THE CREATION OF KRAV MAGA : WHY BY IMI, WHY IN ISRAEL?

The sprouting of Krav Maga was the natural result of the fusion of two stories, Imis story and the story of the State of Israel. The vision, capacity and commitment of a natural-born leader in a war scenario, with people suffering and fighting for their lives; a minority surrounded by enemies, who insisted in continuing to fight, in continuing to survive.

From a very young age, in his family scope, he learned the importance of being active in society. His father, a dedicated policeman and combat instructor of the secret police, did not measure efforts to accomplish his mission. He received a medal for being the inspector who effectuated the most arrests in his country. The definition of right and wrong, the duty, and the satisfaction in helping a fellow man were basic values for his development.

As an athlete, he sought to surpass the limits of his body. As a fighter, he concluded that all the existent techniques of defense and combat were not enough for the needs of the streets. Gym or ring techniques were of no value in a real-life confrontational situation.

Many times, while following his father to work as combat instructor, he would suggest a slightly different movement, adding a detail here, another one there. He was always heard by his father, who tested his suggestions. The results of these small suggestions became evident in the daily work of the police, increasing efficiency and decreasing risks. The movements became shorter and instinctive. The time necessary to prepare an agent to operate in a real battle was reduced.

During the 30s, with Fascism and Nazism growing in Europe, the streets became more violent with the passing of time, and life had to be defended in bloody confrontations almost in a daily basis. Sometimes having to face tens of enemies at the same time, being many times alone in this, facing a reality where many were hurt, many died, and few survived. He became the leader of resistance groups that only had their own body as their weapon, and the stubbornness of not being worn down as fuel.

The Middle East during the 40s was dominated by the British Mandate, who established categorical and harsh rules, using force to control the region. They manipulated the groups who lived there, in this way provoking discordance between them. The English forbade the ownership or use of any type of weapon in the territory, which at the time was called Palestine. Violence was reigning, mainly due to the actions of the "fedainim". They pillaged, raped and killed with utmost cruelty the local population and whoever had arrived recently from Europe, those who had managed to escape from Nazi Europe and who were once again in the position of being dominated, of being defenseless from the violence of this disturbed time in the history of humanity. Several groups were organized to defend the population, without any weapons or contingent, but with bravery. This was the scenario Imi found upon his arrival in Israel, and at this time he had already accumulated years of experience in battles. This experience led him to the mission of preparing, in a very short time, defense groups to face well-armed and numerous enemies, ensuring the survival of a suffered and consumed people, but who was willing to fight. When it came to battles, Imi already had experienced everything, from the techniques tried out in his youth, the techniques taught by his father and used by the private policy of his native country, the confrontations against the Nazis in Europe, the wars with the British Army, etc. His knowledge was based in life and death reality, without the protection of rules. He knew what worked in practical terms, and slowly, taking into consideration the natural and instinctive movements of his body, he sought to take advantage of them for defense techniques, making them faster, simple and short. This principle was the distinguishing characteristic that guaranteed the efficiency of the method in the battlefields.

The accepted challenge was successful. The people survived, won their independence, formed a country, and were able to defend themselves from all outside conquest attempts, even though being surrounded by enemies, even against terrorist threats, which is the evil of the new century. The Tzahal (Defense Forces of Israel) has a world-wide recognition for its results, having its history initiated in the defense groups trained by Imi, who, until his last days, was an advisor and counselor of this powerful military institution.