After two days of intensive activity in Moldova, the procedures for releasing the body of Rabbi Akiva Rand, the late Chernobyl Hasidim, a 29-year-old Jerusalem resident who was killed on Wednesday in a fatal car accident in Chisinau, have been completed - and he will be brought for burial in Israel next week, upon completion of all the necessary permits to fly him on a private plane.
Volunteers from the ZAKA International Unit worked at the scene of the accident to treat the deceased with dignity and collect the remains, bringing them to the Israel Cemetery with due respect.
Immediately upon receiving the report, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Israeli Embassy in Moldova, and the ZAKA International Unit led the handling of the incident, accompanied the family members during their difficult time, and worked to bring the deceased to the Israeli grave.
At the same time, ZAKA's international unit waged a struggle against local authorities and the Moldovan legal system, and in the end - despite the authorities' demand to perform an autopsy - succeeded in leading to the release of the deceased's body without an autopsy and its transfer for burial in Israel.
Nachman Dickstein, Commander of ZAKA Europe: "The efforts that lasted almost two days ended with divine help successfully. I would like to thank the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Israeli Embassy in Moldova, the Chabad emissary in Moldova, Rabbi Mendy Axel, and all the parties in Israel and Moldova who worked devotedly around the clock until the mission was completed. Thanks to their cooperation, we were able to preserve the honor of the late Akiva, prevent his body from being autopsied, and bring him to the Jewish grave.""
The late Rabbi Yechiel Heshil Makrylovitz traveled to Moldova to visit the tomb of Rabbi Yechiel Heshil Makrylovitz, grandson of the 'Apta Rav' and son-in-law of Rabbi Yehoshua of Belza - whose Yahrzeit falls today - who lies buried in the ancient cemetery in Chisinau.
The deceased was driving a car, and in a self-inflicted accident he fell into a wadi on the side of the road. Friends who were with him in the car were evacuated to a local hospital.
