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Things We Take for Granted
BY MOSHE KATZ
CEO
ISRAELI KRAV INTERNATIONAL
October 17, 2023, Israel
Hamas Terrorists: They come to kill, murder, rape, abuse, humiliate, degrade and plunder.
The other day I went to my car, as in any normal day, entered my car, thought about the errands I needed to do and started the car, only this time it did not start. I had fully expected it to start, that is the normal course of events, but, it did not. Being that we are in a state of war, everything is taking longer, but within a couple of days my car had a new battery, and all is back to normal, at least in terms of the car.
This got me thinking of all the things we take for granted on a daily basis. We take for granted that we will be able to get out of bed, until one day we wake up with a knee that does not function, or a bad cold, or worse. We take for granted that we can draw money from our bank account, until one day the government, or hackers, make that impossible. We take for granted that our flights will proceed as scheduled, until Corona comes along, or a war, and all flights are cancelled. We take for granted that we will be able to work and earn a living, until Corona or war make that nearly impossible. We take it for granted that we can get in our cars and visit family and friends in other cities, or travel for business, until, that is no longer safe.
We can turn this into another Dr. Seus book,
Oh, the things we took for granted, but now my car won't start, my dog won't bark, the bank is closed, they broke my nose.
My door is locked, the kids are shocked, no more school, no more fuel....Oh, things we took for granted
The road is blocked, the system is hacked, the enemy is near and the kids feel fear, we are not safe, they broke our gate, Oh, the things we took for granted only yesterday.
Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away. Now I know they are here to stay.
Yes, the things we take for granted on a daily basis, but we should not. We should never take anything for granted, ever.
I used to take for granted that my mom was just a few minutes away and I could visit her at any time, but now that time has passed. And in Israel we took for granted that our country will not be invaded, that our women and girls will no longer be raped by those who hate us, that our people will not be taken hostage, that our children will not be burnt alive, that we are safe and protected. We took too much for granted, and then we paid the price.
Never, take, anything, for granted.
All over the world we take things for granted, our health, our financial security, our safety. I personally grew up in the shadow of two major events: The Holocaust and the Great Depression. Those left a great imprint on my soul. From an early age I put aside money for "that day" when we would need that money. Cash put aside, for when we might have to run in the middle of the night and take valuables, an up-to-date passport, food for emergencies etc. etc.
When Corona hit, I was prepared. When war hit, I was ready. But I look at the world and see people that take much for granted, too much. Do you care about your safety? No? but what about your family? do they matter to you at all? Assuming the answer is yes then why are you not training in Krav Maga? Why are you not training in firearms? What exactly is more important than this? If I showed you a reel, a video from the future, and in it your daughter was being raped, your son was being tied up and taken away, would that cause you to change your attitude and behavior? Does your family mean anything to you?
I know, you are tired, you have other things to do, of course. When I was a student in Brooklyn, New York, USA I would wake up at 5 am, go to the synagogue, come home, dress in my warmest clothing, go outside, feel the snow against my face and the ice in my beard and say Bring it on! run to the train station, take the F train to Manhattan and arrive at the Oyama dojo. After two hours of training I walked to work. On the way I treated myself to a glass of Orange Julious on 4th Street. I worked hard in the financial district. During my lunch break I attended a prayer service and studied some Talmud. Back to work, and then at 5 pm take the train back to the dojo. After this take the train back to Brooklyn, stopped by Frankie's pizza and take whatever he had left, eat it while walking to the Chaim Berlin Yeshiva and study Talmud, and then go home.
Was I tired? Irrelevant question. I was motivated. Staying awake at work around 2 - 3 pm was a huge challenge, I put toothpicks around my eyes not to fall asleep. Often, I fell asleep on the subway. But I trained, and I trained.
The things we take for granted, the smile on the face of our loved ones, the freedom we all enjoy. To walk with our hands untied, to walk without a terrorist accompanying us with an AK-47, to go to the bathroom without an escort. To be able to call our parents, our children, and say, Hey, What's Up?
We take a lot for granted...until
Are you prepared for the day when all that you take for granted will no longer be here? and the words of the prophets are written on the subway wall. I do recall, but we answer with 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.
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