Battered Japan Grapples with Nuclear Threat 

At lunch last Wednesday, I visited with a friend and we were marveling at the fact that one never knows what one is waking up to these days. Two days later, I woke up early and grabbed a cup of coffee before turning on FOX News. There I learned about the earthquake in Japan.

The headlines now come so fast and furious…well, I know readers of “Israel Watch” are thinking the same thing.

The days that many of us have anticipated are here, and it is no coincidence that even though large stories are happening all over the globe, it is Israel that remains at the center of things.

Some friends of mine are putting the best possible face on the reality of who Israel really is. ZAKA, the disaster-response organization based in Israel and led by Meshe Zahav, is dispatching a team to Japan; from their press release:

“Following the massive earthquake and tsunami in Japan and after consultation with the Israeli Foreign Ministry and with emissaries from the Chabad organization in Japan, the ZAKAInternational Rescue Unit will send a team of trained volunteers from Israel , headed by the ZAKA International Rescue Unit co-directors Mati Goldstein and Dovi Maisel, on Saturday evening (after the conclusion of the Sabbath) to help in search and rescue efforts in Japan.

“In addition, another team from the ZAKA International Rescue Unit based in Hong Kong will leave for the quake area after the conclusion of the Sabbath in their region.

“The ZAKA International Rescue Unit volunteers will be met by the Israel Ambassador to Japan Nissim Ben Sheetrit. The specially trained ZAKA volunteers will join the international search and rescue efforts in an effort to save as many lives as possible. 

“The UN-recognized, Israel-based ZAKA International Rescue Unit has assisted at natural disasters around the world, including Haiti (the first Israeli delegation to arrive on the scene, the tsunami in Thailand and the hurricane in New Orleans.” 

If you are looking for an organization to support, I suggest you check out www.zakafamily.org. They are doing amazing work, and are headquartered in the heart of the Landof Israel.

I met Meshe and members of his team recently, and came away deeply impressed by their commitment to help people. And believe me, they engage in work that many of us would not be able to do. Whenever there is a terrorist strike in Israel, ZAKA moves in to gently identify victims. At a time whenIsrael gets little support from the international community (already, 49 nations have pledged to help Japan), the Jews always stand ready to help other victims of natural disasters or other catastrophes. They are quite an amazing group.

As we move gingerly through these days, let us lift each other up in prayer. Let’s support each other any way we can. Our world is not “normal” anymore, and in the coming days, it is important to use our skill sets to help others. Let us go forward in the spirit of the ZAKA efforts.

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Originally published in Rapture Ready, Israel Watch. March 14, 2011

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