ZAKA Volunteer Discovers Deceased Uncle in Bnei Brak Tragedy
A ZAKA volunteer in Bnei Brak made a harrowing discovery when responding to a decomposed body, realizing the deceased was his own uncle amidst a rising silent epidemic of isolated deaths.
Yosef Haim Karkukli, a 47-year-old resident of Bnei Brak, has been a volunteer with ZAKA Tel Aviv for nearly seven years. Over the years, he has been called out to harrowing scenes, including cases of individuals discovered in their homes long after their deaths. However, nothing could prepare him for the incident he was summoned to this week in his own hometown.
"We received a dispatch from the call center about a body in a state of decomposition. I was in the area, so I headed right over," he recounted to mako Health. "I arrived at the apartment and we started working. I didn't know who it was. Only when we saw the identity card did I realize it was my uncle."
The Silent Epidemic of Loneliness
According to Karkukli, his uncle, in his 70s, was a reclusive individual who lived alone in a housing unit belonging to the Bnei Brak municipality. "He didn't have anywhere to live, so he received this unit," he said. "He would occasionally come to my mother to get food, and sometimes visited another sister of mine. I don't know if he was in touch with the rest of the family."
The moment he realized that the person he was handling was his own family member caught him completely unprepared. "I have no words to describe the feeling. This is one of the most unpleasant things I have gone through in life," he shared. "When you volunteer with ZAKA, you learn to push past a certain barrier and do what needs to be done, even when you encounter the most difficult sights. But when you discover it is your own family, it is a completely different story."
"People are simply not aware of what happens when a person dies alone and no one notices," Karkukli warned.
A Call for Community Vigilance
Karkukli notes that as part of his volunteer work, he repeatedly encounters people found in their homes days or weeks after passing away. "We call this the silent epidemic: people who pass away alone and whose bodies are found in a state of decomposition. We see many such cases, much more than people think. Most of them are not even publicized in the media."
ZAKA CEO Zvi Hasid addressed the tragic event, stating, "This is a deeply regrettable case. The silent epidemic makes no distinction. Despite the shock and personal pain, the volunteer chose to remain with the team to ensure the dignity of the deceased and bring him to a proper burial."
ZAKA has issued a renewed warning, noting that over the past year, there has been an alarming rise in cases where individuals are found in their homes lifeless in advanced stages of decomposition. Authorities and rescue organizations urge the public to remain vigilant, check on elderly family members, and keep an eye on isolated neighbors living alone. A single phone call or a short visit can make all the difference and save lives.
