Our core activity is Grace of Truth, doing right by the deceased for which no payment is expected. Legions of volunteers across the different units, who have been trained for their work both professionally and religiously, are scattered across the District and outside it, standing by for any call.
Our volunteers are first to respond to any disaster site to carry out the most difficult task, which requires exceptional mental resilience, while nobody else is there to take their place. Our people take care of any unnatural death and support the devastated family, make sure that every deceased person and every remnant is brought to burial, while ensuring their last dignity.
In cases of deceased lonely persons, the Organization follows the case until the deceased is buried with a sufficient attendance (Minyan) at the funeral. Also, if a family of limited resources requires transportation from one city to another, the Organization provides this at no cost.
ZAKA volunteers lend a helping hand to any person involved with the deceased and assists with any task. Even during busy times at Hevra Kadisha's or following a holiday, our volunteers assist in washing the deceased (Tahara), transporting them and conducting funerals in order not to allow the deceased to remain unburied overnight. The Organization also dispatches volunteers to assist private ambulances in unloading or transporting the deceased so that all is done with the respect worthy of the deceased.
Every ZAKA volunteer undergoes proper training prior to their volunteering, as well as additional training and refresher courses during the course of the year.
ZAKA - A Moment of Truth handles more incidents than all ZAKA organizations in Israel combined according to objective Israel Police data.
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Support and Assistance for Grieving Families
The volunteer at the scene serves as an auxiliary to emergency and rescue forces, until the body is released and criminal activities are ruled out. Their activity would then focus on offering guidance and assistance to the family, both with the Hevra Kadisha involved in transportation of the deceased to their burial site and with the Institute of Forensic Medicine at Abu Kabir if the deceased is transported there under police orders for some tests.
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Assistance at the Institute of Forensic Medicine
A team of ZAKA volunteers is at the Institute of Forensic Medicine every morning to assist Institute staff in handling the deceased transported during the previous evening and overnight. The objective is to help with expediting handling to bring the deceased to burial sooner in order to prevent dishonoring the dead and unnecessary anguish to the family.
The Organization's direct contact with investigators, the Institute of Forensic Medicine, and the District Attorney reduces delays in handling the deceased and results in their early discharge
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Preventing Post-Mortem
In Judaism, dissecting the deceased is a serious offence. Therefore, there is absolute objection to any invasive procedure on the deceased's body, with the exclusion of special cases where Jewish law (Halacha) permits this, such as in cases of saving a life, capturing a murderer, or preventing disease in others.
These days there is greater awareness of the issue of post-mortem, both in the public awareness and legally since the permit to carry out a post-mortem has been significantly limited. Nonetheless, ZAKA volunteers keep a watchful eye and, in most cases, through professional dialog, can prevent any damage to the deceased.
Where needed, ZAKA will represent the family and the deceased in court to block obtaining a permit for cause of death investigation by way of an autopsy. In most cases, alternative methods can be found, such as imaging tests and toxin tests which are permitted by Jewish law (Halacha) in order to address investigators' questions.