Moshe Katz – Head InstructorSo where does the "Moshe Katz Krav Maga" story begin?
That did it. I was hooked on Mr. Miyagi and Karate. I signed up for lessons in Shurin ryu Karate with an instructor named Chaim Jaffe. I still remember my first day; the sweat filled gym brought back found memories of high school. I was "sold" right away but had no idea this would become my life long pursuit. I wrote my parents that I thought "Karate would be good for me."
When I returned to New York I trained for two years in the full contact style of Kyokushin Karate with Saiko Shihan Shigeru Oyama. Those were great times. After three months I had my first visit to the hospital, I recall it was St. Vincent's. The occasion was a round house kick to my nose. Then it was a visit to St. Luke's after my knuckles got hurt breaking boards; good memories.
I returned to Israel after being graduated from Bernard Baruch business school (New York City), and began looking for a place to train. After spending a few months in Shotokan Karate a friend suggested I check out Itay Gil's full contact school. It was love at first kick. The hard hitting style of Itay's Krav Maga gym was what I was used to back at the Oyama dojo in New York. I suffered my share of injuries and loved every minute. I began once again at white belt and worked my way up the ranks. Itay's school had the hard hitting full contact sparring I was used to but it had more. It had the Israeli self defense approach known as Krav Maga. Today, after many years of training I hold the rank of 4th dan black belt in Krav Maga, the only such rank ever awarded by Itay Gil . My current rank in martial arts is Fifth dan . This rank was awarded to me by six different international organizations in recognition of my ability and my contribution to self-defense. The 5th dan is not specifically a Krav Maga rank, but a recognition of my ability and the approach that I use. Although I did not seek any of these ranks I am honored by them. These ranks and diplomas can be viewed at -
During my yearly visits back to the good old USA I used my time to train. I trained with my old pals at the Oyama dojo, the name being changed to World Oyama Karate. I trained in Wing Chun kung fu with Sifu Chun Kwok Chow. I also did some brief but enjoyable training with other great instructors such as Benny The Jet, David James of Vee Arnis Jujitsu, Alex Sternberg, Sifu Maurice Llewellyn, (Wing Chun), Renzo, Royce and Rodrigo Gracie. They have all added to the depth and understanding of my Krav Maga.
Once, when walking around New York City, I spotted some members of the Guardian Angels , a group I have always admired. We got to talking about martial arts, before I knew it I was training with them at their center. In 2002 I fulfilled a dream by finally attending Karate College training camp. I did so for four summers and hope to return again. There I trained with some of the greatest instructors around today. I wrote about them in my "Martial Arts Leaders" page. One instructor who I have continued to train with is Professor Arthur Cohen .
Professor Cohen has taken me to a new level beyond technique. Besides his outstanding applications of techniques for street situations, he has opened my mind to psychological aspects of self defense, environmental factors and the sociology of crime. He certified me as a Control Points instructor.
Moshe Katz, IDF Ranks and Certification5th dan black belt, Godan Goshinjutsu - Satokan honbu dojo, Japan/Italy. May 2011
5th dan Black Belt, "Martial Arts Israel", World Martial Arts Group - Academy of Black Belts, November 10, 2010
5th dan Shaolin Kung Fu, Black Dragon Sekai, November 2010, Dr. Lawrence Day, Prof. Joe Cayer.
4th dan Black Belt, Krav Maga, Sensei Itay Gil, September 25, 2005
4th dan Black Belt, Free Style kickboxing, Mixed martial arts, Sensei Itay Gil, September 25, 2005
4th dan Black Belt, Israeli Martial Arts, World Martial Arts Masters, Academy of Black Belts, Dr. Jerry Beasley, October 24, 2007
4th dan Black Belt, United States Fighting Arts Institute, January 8, 2005
5th dan Black Belt, Jujitsu, United Black Belt Federation, November 11, 2008.
Teacher Certification, ISC Control Points, Professor Arthur Cohen, Dr. Les Knight, July 13, 2004
3rd dan Black Belt, Jujitsu, World Black Belt Bureau, June 24, 2002 2nd dan black belt, March 16, 1999 - Kenpo Jitsu, Kancho Gadi Skornick, Tel Aviv, Sensei Itay Gil, Jerusalem.
Teacher Certification, Wingate Institute of Sports and Martial Arts, Israel, Kancho Roni Kluger 8th dan, September 1998
Certification License Combat Shooting/Hand Gun, Krav Israel Shooting Club, 1993, Israel Defense Forces,(IDF) Discharged August, 1993 3rd kyu, Oyama Kyokushin Karate, 1989. International Combatives Self Defense Association (ICSDA) Recognized Close Quarter Combat Instructor, May 1, 2008 Appointed - Israeli National Director, May 1, 2008
Academic AchievementsBA - UCLA; Los Angeles, California. Political Science, Economics, 1983MBA - Bernard Baruch, College, New York, International Finance, 1989 Rabbinical College - Mercaz HaRav Kook and other institutions.
Teaching ExperienceMoshe has taught members of the FBI, SWAT teams, U.S. Special Forces, Sheriffs Departments, State Police, Israeli and American soldiers, ROTC, Canadian Royal Mounted police and Path Finders, Ukrainian Elite Guards, German Navy Commandos, Dutch Security professionals, Israeli Elite Guards, The Guardian Angels, woman's self defense groups, civilians and school children of all ages.
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Well, I began my martial arts training sometime in the 1980's when I was a yeshiva student (Rabbinical college) in Jerusalem. Rabbi Meir Kahane, of blessed memory, tried to encourage us to learn martial arts but, I needed a little push. That push came from my sister in law Michelle who had just seen "
