Rabbi Nachum Israel Ober, a 51-year-old member of the Belz Hasidic community from Brooklyn, New York, was found dead on Monday in a remote area in Colombia.
The ultra-Orthodox man, who was divorced and a father, had traveled to Colombia for a visit but lost contact with his family at some point during the trip.
After several days of searching, his body was discovered with signs of violence.
The circumstances of his death remain unclear. Reports suggest that Ober's body was found in a desecrated state, but investigators are still piecing together the details.
The authorities are exploring various possibilities: Was Ober abducted to this location, lured there, or killed elsewhere, and his body moved in an attempt to mislead the investigation?
In the last 24 hours, ZAKA’s international center received a call from Ober's family after they lost contact with him.
Rabbi Ober to be buried in Israel
Following the discovery of his body, the family contacted ZAKA for assistance in arranging for the body’s release and its return to Israel for burial.
ZAKA’s international unit, along with members of the local Jewish community, has since been collaborating with Colombian authorities to expedite the process and ensure that the body is transported back to Israel.
Meanwhile, ZAKA’s legal department is working to prevent an autopsy from being performed on the deceased’s body, and they are pushing to accelerate the necessary legal procedures for its release.