ZAKA Search & Rescue Provides Kavod HaMeit During Busiest 24 Hours Of 5786, Responding From Tragedy To Tragedy

ZAKA Busiest Day

ZAKA Search & Rescue volunteers worked virtually nonstop through a succession of tragedies across Israel and internationally over a single 24-hour period Sunday, marking what officials describe as the organization’s busiest 24-hour period of 5786.

At the start of one of the final weeks of the summer, ZAKA Search & Rescue teams were dispatched from one tragedy to the next, responding to multiple fatal incidents involving children, teenagers, and adults across Israel while the organization’s International Unit simultaneously assisted a Jewish family following the death of a four-year-old Jerusalem boy in a drowning accident in Mexico.

The boy drowned in a hotel swimming pool in San José del Cabo while vacationing with his family. ZAKA Search & Rescue worked with Mexican authorities and other relevant agencies to assist the family and successfully prevent an autopsy. The child’s body was released and the organization is now helping coordinate his return to Israel for burial.

Back in Israel, volunteers responded in rapid succession to a series of tragedies, including the death of a five-year-old child in Lod, the drowning of a 12-year-old boy in the Jordan River, and the death of a 16-year-old boy in a rappelling accident in northern Israel.

ZAKA Search & Rescue teams also responded to multiple fatal traffic accidents and several cases involving people who were found deceased in their homes, including individuals who had died several days earlier.

The string of incidents required volunteers and commanders across the country to move continuously from one scene to the next while the organization simultaneously coordinated an international response in Mexico.

“Over the course of this extraordinary 24-hour period, our volunteers were working back-to-back, responding to one tragedy after another across Israel while our International Unit was simultaneously assisting a Jewish family thousands of miles away in Mexico,” said ZAKA North Executive Director Moshe Rozenberg. “There was virtually no pause between calls. Behind every incident is a family experiencing unimaginable loss, and our volunteers remain committed to being there, no matter how many calls come in or where they occur.”

The intense period also demonstrated the breadth of ZAKA Search & Rescue’s operations, with teams responding across Israel while the organization’s international network coordinated with authorities and community partners overseas.

“This was an extraordinary 24 hours for ZAKA Search & Rescue and for the thousands of volunteers who stand ready to respond whenever tragedy strikes,” said ZAKA Search & Rescue CEO Dubi Weissenstern. “Our volunteers continued working through one difficult scene after another, providing support to families and ensuring Kavod HaMeit. At the same time, our international teams were doing the same for a Jewish family in Mexico. Whether a tragedy occurs in Israel or thousands of miles away, our responsibility does not change. We are there to serve, to support, and to ensure that no family faces these moments alone.”

The 24-hour period comes as families across Israel enter the final weeks of the summer—a time when travel, vacations, and outdoor activities increase and ZAKA Search & Rescue remains prepared to respond around the clock.

Founded to honor the dead in accordance with religious tradition, ZAKA has evolved into a full-scale emergency response network, with over 4,000 trained volunteers operating 24/7 across Israel to honor the dead, aid the living, and bring dignity in times of devastation. Today, it operates a wide range of units—from rapid medical response and search and rescue to water recovery to culturally sensitive burial teams serving Israel’s Jewish, Bedouin, Arab, and Druze communities to international units deploying at a moment’s notice to crises across the globe. For more information, visit ZAKAWorld.org. n

{LARGE HEADLINE Israel Launches Innovative Drone & AI Project for Early Fire Detection

{IMG fire drone 

As extreme weather events and the effects of global warming continue to drive an increase in the frequency and intensity of wildfires, the Israeli Ministry of National Security, the Israel Innovation Authority, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), the Technion, and the Israel Fire and Rescue Authority have launched a joint project to develop an advanced solution for detecting and locating fires in real time within minutes of ignition. The system completed its first flight test, marking the beginning of a series of additional trials designed to evaluate its capabilities across a range of operational scenarios and changing field conditions, to enable emergency organizations to respond more quickly and effectively to fires, particularly across vast and remote areas.

As part of the project, a dedicated system was developed and integrated onto IAI’s APUS 25 platform, an advanced tactical VTOL (Vertical Takeoff and Landing) drone capable of operating from virtually any location without the need for a dedicated runway, flying at high altitudes, and remaining airborne for extended periods.

