A Night With ZAKA

It was a great night in Newark, New Jersey, an evening to benefit the remarkable volunteers of ZAKA, which include two of our nephews, Simcha Greiniman and Ephraim Greidinger, who of course reside in Eretz Yisrael.

In a sense, we were always close to their families. Their father-in-law, Shlomie, a’h, is my wife’s brother. Both Simcha and Effie serve dual roles in interchangeable volunteer functions between volunteering for United Hatzalah and when necessary, ZAKA.

{IMG Meaningful Minute’s Nachi Gordon at the ZAKA One Heart One Song Concert at Newark Symphony Hall

Ephraim Gridinger of ZAKA with his aunt, Esta Gordon

{Caption: Ephraim Greidinger of ZAKA with his aunt, Esta Gordon

Simcha Greiniman of ZAKA with his aunt, Esta Gordon

This latest chapter of the story really began on October 7, 2023, the date of Shemini Atzeres-Simchas Torah. These two men and hundreds like them thought they were going to shul to be with friends and family so they can celebrate and enjoy the trifecta chag.

But early that morning, their phones and radios crackled about volunteers needed down south in the communities that lie within a stone’s throw of the Gaza border. As these men and women ran out to their ambulances, pick-up trucks, and cars and headed south, they became aware that something different was unfolding.

At this point, we all know too well what transpired on 10-7. But at the same time, we are mostly unaware of what the ZAKA volunteers had to deal with on that day and in the ensuing days in the wake of that tragedy.

Our nephew, Simcha, is an emotional rock or at least he appears that way. Prior to 10-7, he once told me about how he was manning a ZAKA truck in Meron on that infamous Lag B’Omer, when 45 men and boys were crushed or stampeded to death in the rush of the holiday crowd. He once shared with me the number of bodies he had to deliver to the Israeli coroner’s office.

That was awful, bad, and shocking, but nowhere near the scale of 10-7. Of course, no one expected a stampede on that night in Meron. And no one could have imagined in their worst nightmare what many of these volunteers found themselves dealing with, even as they were under fire from terrorists on that Shabbos-yom tovmorning.

Seven weeks later, we were in Israel accompanying Simcha and Effie to the south to take a walk through Kfar Aza to see the damage ourselves firsthand.

This past Sunday night was not about the buildings that were bombed, set on fire, and destroyed in that attack. It was about the ordinary, everyday men and women who are moms and dads when they’re not dealing with the car accidents or other mishaps that require ZAKA’s attention and input.

Now, almost two years later, our nephews tried to describe what they saw during that period. In fact, Simcha, who is a powerful communicator and is fluent in English, has set aside his business these last two years to travel the world and speak with leaders, and even addressed the United Nations to explain what he as an average Israeli volunteer had to see and deal with from October 7th onward.

It’s a difficult and highly sensitive topic to talk about. Frankly, as I’m not a ZAKA volunteer, these next few lines are even difficult for me to tap into my laptop.

One of the things our nephews explained to us is what they discovered in some of the homes in Kfar Aza. We are talking about women who were assaulted, brutalized, and then murdered. Simcha spoke to the UN about one woman in particular, whom he described as having been so seriously attacked, that the Chessed Shel Emes found themselves in a challenging situation just to provide her with a dignified Jewish burial.

Then there were families who were tied together by the terrorists and murdered while in each other’s embrace. And babies and infants stabbed or shot and sometimes both.

The purpose of last Sunday’s event was not to review what took place on October 7th. It’s about supporting these 4,000 brave volunteers so they can not only go on with their lives, but so they can thrive and help their families thrive even while carrying the visions of things they can never unsee.

To that extent, ZAKA has developed a Resilience Center where the volunteers and heroes of ZAKA can come together and meet with therapists as well as each other to find comfort, solace, and strength to carry on despite the horrors of what they experienced together.

And so, the incredible evening was topped off by a lavish banquet dinner and a star-studded concert at Newark Symphony Hall, where leading Jewish performers and one comedian played to a sold-out crowd of 3,000 people. The show was emceed by the inimitable Nachi Gordon.

There was a collection of high-spirited songs that brought the crowd to their feet many times. And there were several occasions when the ZAKA volunteers who flew in from Israel for the event were moved to stand up and dance with members of the audience in the aisles.

During an intense set by the extraordinary Avraham Fried, he expressed through a combination of songs our faith in the future in the hands of our Creator. 

For these bold men of ZAKA who suffered so much, the dancing and singing demonstrated our desire that they find the strength to push ahead to a new and better future.

In fact, it was shortly after the start that Shulem Lemmer did a set of about a half dozen expertly orchestrated songs, including Israel’s two entries in the Eurovision international song contest that deserved first place, and despite the naysayers in the anti-Israel world, still finished near the top, just not at the top.

The two tunes sung by Lemmer were “October Rain” originally performed by Eden Golan, and “New Day Will Rise” sung at the contest by Yuval Raphael, who was held hostage by Hamas on October 7th before managing to escape.

In addition to Fried and Lemmer, we heard great songs from Benny Friedman, Itzik Dadya (“Tamid Ohev Oti”), and for some of the old-timers, Shalsheles. Baruch Levine made a surprise appearance, delivering an emotional performance alongside fellow performers. Comedian Dovie Neuburger brought some laughter to the stage in a fashion that enhanced the evening.

This was ZAKA’s 35th anniversary, and a reminder that there is never enough that we can give these great people for their service to Klal Yisrael. n

Read more of Larry Gordon’s articles at 5TJT.com. Follow 5 Towns Jewish Times on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for updates and live videos. Comments, questions, and suggestions are welcome at 5TJT.com and on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.