Free Loan Service for Mourners (Gemach)

ZAKA has established dozens of free loan branches (Gemach) around the country offering a helping hand to mourners, allowing them to get through this difficult time in an easier manner.

ZAKA volunteers working with the bereaved families in their most difficult hour discovered that the mourners are generally taken up with the tragedy that has befallen them and do not have the ability to even think about the technical side, to arrange the house of mourning and to make all the necessary preparations. Consequently, ZAKA decided to remove this headache from the mourner and help, not just with honouring the dead, but also with acts of loving kindness (gemilut hasadim) towards the bereaved family.

It all began in one small room in Beit Shemesh – a few chairs lent to the mourners, a few prayer books for use in the daily prayer services and much attention and kindness. This was how the first free loan service for mourners was established. Today, it is more like an empire, with ZAKA operating over twenty branches loaning out necessary equipment to mourners. These branches are spread out across Israel, in the main cities and in the periphery. The items available for free loan include comfortable low chairs for the mourners, benches for those who come to pay their respects, books related to the laws of mourning, prayer books for every community, urns for hot water, mattresses, collapsible arks that can easily be moved from home to home and Torah scrolls.

The free loan service for mourners is available via the 24 hour ZAKA hotline (dial 1221 from any telephone or mobile phone within Israel).