[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 154 (Friday, September 26, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2028-E2029]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING ZAKA SEARCH AND RESCUE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELIOT L. ENGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 25, 2008

  Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an Israeli 
organization that has dedicated itself to assisting the victims of 
terrorist attacks and other life-threatening situations, and making 
sure that those who pay the ultimate price receive a proper Jewish 
burial.
  ZAKA Search and Rescue is an organization of 1,500 volunteers who 
live and work throughout the State of Israel. At a moment's notice, 
they are prepared to drop everything and rush to the scene of a traffic 
accident or terrorist incident. Wearing their trademark yellow vests 
and weaving through traffic jams on motor scooters, ZAKA volunteers are 
often the first to arrive on the scene. They provide first aid to 
victims until emergency medical personnel arrive on the scene. When an 
incident results in fatalities, ZAKA volunteers perform the grim but 
necessary work of collecting and

[[Page E2029]]

preserving victims' remains so they can be buried according to Jewish 
law, and helping family members cope with the tragedy.
  ZAKA volunteers are widely recognized and respected throughout Israel 
for their devotion to the difficult duties they perform. During 2007, 
they participated in more than 18,000 life-saving or search-and-rescue 
incidents. More than 2,000 times they were involved in activities to 
honor the dead after fatal accidents or attacks. Because of their 
professionalism, they have forged close working relationships with 
police and other emergency responders.
  ZAKA has also expanded its work to respond to accidents and 
catastrophes around the world. They helped identify Jewish victims of 
the deadly Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami in 2004 in Thailand, Sri 
Lanka, India, and Indonesia. They helped return the remains of victims 
of plane crashes in Russia and Namibia. They helped save 2,000-year-old 
Jewish catacombs in Italy. And they helped rescue and preserve sacred 
Jewish Torahs in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
  I had the privilege of speaking at a lunch last week here in 
Washington honoring ZAKA and its founder, Yehuda Meshi Zahav. ZAKA's 
motto is ``Saving those who can be saved, and honoring those who 
cannot.'' They live up to this motto every day. I ask all of my 
colleagues to join me in paying tribute to this great organization, and 
to the many volunteers who give selflessly of their time to help those 
in need in Israel and around the world.

                          ____________________