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Krav Maga Does not Matter
BY MOSHE KATZ
CEO
ISRAELI KRAV INTERNATIONAL
October 28, 2025, Israel
Vespasian Sestertius 71 CE, Judea Capta,
Obverse (Image and Inscription): Image: Laureate head of Vespasian looking right
Reverse (Image and Inscription): Image: Jewess in attitude of mourning, seated to the right beneath palm tree; a mourning woman, representing the Jewish people, seated beneath a date palm, a symbol of Judaea, to the left, a Jewish captive stands with hands tied behind his back; captured weapons behind, Roman coin marking the destruction of Jerusalem and the defeat of the Jewish people. This was followed by close to two thousand years of discrimination, persecution, massacres, humiliation and expulsion in Italy, and throughout Europe. Today we are no longer defeated, Judea Liberte!!!
"The Emperor Titus Caesar Vespasian Augustus Commanded the New Amphitheater to be Built from the Spoils of War." - i.e. The Roman Colosseum was built with money stolen from the Jews and the Holy Temple of Jerusalem. And Jewish slave labor was used to build it.
Roman coin, Judea Capta - Titus, the destroyed of our holy temple and the murderer of Jews. Again, the image of a Jewish woman, a symbol of defeat and humiliation. A seated figure of a female (allegorical representative of Judaea).
Krav Maga does not matter, at least that is the general feeling I get from the general public. Nearly everyone I know knows that I teach Krav Maga, and yet I must admit, very few show up for a class. My prices? too high? among the locals, in my community, if you say you can't afford it, then you don't pay. Not a great policy for me, but let no man die on my account. Others say, Hey, it's just not my thing.
Fair enough, I don't play the violin, its' just not my thing. But wait...
Earlier today I was informed that a dear family member was attacked in the city of New York, right near a kosher restaurant. I do not wish to reveal the name or location, nor do I want to God forbid embarrass anyone. However, I do want to learn from this unfortunate incident. A stranger approached him and asked about the meaning of his Kipa, yarmulke, traditional Jewish head covering for men, and then the man grabbed it off his head, throw it on the ground and spat on it. When my relative, a rabbi, bent down to pick it up, the man slugged him in the head, I saw a video of him being taken away in a stretcher. He has a brain bleed and a fractured skull but otherwise is, thank God, fine, but the worst part was/is the emotional hurt, his dignity, his pride as a Jew. A relative wrote me, "I think his emotional pain is worse than his physical". I would agree, and that would be my first thought.
This is not the first time a relative has been attacked. A few years ago, my cousin, a rabbi in the Netherlands, was punched in a store. He too sadly had no self-defense training. He was knocked to the ground.
I have often made the following two points;
1. At times, it is not so much the physical pain, or even death, but the humiliation. The Romans minted coins with an image of a disgraced Jewish woman and a proud Roman centurion soldier, and the caption, Judea Capta, Judea is captured, defeated. That shame was with us for a very long time. (Judea Capta coins are commemorative Roman coins issued to celebrate the capture of Judea and the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, featuring various designs that symbolize Roman victory and the subjugation of the Jewish people.)
2. The real self-defense is more often not a physical self-defense but seeing trouble and learning how to avoid it. Awareness is far more important that doing knee kicks or punching the bag.
In our style of Krav Maga it is not only about knee kicks, hitting the bag endlessly, or even doing gun disarms, it is learning to be aware, alert, to spot the trouble before it happens.
There is much we can learn from this unfortunate situation, if you are going to wear an object, a clothing article, a necklace or a symbol of any sorts that marks you as a potential victim, be prepared! You must always keep your eyes open, you must always assume someone is watching you. You must always assume there is a predator out there marking you as his prey. If you are passing through a "Bad Neighborhood", and you are dressed in a way that stands out as an outsider, as a tourist, as someone with something worth stealing, you too will be marked.
A criminal or racist may "interview" you, hey, what is that thing on your head! Those words should put you on immediate high alert. Even seemingly friendly words can serve as a distraction for criminal intent. Always be aware, our first line of self-defense is Awareness!!
I was in a similar situation years ago, in Brooklyn, and in the course of the fight my yarmulke fell to the ground, that is OK, it is an important symbol, but it has no intrinsic holiness, it is the not the scroll of the Torah, it is just a piece of cloth or wool. I kept my head up and my hands up as I spun around and fought four Arabs until the police arrived. Only then did I retrieve the yarmulke. Do not bend down, or turn your back, no matter what, in the face of danger. Keep your eyes on your opponent.
Krav Maga is not important, until it is, and then it is too late. Unless you have the opportunity to have a "Corrective experience", i.e. get attacked again and this time respond correctly, you will have to live with the emotional scar, which is very painful. Don't live with regret, start your training RIGHT NOW! (see below or contact me). ASAP.
Moshe Katz, 7th dan Black Belt, Israeli Krav Maga. Certified by Wingate Institute. Member Black Belt hall of fame, USA and Europe.
Understand the Israeli Fighting Mentality - Israel a Nation of Warriors by Moshe Katz
What is the cultural background of Krav Maga? What makes it unique? What makes the Israeli military so effective? Why are Israeli security systems used all over the world?
What are the Biblical origins of Krav Maga and who was the first Krav Maga instructor?
What weapons and military strategies did our Biblical ancestors use?
How has Krav Maga developed in Israel and what are its goals?
All that and more in this unique book.
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