by Yehuda Meshi-Zahav
Head of ZAKA Search & Rescue

When terror strikes in Israel, I often find that I and my ZAKA colleagues are among the first at the scene. Our job is not an easy one, but we are part of this organization because we recognize its importance, and we want to perform for others this final kindness - the chessed shel emet. Our task is to identify victims of disaster and ensure that the bodies and limbs are treated with dignity and receive a proper Jewish burial.

When disaster strikes elsewhere in the world, and our expertise is required, our independent status (we are not government-sponsored) allows us to just show up and do our job. So often, it is Chabad who facilitates this, and in every situation we see how Chabad's international presence, always on call, anywhere, anytime, to help another Jew, is so critically important to the Jewish people. Because of my work, I personally am in direct contact with many of the Chabad emissaries around the world. When the tsunami disaster struck, Nechemiah Wilhelm of Chabad in Thailand immediately contacted us by phone and explained the urgency of the situation and how things get done in that country. The moment there is a Chabad presence, everything changes for the better. We experienced this ourselves, and the entire Israeli ZAKA contingent felt it. As soon as we established contact with Chabad, we knew what to do and where to act. Chabad greeted us upon our arrival fully equipped, with kosher food and everything that we would find necessary and continued to assist us until our mission was complete.

On our second day in Thailand several of us went on a search mission to a different city where we lacked everything we needed. Now, it's not as if you can just go into a supermarket and buy basic supplies. Rather we were surrounded by tens of kilometers of hellish wilderness. We felt completely helpless, stranded in the middle of nowhere without food or supplies. And then we got a call from Rabbi Kantor with exact instructions as to where we should go. By the time we got there, we found that he had traveled for hours under very difficult conditions and was there waiting for us with warm home-cooked food and all the supplies that we lacked. It was a superhuman accomplishment, but the rabbi just made it seem natural, as if he was just doing his job…

We were amazed when we arrived to find that even the most minor details about every missing person had been collected and computerized prior to our arrival by the Israeli Government's forensics team. Thus, when we got to Thailand everything was already in place. All we had to do was go out to the field and do our job. Chabad had outstanding connections and cooperation with the Thai police and military. What's more, Chabad assumed responsibility for all the expenses of our mission, from the airfare for our entire crew to the supplies and equipment we required.

Their contacts everywhere enabled them to get within minutes any necessary papers, as if they were native Thais with expertise in all the bureaucratic byways.

All Identified

The only international search team that was 100% successful was our combined unit of ZAKA and the Israeli forensic team. Out of seven missing Israelis we found and identified seven bodies. Not a single one remained unaccounted for, and all were repatriated to Israel for proper burial. This success precluded any problem of ‘agunot' (‘chained' wives of missing husbands who may not remarry according to Jewish law.) We were visitors in a strange land. Chabad opened all the doors for us. Often it is the little details that we were suddenly in need of help with, and Chabad always took care of them. For example, there was a need for fingerprints of a South African Jew who had perished. It was Sunday and everything was closed. One call from Chabad and the matter was resolved.

Everything is measured according to results. We arrived at a place that was utter devastation and mayhem. We had only what we remembered to bring with us. There were no shops in which to purchase anything that we lacked. Chabad took responsibility for all these things. We got whatever we asked for.

When we arrived in Thailand, all of our equipment — several tons — were missing. Nechemia Wilhelm of the Chabad House appeared like an angel and took it upon himself to track down our shipment. He succeeded in almost no time.

Without the logistical support of Chabad and their concern for every detail our efforts would have amounted to little or nothing. They were involved in every decision, they were part of our team. For me this was nothing new. Chabad is always there for us anywhere in the world. ZAKA is very close with Chabad — we are not just about “identifying victims of disasters,” but also about “forging closer bonds among all Jews.” In this we are trying to emulate the Chabad model.

Shabbat in Bangkok

In some ways, our most lasting impressions of Chabad is the result of the Shabbat we spent with them in Bangkok. Anyone who has not been there cannot imagine what that is like. All sorts of people from every conceivable background, many of whom barely identify in any meaningful Jewish way, show up. By the time they leave they are totally enamored with Chabad, having seen over 500 young people from every color of the rainbow sitting around a single Shabbat table.

For example, the commander of the Israeli team has been talking about the delicious smell of chulent ever since that Shabbat. As for me, every Friday evening we sing the zmirot — the Shabbat songs — of Thailand Chabad and we try to emulate their success.

It is no longer any secret that everywhere in the world Chabad is counted on by Israeli security, diplomatic corps, journalists and others. ZAKA is no exception, and our work in Thailand proved to us, once again, that we can't do it without Chabad.

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