ZAKA

ZAKA
Spokesperson unit of ZAKA · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	ZAKA
Native name	זק"א
Formation	1995
Type	Non-profit organization
Headquarters	Bnei Brak
Region served	Israel
Leader title	Chairman

ZAKA is an Israeli volunteer emergency response and rescue organization known for search, rescue, and recovery work following disasters, accidents, and terrorist attacks. It operates across Israel and in international disaster zones, cooperating with municipal services, military units, and international agencies. The organization is noted for specialized handling of human remains according to Jewish law and has participated in high-profile responses to events involving civilian casualties and mass fatalities.

History

ZAKA originated in the mid-1990s amid increased attention to emergency medical response after high-casualty incidents in Israel, including attacks during the First Intifada period and subsequent waves of violence. Early development involved volunteers from Bnei Brak and other Haredi Judaism communities combining religious practice with emergency medicine and mortuary care. The group expanded during the Second Intifada and following major incidents such as suicide bombings in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, leading to formalization of protocols and coordination with agencies like Magen David Adom and municipal rescue services. Over time ZAKA established regional units across Israel and deployed teams to international disasters including earthquakes and aviation accidents.

Organization and Structure

ZAKA is organized as a network of regional chapters with a central coordinating body based in Bnei Brak. Each regional unit interacts with local emergency responders such as Magen David Adom, municipal fire departments and police forces including the Israel Police. Leadership roles include a chairman, operations directors, and training officers drawn from volunteer ranks and sometimes retired professionals from Israel Defense Forces medical corps. The organization maintains liaison with religious authorities in Jerusalem and rabbinic courts to ensure mortuary practices comply with halakhic requirements, while also coordinating with civil institutions like Ministry of Health and municipal coroners during mass casualty incidents.

Duties and Operations

ZAKA volunteer teams perform a range of duties: searching for and rescuing injured civilians at scenes of accidents or attacks, providing pre-hospital emergency care in coordination with United Hatzalah and Magen David Adom, documenting scenes for identification by forensic units such as the Israel Forensic Institute, collecting human remains for burial according to religious rites, and assisting in victim identification alongside police and international forensic teams. Operations have taken place at terrorist attack sites in Hebron and Ashdod, aviation accident scenes including incidents involving El Al and other carriers, and disasters such as the Haiti earthquake response. Teams also provide psychological support to survivors and families and participate in public safety education with municipalities and schools in cities like Haifa and Beersheba.

Training and Equipment

Volunteers receive training in emergency medical care, search and rescue techniques, forensic evidence preservation, and mortuary handling consistent with both civil procedures and rabbinic rulings from authorities in Jerusalem and Bnei Brak. Training programs have included cooperation with institutions such as Magen David Adom training centers, military medical units from the Israel Defense Forces, and international bodies like the International Committee of the Red Cross. Equipment used by teams ranges from ambulances and rescue vehicles to forensic kits, personal protective equipment, portable lighting, and GPS-enabled communication devices; procurement sometimes involves municipal grants, charitable funding from philanthropists in Tel Aviv and New York City, and donations coordinated with organizations such as United Hatzalah.

International Activities and Cooperation

ZAKA has deployed teams internationally to earthquake zones, aviation disasters, and terrorist incidents, working alongside organizations including the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and national emergency agencies from countries affected by disasters. Notable international involvements have included search and recovery missions after earthquakes in Haiti and elsewhere, collaboration with forensic teams from Interpol for cross-border identification, and liaison with diplomatic missions such as Israeli embassies in Port-au-Prince and other capitals to coordinate repatriation and consular assistance.

Controversies and Criticisms

ZAKA has faced controversies related to interactions with media coverage of disaster scenes, debates over religiously mandated mortuary practices versus secular forensic procedures with institutions like the Israel Forensic Institute, and occasional legal disputes with municipal authorities and police over jurisdiction at mass-casualty scenes. Critics have included secular activists, legal scholars from universities such as Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv University, and international human rights organizations in discussions about access, transparency, and handling of evidence. Supporters include religious leaders in Bnei Brak and international Jewish organizations who emphasize the group's role in dignified treatment of victims and rapid response capabilities.

Category:Humanitarian aid organizations Category:Emergency services in Israel