Zaka leader Yehuda Meshi-Zahav accompanied Minister of the Interior Eli Yishai to Uman as officials complete preparations for the tens of thousands expected to arrive at Kever Rabbi Nachman of Breslov for Rosh Hashanah.

The minister met with his Ukrainian counterpart and other officials, including Israeli security officials, finalizing plans for the annual event.

Regarding Zaka, its moked station will be operational, manned by officials including dozens of volunteers who will be in Uman for yomtov. Friends of Zaka have arranged for a 24-hour patrol in the area of the kever for ten days, hoping to contribute to the security of the visitors during these tense times. The volunteers will be working in cooperation with local authorities, Zaka reports.

Through the efforts of Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, founder and president of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, the security enhancements are possible, the result of the generous financial assistance from the organization. It appears Eckstein’s organization has contributed to security costs for protecting Jews over the yomim tovim in other countries around the world as well.

Kol Chai Radio also reported that while in Uman, Meshi-Zahav dedicated the organization’s newest ambulance, which will be operational in that location for yomtov.

Interestingly, each organization, including Zaka, MDA and Ichud Hatzalah, are claiming to be running the show in Uman, each working to grab the spotlight and simply ignoring the overlap of services and at times, the conflicts that arise from the competition between them for the media spotlight and donor dollars.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)