JERUSALEM — A senior delegation of close to a dozen New York law enforcement officials visited the national logistics center of ZAKA Search and Rescue in Beit Shemesh to learn more about ZAKA’s response on Oct. 7, 2023, and to meet some of the civilian volunteers whose lifesaving work has become a cornerstone of Israel’s emergency response system.
The delegation included New York State Police Assistant Deputy Superintendents Lt. Colonel Richard L. Mazzone and Lt. Colonel Robert B. Appleton; NYPD Assistant Commissioner Yosef Lehrman; NYPD Assistant Chief Roberto Rios; Port Authority Superintendent of Police and Director of Public Safety Edward T. Cetnar and his chief of staff, Assistant Chief Christopher McNerney; Port Authority Police John F. Kennedy Airport Commanding Officer Inspector Scot E. Pomerantz and Port Authority Chaplain Joel Eisdorfer, a senior advisor to the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM).
At ZAKA’s logistics hub, the delegation was welcomed by ZAKA CEO Dubi Weissenstern and senior commanders, who provided a tour of the center, demonstrations of ZAKA’s state-of-the-art equipment and vehicles, and an in-depth overview of the organization’s operations before, during, and after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks. Officials learned how more than 900 ZAKA volunteers were among the first on the scene at massacre sites across southern Israel, working alongside police, forensic investigators, and military personnel to recover victims, document evidence, and ensure each person received a dignified burial according to their faith as quickly as possible.
Weissenstern described how the chaos and devastation of that day pushed ZAKA’s volunteers to their limits, underscoring the vital cooperation between the organization’s civilian responders and Israel’s national law enforcement agencies. He also briefed the delegation on how ZAKA integrates within Israel’s broader emergency response framework, working alongside police, fire, rescue, and medical services while remaining entirely volunteer-staffed.
Following a tour of ZAKA’s command and control center, the visitors met with volunteers who responded on October 7. They received detailed briefings on how ZAKA teams worked with law enforcement to collect and preserve forensic evidence vital to ongoing investigations, assist in victim identification, and help establish the circumstances of each death.
“Our volunteers see what no one should ever have to see,” said ZAKA CEO Dubi Weissenstern. “But we do it so families can find peace and so every person is treated with dignity, even in the most difficult moments. When terror struck our nation, we worked side by side with police and investigators, each of us helping to restore order, compassion, and humanity amid devastation.”
“Hosting this delegation from New York’s law enforcement community allowed us to share how partnership between volunteers and official services in Israel saves lives and brings closure to families,” added ZAKA’s U.S.-based Executive Director Moshe Rozenberg.
The visit was coordinated in partnership with the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM), which helped organize the delegation’s broader program in Israel. For the visiting officials, the experience offered a rare glimpse into how faith-based volunteerism in Israel directly supports professional investigative and emergency operations. ZAKA’s model demonstrates how trained civilian volunteers can work hand in hand with police and forensic authorities, combining compassion and community service with the precision and coordination required in complex investigations and crisis response.