Next year or Now?
BY MOSHE KATZ 
CEO
ISRAELI KRAV INTERNATIONAL

December 23, 2024, Israel

Every year the Jewish people celebrate the holiday of Passover; it is called our Festival of Freedom and marks our freedom from slavery and exodus from Egypt. This holiday has been observed from about 3,700 years. The festive meal ends with the call "Next Year in Jerusalem!". This is no idle message. 

For a very long period of time, for some Jews over 2,000 years, for some a little less, Jews have lived as an exiled people, temporary guests in the other nation lands, subject to their discriminatory practices and fluctuating whims. The Jewish community could be expelled at any moment or simply annihilated. But the Jewish people never gave up hope, they held on to the belief that someday, hopefully sooner than later, they would be able to go home, to Jerusalem, to Zion, to the Land of Israel. In Poland I once saw an old wedding invitation, from the mid 16th century, it read, we invited you God willing to the wedding of our beloved children which we take place this coming...date. The wedding will be held just outside the Temple courtyard in the holy city of Jerusalem, but if, by some tragedy, the Messiah does not arrive by then, and we are not restored to our rightful place in the land of Israel, the wedding will take place at the synagogue of Cracow. 

We never lost the dream, despite all the hardships. 

In our own recent history that dream came true, for some. Many Jews have become so integrated or assimilated in other lands and in other cultures that they missed the memo and did not come home. It is not an easy journey, to be like our father Abraham, to leave everything behind, and to leave from "your land, your birthplace, the home of your father."

I too lived temporarily in the United States, but my dream was to return to Israel. Circumstances were difficult, money was lacking, and I felt I did not have the opportunity. One day my brother came for a visit and shared with me a photograph of two of our friends from college, they were both in uniform, different branches of the Israel Defense Force! I looked at the photo and realized they are living the dream, they are fulfilling the dreams and hopes of our ancestors. 

That Passover, as the evening came to an end, and we all recited as one, Next Year in Jerusalem, I made a pledge. I pledged to myself that during the coming year I would return to Israel and take my place among my people. I kept that promise.

and now to apply that to Krav Maga. 

You see the violence all around you. You read about women being raped. You hear about Home Invasions, people being tied up while their home is ransacked, and the women are abused. You know that muggings take place near your workplace. You know about terrorism. You hear about Multiple Attackers and street violence, and what do you do?

You do nothing. Either you learn to ignore it, or you say..Next year in Jerusalem, i.e. Next Year I will sign Up for Krav Maga lessons. But like most people around the world, it is only lip service, you don't really mean it. It is simply too inconvenient. So your words "like silent raindrops fall" while the words of the prophets are written clearly on the subway walls. You choose silence over action. 

Next year we shall...for how long will you keep saying next year? Make it this year, make it now. (see below (bottom of page) for information now to start your training today!)

Moshe2021FlagA

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

CoverNationWarriorsNew

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.

Books by Moshe Katz

Start Your REAL Training TODAY

Or is someone coming to save you?

IKI Krav Maga online distance training - Leading to ranks and certification.

DVDs from Israel

Tour and Train Israel Experience

IKI Membership Options.

Krav Maga Certification

Krav Maga Instructors

Krav Maga Seminars

Personal Training - If you are interested in personal Krav Maga training please contact us on the form below. 

IKIFlag

Please note that all fields followed by an asterisk must be filled in.
Google