Guatemalan government ministries – including the Defense Ministry, Home Front Command, fire service, police and emergency responders – recently turned to the Israeli ZAKA International Rescue Unit to ask for training sessions.

Guatemala is facing considerable challenges in the emergency field and is looking to train its emergency responders in a number of different disciplines.

ZAKA International Rescue Unit Chief Officer Mati Goldstein, together with Rabbi Joseph Garmon from the Guatemala Jewish community and representatives from the Israel Embassy, held meetings with the Guatemalan government ministries to discuss when to begin professional training sessions.

ZAKA also held meetings with the Jewish community and with Cadena, the local Jewish rescue organization, in order to ensure collaboration and cooperation for the benefit of the local Jewish community and for Israel’s public diplomacy efforts in the region.

ZAKA is known for its expertise at mass casualty incidents. It is also a UN-recognized international humanitarian volunteer organization.