ACTIVISM

Golan Vach

IDF leader

In one of the worst structural engineering failures in American history, Champlain Towers South -- a residential building in the Surfside district of Miami – partially collapsed on June 24, 2021, resulting in the deaths of 98 people. In the harrowing days that followed, IDF Col. Golan Vach led a team of 50 Israeli rescuers scouring through the rubble for survivors and helping with insights gleaned from decades of Israeli humanitarian assistance in earthquakes and other disasters around the world. “We are trying to be hopeful, but realistic at the same time,” Vach said of his discussions with family members of victims. He also spoke in a media interview about the Israeli team’s deep bond with local Florida rescuers. “We are going through this difficult time together. We talk every night... Sometimes we cry. It’s natural, but we are tough guys. This is our job and we will do it as best as we can,” he said. (Photo: Wikimedia / Creative Commons License)