Since ZAKA's establishment, it has become world renowned for its humanitarian
efforts. In fact, in 2003 a British Member of Parliament recommended that ZAKA be
nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and in 2005, ZAKA was recognized by the United
Nations as an international humanitarian volunteer organization. In addition to
its work in Israel, ZAKA provides help internationally. ZAKA maintains contact with
police services and authorities throughout the world to ensure rapid and efficient
assistance.
ZAKA assisted in the rescue efforts after the Twin Tower attack in New York;
it aided in the Columbia space shuttle tragedy in Texas; it was involved in rescue
and identification efforts in the synagogue bombings in Istanbul and also assisted
in the Mombasa terrorist attack. Subsequently ZAKA was part of the rescue team at
the terrorist bombing in Sinai, Egypt, in the rescue efforts of the Tsunami victims
in South East Asia, at the scene of the plane crashes in Phuket, Thailand and Namibia
and at the Chabad House terror attack in Mumbai.
ZAKA is also involved in honoring the dead overseas, working, among others, to
save 2000 year old Jewish catacombs from destruction in Rome and to keep an unused
Jewish cemetery in Madeira from collapse.
ZAKA is expanding its International Rescue Unit to include local, ZAKA-trained
teams that are ready to respond in their local communities to any mass casualty
incident.
ZAKA has associate fundraising offices in the US, Britain and France, where volunteers
help raise both awareness and funds to support the sacred work of ZAKA volunteers
in Israel.
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