The mitzvah of Machatzit HaShekel carries a profound truth: “The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less.” In the eyes of the Creator, and in the heart of our nation, every soul possesses the exact same infinite value.
The half-shekel reminds us that we are each incomplete on our own—we only become a “whole” when we take responsibility for one another.
At ZAKA, this is the foundation of every mission we undertake. Our volunteers don’t look at status, wealth, or background; they see only the Kedusha (holiness) of a human life.
They are the “half” that reaches into the most painful moments to restore dignity, performing the Avodat HaKodesh (Holy Work) that no one else can.
By dedicating your Half Shekel to ZAKA, you are partnering in the ultimate Chesed Shel Emet—a kindness given to those who can never repay it. You are ensuring that even in the darkest times, the light of human dignity is never extinguished, and every soul in Israel is honored as a complete and holy world.
Duby Weissenstern, CEO of ZAKA: “Each year our missions grow. We do our best to keep up, with no government funding, relying only on our incredible volunteers and the kindness of our loyal donors. We realize that If we wish to keep fulfilling our entire missions, we must grow our abilities! We tried to scream this for years, but unfortunately it was only the magnitude of the October 7 disaster which made it clear – Israel needs a stronger Zaka!”
