Zaka has long since been known as an organization found in every possible location, engaging in very holy activities.

Five years ago, several Lubavitcher chassidim from Kfar Chabad and the surrounding region became Zaka volunteers, and founded a unit comprised entirely of Lubavitcher chassidim. The Zaka 770 crew was also at the scene of the ing in Yerushalayim, and the of R. Avi Sabbag was constantly flashed in the media, as he cleared the victims out of the remains of the y bus.

When was the Zaka 770 unit founded?

We founded the unit approximately five years ago. We took a course together with several other avreichim from Kfar Chabad and the entire region. This crew has seventeen volunteer members – all of whom are Lubavitcher chassidim.

What makes your unit stand out among others?

We actually cover the entire area of Highway #1 leading to Lod Airport. This is a strip of road with its fair share of traffic s. In addition, there are also numerous criminal incidents in the Lod-Ramle area, so naturally, there is plenty to do.

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R. Avi Sabbag decided to volunteer for Zaka activities, despite the fact that he really wanted to work helping living people as part of Magen Dovid Adom. He took the appropriate training and was accepted within the ranks of those dedicated to the holy work of Zaka. During this time, a group of Lubavitcher chassidim got together and formed a unit, headed by its commander, R. Chaim Galinski, resident of Lod.

As residents of Kfar Chabad, how did you actually come to reach the site of the ist attack in Yerushalayim?

That night, a large Zaka conference took place in Yerushalayim together with the Home Front Command, led by the Minister of Defense Mr. Shaul Mofaz. The conference marked the conclusion of a Home Front Command course to acquaint the participants with the necessary tools with which they work, and to learn the proper conduct to be followed in the event of an actual disaster, ch”v.

At the ceremony’s conclusion, we started to head home. Then, in the midst of our journey, as we left Yerushalayim, I received word on my beeper that there had been an explosion on a bus in the heart of Yerushalayim.

Then what?

In truth, I did not take it all that seriously. We receive many such reports of this type every day. Sometimes, it just turns out to be a tire blowout or something similar to that. In this instance, I thought that it sounded like another occurrence of this nature. Nevertheless, I decided to go back to Yerushalayim and get to the location. We arrived in less than seven minutes, and the sight that lay before our eyes was horrific.

You found yourself right on the scene in the midst of it all, what did you do?

I don’t deal with the wounded and injured. I am not qualified for that. However, I do handle the . It’s safe to say that I have been at the scene of about 80% of the ist attacks, so this is nothing new for me. Yet, there is no doubt that the situation this time was far worse than usual. You see Jews that were just coming back from the Kosel – women and infants. In fact, we had already experienced similar painful visions such as those at previous ist attacks in Yerushalayim’s Beit Yisrael neighborhood and in Emanuel. However, this one was especially difficult.

Your was publicized throughout the world. What exactly was your job there?

Just moments before, R. Yehuda Meshi-Zahav, Zaka chief of operations, had appointed me as crew commander in charge of removing all relevant items from the bus. I then discussed with him what should be done with all valuables belonging to the and wounded. We were speaking with the unit in charge of defusing es when the snapshot was taken. We saw heart-rending scenes there. Body parts were collected together with siddurim and T’hillim of righteous women who were returning from the Kosel, remnant of our Beis HaMikdash, from where the Sh’china never departs – all this mixed together with and fire.

Was the entire Zaka 770 unit there?

A part of the unit was on the scene, and they dealt with the matter with the utmost dedication, as the situation demanded.

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Beyond your activities as a Zaka volunteer in the framework of this Chabad unit, how is it to look upon such horrible things from the point of view of a Lubavitcher? Does this have any additional meaning?

First of all, we are really envied by many of our fellow Zaka workers. We are a special crew comprised entirely of Lubavitcher chassidim, and there is no doubt that the feeling is much stronger. We are as one body, built on a chassidic foundation.

There is no question that when we are at serious ist attacks, we understand better why the Rebbe cried out in warning about the endangerment to life for millions and millions for Jews in Eretz Yisroel. I have at home the CD “HaRabi Shel Kulam” (Everyone’s Rebbe), which contains excerpts from Sunday dollars with leading public figures where the Rebbe pleads with them not to make any territorial compromises and warns them of the ential danger.

To our great regret, we have seen that the Rebbe’s words have been realized down to the letter. As Lubavitcher chassidim, we feel the pain seven times more. More than once, we have said, “Why didn’t they listen to the Rebbe? The of thousands of Jews could have been spared, if only our leaders would have listened to his voice!” There can be no doubt that these words come to light again and again, and even the non-Chabad volunteers say to us, “The Lubavitcher Rebbe was so right. It’s a pity that they didn’t listen to him.”

How do these ist attacks affect your life at home?

The first attacks were much harder to endure, and they had an absolutely powerful effect upon our daily lives. Regrettably, routine does its part. So many attacks. Yet, the difficult feelings remain, particularly, when the victims are small children. This proves very trying.

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As a Zaka team in the Kfar Chabad area, have you encountered special cases?

Absolutely. For example, there was the on the Kfar Chabad train tracks, which resulted in the tragic of a three-year-old boy. There was also the particularly y ist attack at a pub in Rishon LeZion. As any Lubavitcher chassid, we consider the work we do with Zaka to be a form of actual shlichus.

From a Chabad point of view, how you do see the volunteer work that comes from the chareidi sector?

I can tell you that such things make a tremendous sanctification of G-d’s Name. I see this at every step of the way. During my military service, I served at the radio station of Galei Tzahal. People there really don’t know what a religious person is. They think that they come from another planet. Our istance and work in such volunteer programs have definitely opened up people’s hearts. I think that that the chareidi community itself is not aware of how great a Kiddush Hashem these things create.

Without question, this shlichus with Zaka has brought a greater sense of awareness into the chareidi community and its relation to all parts of Israeli society. They always saw only Chabad, and now, in my opinion, this whole matter has brought the entire chareidi sector closer to the rest of the people.

May it only be for good and happy things.