Now if you were to sit down and do a search online about Israeli martial arts you'll probably turn up call kinds of facts about Krav Maga which was developed by Imi Lichtenfeld a European and martial artist. Along with him you'll find many others who have contributed to Israel's martial culture dating back to Biblical times when Moses and Joshua lead the Jewish people against many enemies in the region. Though thousands of years have pasted and Israel is still surrounded by many enemies, and because of these enemies Israel created methods to combat them. Why a martial art is created is as important as how it works, and when you get down to it is all about self defense.
Israel has always been outnumbered with few allies and no clear advantages in the Middle East, and while you can argue politics all you want, but your land belongs to you only if you can keep it. In that sense the Israelis aren't much different than any other group who develops a style of fighting out of the need to survive, and that principal applies whether you're in a street fight or when armies clash. Violence should never be the first option, but when you do appeal to violence you must never lose.
For the Jews who fled Egypt in the Exodus and began wondering through the desert it soon became clear that they could either fight and survive or perish or be enslaved. They chose to fight and over time developed strong and brave warriors to take on the apposing tribes. In the centuries to follow their culture would produce many great warriors, but a lack unity and Roman military might would later destroy all they had built. After that those who resided in Israel would be scattered around the world, but centuries later after another catastrophic event Israel would reborn and its people would fight again.
Though time has passed the nightmare of World War II has still not faded from memory, and it is our duty to never forget the dark days when three evil empires fueled by hate sent their armies forth to conquest for blood and treasure. All who were exposed to the war suffered, but for some the whole world seemed to turn on them. Nazi Germany made it illegal for people to simply live, and police officers and soldiers sworn to protect and serve turned on those who needed their help the most. Millions were dragged off to be murdered to fulfill sick and twisted men's dreams.
There are those who like to argue and debate these events, but there is no denying the horror, and those who did survive learned just how important it is to know how to fight back. Those who escaped the death camps and those who fought in the ghettos of Poland learned that if you fought back you only improved your chances of survival. After the war Israel would become the new home of millions of refugees, but once again it would only be their home if they could keep it, and after the horrors in Europe no one questioned the need to fight. Before even becoming a nation the new settlers would have to fight, and they're still fighting today.
If you don't fight you leave yourself at the mercy of others, and you'd better hope and pray that they value life as you do, but what do you do when they see you as nothing more than a problem to be dealt with? When you learn how to fight you can choose your destiny rather than have others choose it for you, and that lesson applies to the individual as well as a nation. Your culture helps you develop your style of martial arts, but it is your ethics that guide you how they're employed. Israel has developed many styles and tactics that should be studied, because no system should be over looked when you're training for self defense.
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