized by the Israeli government and by the United Nations.
HistoryThe members of ZAKA, most of them are Orthodox Jews, are involved in the identification of victims of terrorism, traffic accidents and other catastrophes. They are responsible for collecting the remains of the bodies and bloodstains so that the victims can be buried with dignity. They also offer first aid and participate in the search for missing persons. ZAKA has been sent to Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, and Indonesia after the earthquake and tsunami of December 26, 2004, where they had to work at night.
The founders and members of ZAKA call their work: Chesed shel Emet (true kindness), because they are dedicated to the bodies of the massacred Jews being buried according to the laws of Halacha. After a terrorist attack, ZAKA volunteers also deal with the bodies of non-Jews and even the bodies of suicide bombers with the same care so that their remains are sent to their families. ZAKA began when a group of volunteers gathered to take care of the bodies after the bus bombing of the 405 line in 1989. The bus was later displayed at various US universities.
In 1995 they were officially recognized by the Israeli Government and work together with the police forces. The activities of the ZAKA have increased considerably since the beginning of the second intifada, numerous attacks have generated disaster scenarios. In 2004 a group of ZAKA volunteers met in The Hague in the Netherlands with the remains of a bus destroyed on January 29, 2004 in a suicide bombing in Jerusalem. The remains of the bus were covered with photographs of 950 victims of Palestinian terrorism, were brought to Washington to ask the Government of the United States to act against Palestinian terrorism. At the end of 2004 and the beginning of 2005, ZAKA members offered their services to participate in international aid after the earthquake and tsunami in Southeast Asia on December 26, 2004. Their experience in the identification of bodies (38 per week of media in Israel) has allowed them to identify bodies faster than other foreign teams. In a natural prolongation of its actions, ZAKA has developed new branches such as: a mobile unit of motorcycles for relief and emergencies, the unit of repair and relief, the investigation unit of the disappeared, and other departments dedicated to communication and information to the public. Public recognition
The devotion of the members of ZAKA and their profession to carry out their work has given them the respect and admiration of the public. His contribution within the Israeli society has been widely acknowledged. This recognition allows ZAKA to recruit more volunteers and receive more donations to buy equipment such as first aid kits, ambulances, and motorcycles. One of the founders of ZAKA, Yehuda Meshi Zahav, has received the honors on the day of the celebration of the 55th anniversary of Israel's independence.
In the year 2005, ZAKA has been recognized by the UN, ZAKA has represented more than once the State of Israel, since it has helped another
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