The system combines day and night-vision cameras with infrared capabilities that enable the detection of fire hotspots even in darkness and allow it to penetrate dense smoke. It uses spectral image-processing algorithms and artificial intelligence to analyze information in real time, detect anomalies, identify fire outbreaks, and extract the precise location of a fire from high altitudes, while immediately transmitting alerts to the Israel Fire and Rescue Authority’s command and control center.

The system represents a breakthrough thanks to its ability to cover hundreds of square kilometers with a single drone, detect fires within just a few minutes of ignition, and determine the fire’s location with meter-level accuracy from its earliest stages—before it develops into a large-scale wildfire that could become uncontrollable.

The solution is based on the APUS 25 drone, developed for long-endurance missions and capable of remaining airborne continuously for extended periods, even under challenging terrain and weather conditions. The platform is optimized for long-range persistent surveillance missions while carrying a dedicated payload. Powered by an internal combustion engine rather than electric motors or batteries, the APUS 25 achieves significantly extended flight endurance.

The drone will be operated by a firefighter, who will define the search area by marking a polygon on a digital map. Following takeoff, the drone will operate autonomously, position itself at the optimal observation point, and continuously scan the designated area for four to five hours, providing emergency responders with a real-time operational picture to support decision-making, incident management, and the efficient deployment of firefighting resources.

Yaron Schone, Head of R&D Technology Department, Israel Ministry of National Security, notes, “This project represents another step forward in advancing innovative technological capabilities for Israel’s security and emergency organizations. The combination of drones, artificial intelligence, and advanced data-processing capabilities has the potential to enable earlier fire detection, improve operational situational awareness, and shorten response times in the field. The collaboration between all participating organizations reflects the importance we place on connecting operational needs with Israeli innovation to develop solutions that help protect lives, property, and Israel’s natural resources.”

Moshe Levy, EVP and GM of the Military Aircraft Group, IAI, notes, “For many years, IAI has been developing advanced technological solutions for complex challenges across both defense and civilian domains. This unique project demonstrates our ability to leverage our expertise, operational experience, and capabilities in aviation, artificial intelligence, and autonomous systems to address an issue of both national and global importance. Collaborations of this kind enable us to transform advanced technology into operational capabilities that deliver real value in the field.” n

LARGE HEADLINE {80 Outstanding Jewish Students From 12 Countries Complete Prestigious Birthright Israel Excel Summer Fellowship

The 2026 cohort of the Birthright Israel Excel Fellowship—80 outstanding college students from around the world—completed the prestigious 9-week program in Israel this week. The fellowship develops emerging leaders in business, technology, and Jewish communal life.

This year’s cohort included participants from 12 countries, including host Israel with 80 local participants. Fifty participants are from the United States, while 30 come from Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, France, Germany, Italy, Russian Federation, Spain, United Kingdom. A few of the participants are visiting Israel for the first time.

“Birthright Israel is thrilled to welcome the 2026 cohort of Birthright Israel Excel: 80 outstanding students selected from thousands of applicants at leading universities around the world, alongside 80 exceptional young Israelis,” said Gidi Mark, International CEO of Birthright Israel. “Birthright Israel Excel is more than an internship program—it is an investment in the future of Jewish leadership. The Jewish world needs talented emerging leaders to carry it into the future. This program is a strategic lifeline for world Jewry, helping ensure our next generation continues to thrive.”

During the last 9 weeks, participants experienced Israel through its innovation, economy, and people, built meaningful relationships with one another, and joined a global community of leaders, entrepreneurs, and changemakers.

Since 2011, the Excel Fellowship has cultivated the next generation of Jewish business leaders. Each year the fellowship carefully selects top students from thousands of applicants for summer internships with leading business and tech companies in Tel Aviv.

Their internships spanned fields including finance, consulting, engineering, venture capital, software development, cybersecurity, biotechnology, and business development.

“One of the pillars of the program this year was preparing community members for the hostile environment they might face on campuses, by giving them tools to better deal with the challenges they encounter there, along with a supportive network,” said Idit Rubin, executive director of Birthright Israel Excel.

“We genuinely believe that by strengthening ties in the business world and through professional connections, we’re also strengthening Israel and the Jewish communities around the world. We look forward to continuing these relationships and developing them.”

After their return home, the Excel fellows enter a global network that provides resources for professional and personal development, Israel engagement, Jewish leadership, and encouraging them as philanthropists.

Birthright Israel Excel fellows have gone on to positions at top-tier companies such as J.P. Morgan Chase, Bain & Company, and Google. Others have developed strategic partnerships with Israeli companies and started their own companies, often hiring other fellows.