whom are you teaching 
BY MOSHE KATZ
CEO
ISRAELI KRAV INTERNATIONAL

 June 29, 2021

Why did you become a doctor? 

There could be many potential answers

1. Your father was a doctor and you wanted to follow in his footsteps.

2. You admire doctors, they are people you look up to you and respect. You want to be this kind of person.

3. You want the lifestyle that you associate with doctors. You are not greedy but you want a comfortable life style, a big home in the suburbs, a luxury car, an attractive wife, a membership in the exclusive country club. 

4. You want to feel you are making a difference in society.

5. You feel a deep and genuine compassion for human beings, you want to fight against illness and suffering. 

These are all reasonable answers, and all valid. But there are differences. 

There are doctors who will travel to Africa and devote years to helping those in greatest need while living on a modest salary. There are those who are highly qualified who will only see patients who could afford their services. All approaches are valid. The medical expert too has limited time, he can sell his expertise to anyone he wants, nothing wrong with that, people have a right to sell their skills to the highest bidder. I recall when my late father could not get an appointment for my mother, who was diagnosed with cancer. He was very upset. I saw him speaking on the phone, he said..."I have cash, American one hundred dollar bills, I will pay you privately." My mother received an appointment to see the specialist within 20 minutes from that time. 

And now of course I turn to Krav Maga instructors, that was just an analogy.

I see what is being taught, I see those who "buy the myth", I see them paying top dollar for cool tough looking workouts, but I know that very few if any of those students will ever really be able to handle themselves in a real life deadly violent encounter. I doubt anyone has ever used those gun or knife disarms that require speed, strength and timing. And yet...they continue to "teach".

I am sitting here very light at night and wondering: Is it all about them, the instructors? how they look? how cool they think they are? Do any of these instructors really ask themselves truthfully and honestly if the average human being can perform these choreographed stunts? The question is, in what direction are we looking? I recall as a student in Wingate when Rony Kluger said to us, at a certain point you must decide if you are a competitor or a teacher. 

Those were profound words that affected my life. I chose to become a teacher. It was no longer about me.

We have to stop and remember whom we are teaching, whom we are here for, whom we are trying to save. It is for ordinary people, without a great deal of time on their hands, without a great deal of natural ability or coordination. These are scared people, most are so scared that the very image of a "Krav Maga instructor" will turn them off and send them packing. 

I am often asked to recognize or endorse other styles but the truth is I believe firmly that most Krav Maga out there is not worth your time. I began teaching because I was asked to. I had another career at the time which I eventually gave up. I formed IKI because I was asked to, because there was a need. 

I am sitting here late at night, very tired, and I am thinking; we must remember for whom we are working, we must remember whom we wish to reach, we must remember what it is all about. Trying to make an impression, all the Flash and Trash, I am too old and too tired for that. If you are sincere, honest, truthful, you are welcome here. 

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