Supporting ZAKA in the Ten Days of Repentance

Teshuvah involves a deep and honest examination of one's actions over the past year.

Jewish tradition holds that Yom Kippur atones for sins between a person and God.

For transgressions against another person, one must first seek their forgiveness directly.

ZAKA volunteers embody the principle of repair in their daily work.

They respond to scenes of tragedy to restore dignity, to make whole what has been broken.

Yet this work of healing others often leaves wounds in the healers themselves.

Many ZAKA volunteers experience trauma that cannot be easily mended.

As we engage in our own teshuvah, we have an opportunity to participate in their healing — to help repair those who dedicate their lives to repairing the world.

ZAKA has developed comprehensive resilience and recovery programs to address the psychological toll this sacred work takes on volunteers.

Nurith Cohn, a ZAKA volunteer, shares: "Everything I see is through a lens of that day... It took me five months before the first tears came... All of us who were there need help."

The Talmud teaches: "Whoever saves a single life is considered by scripture as if he had saved the whole world."

During Aseret Yemei Teshuvah, we increase our charitable giving, understanding that these days carry special spiritual weight.

Supporting ZAKA fulfills the principle of pikuach nefesh — the preservation of human life — which Jewish tradition considers a fundamental obligation.

When you enable ZAKA volunteers with equipment, training, or healing resources, you become a partner in every life they save, every family they comfort, every soul they honor.

The principle of Kol Yisrael Arevim Zeh la'Zeh — all Israel is responsible for one another — finds its expression through ZAKA's work.

These volunteers shoulder this responsibility on behalf of entire communities. Supporting their wellbeing is supporting the fabric of our collective caring.

Chesed shel emes — true loving-kindness — refers to acts of kindness performed for the deceased, who can never repay the favor.

This represents the purest form of compassion, undertaken without expectation of reward or recognition.

During Aseret Yemei Teshuvah, when Jewish liturgy is filled with reflections on mortality and the Book of Life, ZAKA's mission takes on profound meaning.

Every fragment collected, every identification made, every dignified burial enabled represents the highest form of human respect for the divine image within each person.

Recognizing that those who perform chesed shel emes often carry invisible wounds from their sacred work, ZAKA is pioneering a groundbreaking initiative:

building the first specialized PTSD Resilience and Recovery Center for first responders in Jerusalem.

This comprehensive approach addresses the critical gap in mental health support for civilian first responders, providing immediate access to trauma-informed care designed specifically for those who witness tragedy daily.

Jewish tradition teaches that during these ten days, good deeds carry amplified spiritual weight.

The Talmudic principle that "whoever enables a mitzvah is considered as if they performed it themselves" means that supporting ZAKA volunteers creates partnership in every life saved, every family comforted, every soul honored.

The psychological toll on volunteers, especially following events like October 7th, reminds us that even those who serve others need support.

Enabling their healing and resilience ensures the continuation of this vital work for future generations.