Healing the Helpers: ZAKA's Resilience Centers Offer Hope After Horror
- IMFoC
- Jul 24
- 3 min read
They've seen what no one should ever see. They carry memories that don't fade—of broken homes, shattered lives, and final moments etched into their minds forever. For the 3,000 ZAKA volunteers who respond to Israel's darkest disasters, trauma is not just an occasional burden—it is part of their daily reality.
Since the horrors of October 7, 2023, these volunteers have not only helped bury the dead; they've carried the weight of those moments into their own homes and hearts. Many have quietly reached a breaking point—unable to sleep, to speak about what they've witnessed, or to find peace in a world that no longer feels the same.
Duby Weissenstern, CEO of ZAKA, understands this pain intimately. That's why he's leading a mission to bring something these heroes rarely ask for: healing. His vision? A network of resilience centers across Israel, where first responders can finally begin to heal. "I have a dream," he said. "That in every city, there will be a place to breathe again. A place where our volunteers—and anyone struggling—can feel safe, supported, and human again."
These centers will offer a range of services, including trauma counselling and support groups, cold plunge therapy, and treatment for children and families. Whether it's private sessions, couples therapy, or simply a space to speak openly without fear, each center will serve as a sanctuary for recovery because trauma doesn't end when the mission is over. It follows you home.
ZAKA spokesperson Simcha Greineman knows this all too well. A carpenter by trade, he shared how his work after October 7 changed him forever.
"For weeks, I was signing off on every house—each one telling its own tragic story. Now, every time I look at a blueprint, I see those homes again. Be'eri. Nir Oz. Kfar Aza. It's all still there, inside me."
And it's not just the volunteers who suffer. Their families feel the toll. Children watch their parents struggle in silence. Spouses wonder how to help when words no longer work. The pain doesn't isolate—it ripples.
Individuals will have a choice about what therapies are best suited to their needs. Some people respond to cold plunge therapy, while others prefer animal therapy and so on, Greineman said. The ZAKA resilience centers will offer a variety of therapeutic options. “Not everyone is the same,” he said. “There are different stages and different ways of treatment and the best thing is that you understand you have a place where you can come to with helpful ways to help you. That’s the main benefit of having it in one center.”
-Jewish News Syndicate (JNS), Rolene Marks, July 16, 2025
Unlike soldiers or security personnel, civilian first responders in Israel don't have structured psychological care. They give everything—yet receive almost nothing in return for their own well-being.
That's where these resilience centers come in. It's more than therapy. It's a lifeline.
Together, We Can Make an Impact
Through the generous support of its donors, Israel Magen Fund of Canada (IMFoC.org) is proud to stand beside ZAKA in making this dream a reality. Our shared mission is to care for those who care for everyone else—those who show up when no one else can, who hold the hands of the forgotten, and who carry the unspoken stories of tragedy and bravery.
IMFoC's initiative provides access to medical psychologists and trauma specialists who help ZAKA volunteers build the emotional tools they need to continue their work—without losing themselves in the process.
There is no easy way to forget what they've seen. But perhaps, with time, support, and compassion, they can learn to live beside it—and not beneath it.
ZAKA plans to open ten resilience centers in the coming years, starting in Jerusalem. From there, the healing will ripple outward to Haifa, Tel Aviv, Tiberias, Beersheva, and beyond. This is more than a project. It's a promise: that those who carry us through our darkest hours will not be left alone in theirs.
