Batya

=**The Importance of Giving **=



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__ ZAKA __
===__Research question__ : ===  How did Zaka come to existence and how are they able to accomplish their mission?

===__Rationale__ : ===  I choose Zaka as the topic of my project because I hear about it a lot and it was a strong interest to me. I wanted to know what they do and how they actually do it. I hope to learn from this project the true value of a human and especially a Jewish body.



__ Zaka __
Zaka is an Israeli volunteer organization, which helps in Israel and all around the world at terrorist attacks and at natural disaster. The volunteers go to the scene and they help the injured people but mostly go to collect bodies and body part to give them a proper and respectful burial.

Zaka was unofficially started in 1989 when a yeshiva student-Yehuda Meshi Zahav (who is the founder and chairman of Zaka) and other students heard an explosion and screaming. Yehuda and his colleagues ran to the scene of the explosion and found a bus that had exploded because it had been steered over a mountain by terrorist. They started treating the wounded and the dead. At this event, 17 people had died and many were injured. Yehuda remembers, "It was chilling and horrifying chaos" (How Zaka began,Zaka). This quote come to shows us how hard it truly was and still is to do this type of work.

Zaka became an official organization in Israel in 1995, six years after the initial explosion, and was recognized by the United Nations in 2005 as an international humanitarian organization. For the six years that were between the attack and Zaka becoming an official organization, Meshi Zahav and a group of other volunteers would go to terrorist attack scenes and recover human remains. Zaka is the only organization that legally can recover and identify body parts. Since Zaka started they now have included in their operation help with the field emergency, by getting from place to place using motorcycles that have first aid and fire fighter equipment. As well as a search and rescue unite, in which they have canines that have been specially trained, divers and rappelling units. And in addition to all the things above, they are also trying to find ways to prevent accidents.

The volunteers overcome horrific visions, to make sure that the deceased will get the proper Jewish burial, like G-d commands, that a person must be buried the same day as his death. These volunteers are doing a completely selfless deed, by honoring the dead and making sure that they are treated right; even though the dead have no way to repay them. In Hebrew this kind of deed is called “chessed shel emet”, the true good deed.

Even though Zaka was recognized by the Unite Nations on December 2005 they have been helping all over the world before hand; at terrorist attacks and natural disasters. For example in Istanbul, Turkey, on November 2003 when a car exploded on a Saturday morning right next to a Jewish synagogue in which 24 people were killed and hundreds were injured, they flew in to assist the people (Zaka’s Global Reach, Events,Zaka). They help in all different international disasters such as the Katrina hurricane in New Orleans (2005 one of the five deadliest hurricanes), and Mumbai India terrorist attack (2008 during terrorist attacks volunteers were sent to the Chabad house in Mumbai. By the time that the got in there weren't any living hostages to help. They did what they could in order to honor the dead. They helped with body identification and brought the Jews bodies to Israel for burial.).

In 2003 a member in the British Parliament wanted to nominate Zaka for the Noble Peace Prize (Zaka 15). This shows us that the rest of the world, and not only Israel approves of Zaka.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Even though most people think that Zaka is a very good project, there are some people who have some problems with the way they work. For example, Yisrael Eichler, who is an Israeli politician, <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> emphasized that "an Orthodox (Haredi) Jew helps his brother only because it is a mitzvah" and stated "when there is any cooperation between different organizations, it is forbidden to blurr the lines that G-d put in His world, between the pure and the defiled, between the permitted and the forbidden, between the holy and the mundane, between the soldiers of G-d's holy army who are faithful to the Lord of Israel and those who rebel against G-d and His torah" <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. (Ben-Haim,1). This shows us that Zaka isn’t a perfect organization; there is always something to fix.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Zaka is always ready to go overseas on short notice with all their equipment ready, if needed. Before going anywhere, they consult with Israel's Foreign Ministry. The first thing they do when landing in a country is to contact their Forging Ministry. In many cases Zaka pays for the travel and other expenses on these trips, and not the country they’re helping. Since Zaka is not a governmental organization they sometimes help countries that aren't on the best trims with our country.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In summary, Zaka is an organization that helps world wide at different kinds of disasters. They go to the scene and they will treat the injured, and collect the bodies and body parts of the deceased that way they can get a proper burial. I personally think that Zaka is a great organization and I’m proud to be part of the country that they represent. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For imformation about ZAKA you can look at their site []

__Rationale:__
I chose to write my project about Susan F. because as someone in my neighborhood I see that she volunteers a lot, and makes an effort to help the community and people around her. She shows how important it is to give from yourself to others.



__Profile__
Susan F. believe that “its not really important to be famous but to be doing good things, to use your skills and talents for giving, for helping others”. She feels that there is a time in every person’s life that they will be on the receiving side and other times on the giving side of society, and that is one of the main reasons that brought her to volunteer. One of the things that inspired her was the verse in Psalms “olam chessed yebane” (a world of giving shall be built), she felt that since she is part of this world it is important for her to give and contribute, to make the world a better place.

After high school Susan came to Israel for the year and went to study in bar-Ilan, she felt like Israel is the right place for her to be. During this year her mother was diagnosed with cancer so as an only child she felt that she had to go back, so she flew back to America to be with her family. In America she finished her degree in computers in Barnard college, and spent some time teaching computers. At age 26 Susan moved back to Israel and made aliya (immigrated to Israel) on her own. she moved here because after going to Bnei Akiva as a kid, and learning in Bar-Ilan she really believe that this is where she belongs. While living Israel she met her husband Barry and they moved back to America and had their first child there-Yoni. Soon after, they moved back to Israel where they have been living for the last 17 years, during which time they had their second son-Amichy. Due to the fact that Susan moved to Israel from America, we can see that she is true to her beliefs and ideals. Soon after moving to Israel for the second time, Susan had started volunteering in different organizations such as Yad Sara, Melabev and the Moatza Dateet (Religious Council).

