- Home
- Krav Maga Blog
- Krav Instructors
- Train in Israel
- Tour Train Israel
- Krav Shop
- DVD
- Kickboxing
- IKI Near Me
- Seminars
- IKI Membership
- On-Line Training
- Krav Maga Training
- Testimonials
- History Krav Maga
- Instructors Page
- Past Blogs
- Spanish
- Italian
- Certification
- Contact
- Holland Seminar
- Vienna Seminar
- Poland Seminar
- Italy Seminar
- Belt Requirements
Weary Faces of Commuters
BY MOSHE KATZ
CEO
ISRAELI KRAV INTERNATIONAL
June 11, 2026, Israel
Start Your REAL Training TODAY (see bottom of page for options to start your training now!
New York City Subway, many years ago....
The dojo, the training hall, young athletes, everyone is in their prime, they are well-rested, well-fed, they are lean mean fighting machines, this is reality training.
Only it is not.
On the way to the dojo, I experience another reality. I am back in time, back in Brooklyn, a younger man, more hair, more hope, more years ahead of me, I ride the subway, every day, every night. I see people. I meet people. I speak to homeless people. I speak to people who have lost all hope. I look at all the Lonely People, and I know where they come from. On the subway I see them, Slobs like us, I look at them, ordinary people are on their way home after a long day of work, perhaps a day of work without hope, without promise, and I see weary faces of commuters, tired, exhausted after a long day, weak and weary. And I remember.
I remember that our Krav Maga is for them. It is not for top athletes competing in a tournament. It is not for the actors learning their trade to provide entertainment. It is not for the Fantasy Seeks, it is not Flash and Trash Krav Maga. It is real, the perfect system for imperfect people in Imperfect Situations, for the weak and weary. I see the weary eyes of the commuters and I remember.
Time flies and this is just a memory, an image. My friends from those days, for the most part forgotten, my teachers, sadly have passed from this world, but the image and imagery remain. The room still remembers the song, the vision is still strong, and the ashes are still burning.
I was a student at the Oyama Kyokushin dojo, and a student of Economics at Bernard Baruch College. I was living in a dilapidated apartment in Brooklyn, surviving on a meager income. I have worked hard and those days are behind me. Now I own my own home, and no landlord can demand that I leave within 30 days, now I am an honored member of the Black Belt Hall of Fame, but I have not forgotten. I have not forgotten the weary eyes of the commuters just as I am reminded daily of the cruelty of this world by the constant attacks. From attempted beheadings in Ireland to missile attacks in Israel, to stabbings in London, to Jews being assaulted on the trains and subways of New York, to South Africans being brutally assaulted in their own homes. Yes, I have chosen to live with my eyes open, and while I see the beauty I have chosen to see and remember the pain, as it is imprinted in my mind, memory and consciousness.
Every technique we develop is based on real life brutal attacks, not Fantasy Martial Arts. Every step we take, every move we make is based on watching you, the real you, the weary imperfect you. This is reality. This is not Facebook Youtube Fantasy spam. People are assaulted, thrown to the ground, a New York commuter shouts at a Jewish girl "Jews eat kids" reviving the old Blood Libel of the European Middle Ages, she is choked, thrown to the ground, kicked in the ribs and has her hair pulled out at the roots, and "Krav Maga instructors" are teaching join locks and fancy flips! This should be a crime! There should be some governing board. Just as we cannot allow random people to perform surgery, someone must stop these dangerous Fantasy martial arts instructors. Lives are at stake.
I look at the weary eyes of the commuter, I see my niece's best friend being taken via ambulane to the hospital, I see a young man being butchered on the streets and unspeakable violence taking place, and I remain honest, pure, only reality, for I have no other options. And the vision that was planted in my brain Still remains within the sound of silence
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.
Start Your REAL Training TODAY
Or is someone coming to save you?
IKI Krav Maga online distance training - Leading to ranks and certification.
Tour and Train Israel Experience
Personal Training - If you are interested in personal Krav Maga training please contact us on the form below.
