Natan Kenig has been volunteering for ZAKA for more than 20 years, but nothing could have prepared him for October 7th.
“I don’t think many human eyes have seen some of the things I’ve seen [in Kibbutz Be’eri],” he said, in a recent heartbreaking video address to the public.
For more than 40 days, Kenig was on the ground in the South, removing bodies and body parts from the sites of the massacre. From morning until night, he did often backbreaking labor, completely as a volunteer. His work has allowed hundreds of October’s fallen to be buried with dignity. He carried the bodies of children, babies, and the elderly with care and respect, after they were so brutally killed.
Now, however, Kenig has a crisis of his own. The harsh whiplash effect of PTSD has taken over his life. Once an independent, motivated father of 4, he is now overcome with flashbacks, panic attacks, and other episodes. After a month of volunteering, his family has sunken into considerable debt, and he is not able to work at this time. After all he has given to the Jewish People, a man is left shattered.
We must come together to support our heroes, after they have given up so much for the Jewish People.
Funds are being raised to help the Kenig family, so that Natan can regroup and regain his strength, and provide for his family, while recovering from this horrific trauma.