Krav Maga- The Authentic Israeli History

Krav Maga is based on our most primitive and natural instincts. The Hebrew word “k
rav” means struggle and was first used in the Old Testament when Isaac wrestled wi
th Gabriel, the angel of death. Although many Krav Maga building block technique
s have existed for thousands of years, the self-defense system was developed, mo
dernized, and fine-tuned during World War II and Israel’s War of Independence by E
merich “Imi” Lichtenfeld (Sde-Or).
Austin, TX, August 23, 2010 -- The history of Krav Maga is important to many tho
usands of people who practice this Israeli form of self defense. Of late, a numb
er of accounts on this subject have been publicized to the public. The history o
f Krav Maga is not only crystal clear but it is well documented. I have traveled
to Israel and learned the truth. I am an Israeli Krav Maga Instructor and I wan
ted to share it with you.
In 1935 Imi visited Palestine with a team of Jewish wrestlers to compete in the
Jewish Maccabi sports convention. Unfortunately, Imi fractured a rib during a tr
aining accident and could not compete. This accident led to Imi’s fundamental trai
ning principle emphasized in his own words: “don’t get hurt.” Imi quickly concluded th
at only real necessity justifies a “win at all costs” approach. These two tenets eve
ntually fused to create Imi’s Krav Maga training approach.
Imi returned to Czechloslavakia to face increasing anti-Semitic violence. As Naz
i hatred infected Slovakia, Jews were increasingly victims of near constant viol
ence. To protect the Jewish community from marauding fascists and anti-Semites,
Imi organized a group of young Jews to protect his community. On the streets, Im
i quickly learned the vital differences between sport martial arts competition a
nd street fighting. While serving on the front lines to protect his community, I
mi began to combine natural movements and reactions with immediate and decisive
counterattacks.
These community self-defense activities made Imi a wanted man by the fascist Naz
i occupational authorities. Nazi intolerance soon quickly reached a crescendo as
the Germans began their systematic extermination of European Jewry. In May 1940
, the Beitar Zionist Youth movement invited Imi to join them on the riverboat, P
entcho, bound for Palestine.
Israel’s early leaders recognized Imi’s fighting abilities, innovativeness, and his
ability to impart this training to others. Imi began training the Palmach (elite
fighting units), the Palyam (marine fighting units), and the Hagana, which woul
d merge into the modern-day Zahal or Israeli Defense Force. This training includ
ed fighting fitness, obstacle training, bayonet tactics, sentry removal, knife f
ighting, stave/stick fighting and any other military-oriented problems that requ
ired a creative solution.
In 1948 Imi became the principal authority in close-quarters-combat for the Isra
eli Defense Forces (IDF). He was in charge of training a disparate group of sold
iers of all shapes, sizes, and abilities, many of whom did not speak the same la
nguage. He needed to develop a self-defense system that would work for not only
spry eighteen-year-olds and elite fighting troops in prime physical condition, b
ut also for middle-aged and graying reserve soldiers. He needed a system that so
ldiers could learn quickly, during their 3-week-long basic training. Finally, he
needed a system that worked, one that soldiers could apply to any situation at
any time intuitively and without hesitation.
Until the advent of Krav Maga, self-defense and close-quarters combat were thoug
ht of as two distinct methodologies. Self-defense usually included situations in
which a defender was unaware of an impending attack. In close-quarters-combat,
two opponents are aware of the other’s respective movements and perceived violent
intent.
Krav Maga fuses the two disciplines into one fighting system, giving the trainee
the tools needed to defend oneself both when taken by surprise as well as when
one is well aware of your opponent. In Krav Maga, you’ll learn to quickly react un
der any situation. A trainee learns to both neutralize an attacker as well as de
velop a fight strategy that may include defensive posturing, and movements, coor
dinated attacks and counter-attacks, and overall tactics.
For the next two decades, Imi served as chief physical fitness and Krav Maga ins
tructor for the Israeli Defense Forces. The vast knowledge acquired through Krav
Maga training prompted the military authorities to recognize Krav Maga as a dis
tinct self-defense-close-quarters-combat system. Later, the Israeli Ministry of
Education also granted Krav Maga state recognition for training in public school
s.
