ZAKA is respected in Israel and internationally as a primary rescue and recovery volunteer organization, responding 24/7 to emergency or disaster situations. When ZAKA recently received a call which was slightly out of the ordinary, it didn’t hesitate – and its speedy response allowed a disabled boy to enjoy the experience of a lifetime.

Mati Goldstein, Commander of the ZAKA International Rescue Unit, was contacted by Jenine Shwekey, wife of the well-known Jewish singer Yaakov Shwekey, who happens to be a friend of Goldstein. Jenine, who manages The Special Children’s Center in Lakewood, New Jersey, had a pressing and extraordinary request for ZAKA.

“We have a very special boy, Chaim Levy, with a dream to come to Israel,” Jenine explained to Goldstein. “But he is wheelchair-bound and must be connected to medical devices at all times.”

Goldstein responded by offering ZAKA’s help in any way possible to fulfill Levy’s dream. Within 24 hours, a ZAKA volunteer team was in place to escort Levy, his family, and caretakers on a nine-day tour through Israel. “First and foremost, ZAKA’s platform is chesed (loving-kindness),” shared Goldstein with Breaking Israel News. “We always do whatever we can to ease the plight of anyone in need.”

Chesed is a central theme in Jewish ethics and theology. As a common term used to describe God’s love for humankind and His special relationship with the the Jewish people, chesed is a virtue which contributes to tikkun olam (making the world a better place).

“This challenging trip was made possible through a group of people all dedicated to chesed,” related Goldstein to Breaking Israel News. “World-renowned philanthropist Rabbi Shlomo Yehuda Rechnitz covered all the costs for bringing Chaim to Israel. Jet 911, an emergency medical flight company, sent a medical team member who specializes in international patient transport and The Center for Special Children provided the counselors.”

In a complex diplomatic operation, Rabbi Zvi Gluck, Director of Operations for ZAKA International, managed to get the US Embassy to open specially on a Sunday in order to issue Levy a passport. ZAKA’s Israel branch handled the logistics in the Holy Land, including the coordination of flights, specialized vehicles, medical authorizations and special entrance passes to the sites being visited.

After a complicated journey, Chaim Levy and his entourage arrived at Ben Gurion Airport, where they were met on the runway by the ZAKA volunteers.

As Goldstein explained to Breaking Israel News, “This is not the first time that ZAKA has helped people with special medical needs to fulfill their dreams. However, coordinating all of this within 24 hours, I have to say, is a rather amazing feat. This joint venture ensured that this special person, whose only wish was to come to Israel, would have the best time of his life.”

Suddenly, 24 hours seems like an impressively quick amount of time to make the impossible possible.