Zaka (zihui korbonos ossone), the organization for the
identification of victims of tragedies and care of their
remains, has been chosen by the United Nations as the top
Israel volunteer organization for the year 2001.
Every year the United Nations chooses a particular theme,
which is then adopted by all members. The 2001 was called
"Volunteerism Year." Now, towards the end of 2001, the UN
published a book listing the leading volunteer organizations
of each member country. Zaka, headed by Rav Rabbi Shlomo
Eisenbach, was chosen as Israel's top organization.
In the wake of this honor, Israeli ambassador to the UN
Yehuda Lankri invited a delegation of Zaka leaders to a
ceremony at the UN building in New York. In his remarks at
the ceremony, the ambassador said, "Even during these
strained times, when the world is in an uproar, the Jewish
Nation emerges as a noble one that honors all those created
in G-d's image, regardless of race and creed. It respects not
only the living but also the deceased through its sacred
calling and the kindness performed without any desire for
either remuneration or glory. The fact that there is no other
organization in the world like Zaka proves that the Jewish
Nation is the Chosen Nation and a sacred nation, and we take
pride in this."
The ambassador then asked to express his high regard for the
Zaka volunteers for the kiddush Hashem that they
perform through execution of their duties out of
consideration for all those created in Hashem's image.
Later, New York City's Chief of Police invited the Zaka
delegation to visit the site of the Twin Towers disaster
("ground zero"), where rescue and identification forces have
been working around the clock for more than two months. A
brief ceremony was held in the presence of the governors of
New York and California; the president of the American Jewish
Congress, Jack Rosen; the New York Chief of Police and
hundreds of rescue workers.
At the ceremony, chazan Rabbi Ben Tzion Miller
presented an inspiring rendition of Keil Molei
Rachamim and Kaddish in memory of the victims of
the disaster. The delegation also visited the site's
makeshift police command post since the regular office had
been destroyed along with the Twin Towers. At the command
post, the Zaka delegates presented the Chief of Police with a
Zaka vest; the Chief, in turn, presented the volunteers with
New York City Police caps. Members of the delegation noted
the respect and admiration that Zaka has received from people
all over the world.
