Born in 1975, Dubi Weissenstern has been the CEO of ZAKA since 2013, bringing over a decade of leadership experience to Israel’s foremost rescue and recovery organization.
Founded in 1989, ZAKA is a volunteer-based emergency response nonprofit with more than 3,000 volunteers operating in Israel and around the world. Under Weissenstern’s leadership, the organization has expanded its international disaster-relief efforts and earned recognition from the United Nations for its extensive humanitarian work. Weissenstern has also restructured key aspects of ZAKA, including the creation of a new governing board to strengthen operational efficiency and strategic oversight.
As CEO, Weissenstern has played a central role in crisis management, strategic planning, and external relations through some of Israel’s most challenging periods, especially in the aftermath of October 7, 2023.
In response to the overwhelming trauma endured by first responders, he launched and spearheaded a nationwide plan to establish Resilience Centers. These centers will provide healing therapies, emotional decompression, and long-term mental health support for ZAKA volunteers. The first pilot center is slated to open in Jerusalem, with further centers to be opened across major cities in Israel.
A frequent voice in Israeli media
Since October 7, Weissenstern has become a frequent voice in the media, speaking publicly and candidly about the emotional challenges faced by ZAKA volunteers and the organization’s ongoing efforts to support their resilience and well-being.
His leadership also extends ZAKA’s mission internationally. In February 2025, he led the organization’s delegation in signing a historic Memorandum of Understanding with the US National Sheriffs’ Association, introducing ZAKA’s training programs to American law enforcement officials. Later that year, in July 2025, ZAKA assisted in flood recovery efforts in Texas, deploying advanced tools and trained responders to help local authorities while upholding dignity and respect for the deceased.