In 1970, he began teaching a state recognized Krav Maga instructor’s course. He en
couraged the instructors to join military, security, and police units or to esta
blish themselves as professional instructors within the civilian community. Imi
focused both on teaching professionals and adapting his system to provide ordina
ry civilians - men, women, and children - with solutions to avoid and/or end a v
iolent encounter. In 1978, Imi, along with his senior students including his suc
cessor, current Grandmaster Haim Gidon, established the Ha Agudah L’Krav Maga Yisr
aeli or the Israeli Krav Maga Association (IKMA) http://kravmagaisraeli1.ybay.co
.il/ in his hometown, Netanya, to promote Krav Maga throughout the world for bot
h civilians and the professional security community.
Grandmaster Haim Gidon (10th dan and IKMA President) was born in Istanbul, Turke
y, in 1944 and moved to Israel in 1961. Haim fought in the Six Day War, War of A
ttrition, and Yom Kippur War. Prior to the 1967 War, Haim resumed his competitiv
e boxing and decided to learn more about the Krav Maga principals he had learned
in the military. In 1978, Haim helped Imi co-found the IKMA.
In 1994, Haim was elected as IKMA president and opened his current gym and the m
ain training center for the IKMA located on Ben Zion Street, Netanya, Israel. In
1995, Imi entrusted Haim to grant 1st dan Krav Maga black belt and senior black
belt levels. In an IKMA public ceremony, Imi awarded Haim Gidon 8th dan, an hono
r that promised that 9th and 10th dans “were to come” and designating him as Imi’s suc
cessor.
Imi approved of Haim’s additions and modifications to the Krav Maga system, especi
ally the development of retzev, the extensive groundwork and weapons defense mod
ifications.
Haim is a member of the Wingate Professional Committee (Israel’s national sports i
nstitute). Haim has taught Krav Maga tactics for the last thirty years to Israel’s
law enforcement, security and military personnel. He has received special comme
ndation from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies worldwide for hi
s specific Krav Maga law professional training curriculum and his teaching exper
tise is requested worldwide.
A generous American philanthropist and supporter, Daniel Abraham, trained with H
aim Gidon’s partner and suggested that KRAV MAGA be developed in the United States
. Imi traveled to the United States with several English speaking senior instruc
tors to promote the KRAV MAGA system. The first international KRAV MAGA assistan
t instructor’s course was held in 1981 in Netanya, Israel.
The Israeli government recognizes the non-profit IKMA as the governing body for
KRAV MAGA. KRAV MAGA founder Imi Lichtenfeld remained with his original KRAV MAG
A organization, the IKMA, until his final days. Haim was duly elected President
of the IKMA in 1994. After Imi awarded Grandmaster Gidon his 8th dan in 1996 ann
ouncing publicly that 9th and 10th dans were to come and, several members left t
he IKMA to form their own competing KRAV MAGA organizations. These organizations
instruct KRAV MAGA according to their own interpretations and imitations.
Imi formally approved of Haim’s modifications and additions to the KRAV MAGA curri
culum which were not made available to these new competing KRAV MAGA organizatio
ns. Imi’s designation of Haim Gidon as his successor indicates Imi’s faith in his or
iginal organization while Imi and Haim’s hometown, Netanya, Israel serves as the h
ub of KRAV MAGA learning and development. Many non-affiliated organizations use
and have registered the IKMA’s distinct kuf-mem logo without the IKMA’s permission.
The IKMA strongly opposes this and is challenging this misappropriation of its l
ogo and goodwill.
David Kahn http://www.israelikrav.com/ is the Chief United States Instructor for
the IKMA and has two clubs in New Jersey. He trains the US Military, Federal an
d local police agencies in addition to serving his community s self defense need
s. His company is the sole source provider for the New Jersey State Police. Davi
d has authored two books with another soon to be released.
Robb Hamic http://www.robbhamic.com is an Israeli Krav Maga Instructor based in
Austin Texas. He is a professional self defense trainer and specializes in Israe
li Krav Maga, gun deployment, concealed handgun licensing for 39 US States and u
se of force . He trains military, law enforcement, women and men locally, natina
lly and internationally by seminar and private lesson.
Contact:
Robb Hamic
The Israeli Krav Maga Association
2900 N. Quinlan Park Rd
Suite 131- B-240
Austin, TX 78732
512-284-0087
robb@summitselfdefense.com
http://www.israelikravmaga.us