For ten years Susan volunteered in Yad Sara in the “the day rehabilitation center” which is working with people that had had a stroke. She practiced computer therapy; which means that she would help teach them how to use computers for a skill or for pleasure. Since these people had been through a stroke some of them were partially paralyzed, so they had different kind of equipment that was made for their use. And the fact that they can use a computer might make them feel better about themselves and their life. Not only did she perform the computer therapy but she also was in charge of Yad Sara’s English website for six years. That meant that she would put up articles, pictures and she designed the website.

Susan got to this because her father-in-law had Parkinson's disease and later on had Dementia, and Yad Sara helped them when they needed to transfer him from place to place. After going through a medical procedure and death in the family, Susan felt like she has been help a lot and wanted to give. She went on a tour of the Yad Sara’s building and saw the computer room and since she majored in computers she felt like that is a good place for her to help. She started volunteering there when her oldest son was in first grade and second and youngest was in kindergarten. She would volunteer there during morning hours that way she would be home in time for her kids. As her children got older and were in school for more hours; Susan would stay and work in Yad Sara for more hours as well. She would volunteer there around twice a week. Susan stopped volunteering at Yad Sara about a year ago. For the last year or so before Susan has stopped volunteering in Yad Sara she started volunteering in Melabev.

For about 3 years Susan has been volunteering and then working in the program Melabev. Melabev is an organization for seniors, particularly ones with memory problems. She works with them one on one. Her job is to encourage them to use their minds and their memories, and stimulate their brains, that way their mind will stay as sharp as it can. Susan explains, "to not be lazy mentally". The idea behind this is to avoid the brain from getting too weak, to the point that it doesn’t work-”brain atrophy”. If as person has an ability and doesn’t use it, he will at some point lose it. She volunteers there about once a week.

And she also volunteers in the Moatza Dateet for the last 3 years or so. She prints the Shiva notices, she’s their “back up”. If it comes out on weekends, hours that the Moatza is closed, and if the person in charge can’t, so she’s in charge of getting the information and printing the notices. Susan feels that “it’s a very little thing but it make everybody feel good about the community”, in Efrat this service is free, but in other places that aren’t a yeshovim (settlements) people have to pay. People are very grateful for her help and some time offer to pay, but Susan refuses to take money.

Susan got to this because the people that were the “back ups”, the Yaron family, lost their daughter Tzureet to a car accident, and they needed someone else to do it. The head of the Moatza, Bob called and ask her if she can do it, and so she did, and has been doing it ever since.

Susan hope for the future that she will develop her career more and at some point she will like to help people with their life stories to help make them feel better about themselves. She wants to keep on learning new skills and developing them within her. And of course she want to keep on helping the society,and try to make the world a better place.

One of the messages she would like to pass on to the future generations is that people should remember to be modest and that being famous isn’t everything, that they should always try to give and to use their skills for the greater good.

__Personal Connection__
In this presentation you can see people holding hands all around the globe with the map of Israel in the center. While making this i thought of two different things. The first is that the people represent different people all over the world that by giving one another, help make the world the way it is and connect everyone together. The second thing I thought of is that the people which are in all different colors represents the different people we have in Israel, that each contribute in all different kinds of way to the world and society. Both these ideas in my opinion represents the reality that our world is depended on the giving others, and that’s one of the things that keeps the world from falling apart. I think that giving to one another is something that helps hold the world together and makes it a better place. I put Israel is in the center because my project is focused on the giving in and from Israel.The fact the in Israel people help one anther and also help out of our country shows that we aren’t self centred, but think also about others; and care for them. The fact that in the our world people are so involved with giving one another, shows us that our world is a caring world.

While making this project I interviewed a neighbor, Susan F. and she help me see how important giving is, even if it’s the smallest thing that make no difference in your life because it so small, it helps another in ways you can’t necessarily see. Giving and helping others helps make the world a better place for us and later generation to live in.

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__Reflections__
While making the I-faces project i got a lot. I learnt that people will go completely out of their way just to help a fellow human being. The volunteers in Zaka will drop everything that's going on in their lives and go to a disaster site in or out of our country to help people they don't necessarily have a connection to, and to follow their beliefs. The person I interview, Susan F. taught me several things. One of them is that it doesn't matter how little of a good deed you do it helps make the world a better place. Another thing she taught me was that a person goes through different stages in life, at time he needs others help and at times he’s fine on his own. When a person is in a steady time in his life and has the ability to give, he should.

While doing this project I have developed many skills. I worked on my spelling and have improved a lot. before doing my interview, I learnt how to write good interview questions and later on how to use the information i heard and make it into an article. during the time that I was making the part of my project that involves an Israeli organization helping overseas, my searching skills improved.

__Notes__
• Ben-HaimAvishai,"הרב כדורי הורה לגמליאל: אל תתפטר מהכנסת”,01.06.01< [] > • cover picture < [] >  • cover picture for Zaka  < [] <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">>  • Events, ZAKAs Global Reach, 2011, < [] >  • How ZAKA Began, 2011, < [|http://www.zaka.us/show.asp?PID=23#.Tu97wNSO2Qo] >  • International Activities, 2011, < [|http://www.zaka.us/show.asp?PID=16#.Tu98w9SO2Qo] >  • Rapid Rescue, 2011, < [|http://www.zaka.us/show.asp?PID=17#.Tu98fdSO2Qo] > • True Virture, 2001, < [|http://www.zaka.us/show.asp?PID=8#.Tu98PtSO2Qo] > • ZAKA Worldwide, 2011, < [|http://www.zaka.us/show.asp?PID=29#.Tu99VNSO2Qp] >