ZAKA (a Hebrew acronym for "identification of disaster casualties") is a voluntary organization which is rushed to the scene of emergencies to provide medical first aid assistance to the wounded and collect the bodies -- sometimes mutilated -- of those who are less fortunate.
Dr. Ronny Berger, director of community services at the NATAL Israel Trauma Center, spoke at the International Preparedness and Response to Emergencies and Disasters (IPRED) conference on "The Resilience of Israeli Rescue Workers." He focused on ZAKA volunteers.
Speaking later with Arutz Sheva TV, Berger explained that ZAKA volunteers must be very unique individuals and that they actually deal with the difficult sights and experiences by pushing away their thoughts and memories, as opposed to dealing with them openly. The fact that the volunteers are mainly religious is indeed part of their resilience, says Berger.