MK Chairman of Yahadus HaTorah, Rabbi Yaakov Asher, demanded this past Monday, that a halt be made to all the harmful propaganda campaign against the chareidi public. These words were said during a tour of the ZAKA and Ichud Hatzolah logistic centers on the National Memorial Day of the Simchas Torah massacre.
Rabbi Yaakov Asher stressed in his words that it is the Torah that protects Jewry throughout the generations, and that chessed was a Divine commandment therein. "Leave the Torah community be free to study Torah!" he pleaded, while also demanding that the volunteers of the emergency organization be allowed to integrate with the national emergency forces in an organized manner.
In the course of the tour, Rabbi Asher met with the heads of the organizations and their member volunteers, and heard about their varied activities following that horrendous date and their successive operations which continue to this day.
From ZAKA, he was exposed to documentation of the organization's activities since that event and up to these times. He became privy to its ongoing activities in very difficult arenas. He was also shown the Power Center which was established for the volunteers who were exposed to difficult shocking scenes. Among other projects, a Daf Yomi study initiative was organized and substantiated with the active encouragement of ZAKA in providing deluxe Schottenstein texts, maintaining that the combining of established study programs with volunteer work is a nostrum for the soul.
"You succeed in presenting the value of chessed shel emes," MK Rabbi Asher noted to the corps of volunteers. "You are realizing the value of chessed, which is our fundamental, not through coercion or physical strength, but from an honest desire to do good. I thank you, and your families, and applaud you, in the name of the entire nation, and am proud to represent you and help you. Be strong and courageous!"
Rabbi Asher continued from there to the logistic center of Ichud Hatzolah, where he was shown a very comprehensive system of emergency service in its many activities encompassing thousands of vigorous members — through its routine work and emergency services.
