For the third consecutive year, the people of Israel once again saluted Zaka, ranking it as Israel’s no. 1 favorite after the IDF among organizations in the private and public sphere, in a survey published on 10 Kislev in Yediot Achronot ahead of the annual Sderot Conference on Social Issues this week. a sample of 500 respondents aged 18 and over were asked to rank their level of esteem for various organizations and people in the private and public sector on a scale of 1-5.

Zaka, which last year was ranked no. 2 after the IDF with a rating of 85.9 (out of 100), increased its standing to a rating of 91% (out of 100) in the 2015 survey, coming in just two percentage points behind the IDF (93) and ahead of MDA (90).

Conference founder and president, Uzi Dayan, said, “This year, once again, Israelis display zero tolerance for injustice as we see in the lack of satisfaction related to public figures and large financial institutions, whereas those in the security forces, police and emergency services win the admiration of the public in light of their important roles at this time.”

Zaka Chairman and founder Yehuda Meshi-Zahav: “The survey expresses that which we know and experience in our daily work – the great esteem and appreciation that the Israeli public feel for the holy work carried out by Zaka volunteers, for being among the first on the scene in times of emergency and routine in Israel and overseas and for our work in saving lives and honoring the dead. This ranking provides a welcome moral boost to our volunteers particularly at this difficult time.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)