OMAHA, Nebraska โ Hundreds of sheriffs, deputies, and public safety leaders representing all 50 states gathered at the National Sheriffs’ Association Annual Conference to participate in a specialized educational program hosted by ZAKA Search & Rescue, Israel’s internationally recognized volunteer emergency response and disaster victim recovery organization.
The program focused on Jewish customs and traditions surrounding Kavod HaMeit, the sacred obligation to preserve the dignity of the deceased, while also marking another significant milestone in the growing partnership between ZAKA Search & Rescue and the National Sheriffs’ Association.
The initiative reflects an expanding relationship between Israeli emergency response professionals and American law enforcement leaders centered on cultural competency, emergency preparedness, and first responder resilience.
The program was led by ZAKA North Executive Director Moshe Rozenberg, ZAKA Search & Rescue Commander Simcha Greiniman, and ZAKA Search & Rescue Chief Medical Psychologist and Head of Resilience Dr. Vered Atzmon Meshulam.
Attendees received practical guidance concerning Jewish laws and customs governing the treatment of the deceased, including the religious imperative for timely burial, respectful handling of human remains, and effective coordination with Jewish communities during times of tragedy and crisis.
The session was designed to better equip law enforcement agencies to serve Jewish victims and their families following fatalities, violent crimes, disasters, and mass casualty incidents occurring within their jurisdictions.
Building Cultural Understanding
For many sheriffs attending the conference, the program represented an opportunity to gain practical knowledge that can be applied directly within their communities.
“The relationship between ZAKA, the National Sheriffs’ Association and each of the departments that we engage with are extraordinarily important both for the broader Jewish community,” said Moshe Rozenberg, Executive Director of ZAKA North.
“Every sheriff who better understands Jewish traditions surrounding death and burial is better equipped to serve Jewish families during their most difficult moments,” he said. “At the same time, these partnerships create trusted relationships with departments across the United States, ensuring that when communities need assistance, expertise or guidance, ZAKA Search & Rescue can help.”
Rozenberg added that ZAKA’s goal is to strengthen preparedness, dignity, and service for all communities through education, consultation, and operational support.
The program addressed several important religious considerations that may arise following fatalities involving members of the Jewish community. These included timely burial practices, working collaboratively with clergy and faith leaders, religious concerns surrounding unnecessary autopsies in many circumstances, and methods for engaging compassionately with grieving families.
Organizers emphasized that understanding cultural and religious traditions allows first responders and law enforcement agencies to provide more effective and sensitive assistance during moments of profound loss.
Supporting First Responder Wellness
Beyond cultural competency training, ZAKA Search & Rescue and the National Sheriffs’ Association announced the beginning of a working partnership focused on first responder mental health and resilience.
The initiative will bring together emergency response professionals from Israel and the United States to exchange best practices, learn from their respective experiences, and develop training frameworks designed to support responders confronting trauma, burnout, and repeated exposure to critical incidents.
“Sheriffs and public safety leaders face many of the same challenges our responders face in Israel,” said Dr. Vered Atzmon Meshulam, Chief Medical Psychologist and Head of Resilience for ZAKA Search & Rescue.
“Whether responding to violent crime, natural disasters, terror attacks or mass casualty incidents, the responsibility extends far beyond the scene itself,” she said. “Through this partnership, we are not only sharing Jewish customs surrounding dignity for the deceased, but also learning from one another and working together to strengthen responder resilience, preparedness and community trust.”
Israeli emergency responders have developed extensive expertise in addressing the psychological effects of responding to traumatic incidents, particularly following decades of experience dealing with terrorism, natural disasters, and mass casualty events.
Program organizers believe that collaboration between Israeli and American public safety professionals will provide valuable insights benefiting both communities.
Growing Operational Cooperation
What began as an educational partnership has steadily expanded into broader operational cooperation involving emergency preparedness and responder wellness initiatives.
Leaders from both organizations stressed that the exchange of knowledge benefits communities on both sides of the Atlantic.
“We are deeply grateful for the special relationship we have built with the National Sheriffs’ Association and for the partnerships ZAKA North has developed with sheriffs and their departments across the United States,” said ZAKA Search & Rescue CEO Dubi Weissenstern.
“These relationships are far more than professional connections,” Weissenstern said. “They are partnerships rooted in a shared commitment to serving families during their most difficult moments with dignity, compassion and respect.”
He added that the collaboration helps empower the work performed by ZAKA’s volunteers twenty-four hours a day throughout North America, Israel, and around the world.
A Global Humanitarian Mission
Founded to honor the dead according to Jewish religious tradition, ZAKA Search & Rescue has evolved into one of Israel’s most respected emergency response organizations.
Today, more than 4,000 trained volunteers operate around the clock throughout Israel and internationally. Their work encompasses rapid medical response, search and rescue operations, water recovery missions, and culturally sensitive burial services provided to Israel’s Jewish, Bedouin, Arab, and Druze communities.
ZAKA’s international units are capable of deploying rapidly to humanitarian crises and disasters worldwide.
For attendees at this year’s National Sheriffs’ Association Annual Conference, the program represented more than an educational seminar. It provided an opportunity to learn from professionals whose experience spans some of the world’s most challenging emergency response environments while reinforcing the universal values of dignity, compassion, and service.
As partnerships between American and Israeli public safety organizations continue to expand, leaders from both communities expressed optimism that the collaboration will strengthen preparedness, resilience, and support for families facing unimaginable loss.
For ZAKA Search & Rescue and the National Sheriffs’ Association, the shared mission remains clear: serving communities with professionalism, compassion, and respect when they are needed most.
