Krav Maga Federation - Origin and History of Krav Maga

Krav Maga in Israel
	Uri Refaeli Uri Refaeli was born on November 23rd, 1957 and began his training in Krav Maga in 1974, at the age of 17. He is one of Haim Zut's first students, and has trained with Haim in several locations. In 1976, Uri joined a combat unit in the IDF (Golani Brigade) and during his down time from the service he continued his training with Haim. In 1979 he was released from the service, and has been continually involved with the art, both teaching and training. In 1981, he completed the instructor course in Krav Maga and was certified to teach by the Wingate Institute. In 1983 he was the first of Haim's students to receive a black belt. As an instructor, Uri continues to teach and promote Krav Maga, elevating many students to a black belt level. In 1993, Haim, Uri and other Krav Maga practitioners established Krav Maga International-Kapap. In 2001, Uri successfully completed a trainers course given by the Wingate Institute and was asked by Haim to lead the Professional Committee, which he continues to lead.

	Ilan Fadlon Ilan Fadlon is a certified trainer from the Wingate Institue. He has been a student of Haim Zut and Uri Raphaeli since 1981. In 1998 he successfully passed the instructor course from the Wingate Institute for the Fighting Arts and received his first Dan. From 1996-1998 he participated in the trainers course for fighting arts at Wingate. In 2002 he received his 4th Dan, which is his current rank. Since 1998 Ilan has been teaching Krav Maga to groups of children, teens and adults. Presently, he teaches in two locations; Zichron Ya'akov and Binyamina. He teaches workshops and courses, runs training camps in self defense, and is a member of the Professional Committee of Krav Maga International-Kapap. His advanced students who have attained the rank of black belt are: Avivit Cohen, 2nd Dan, instructor from the Wingate Institute, Ye'ela Elisar, 1st Dan, instructor Wingate Institute, Yaniv Baroncar, 1st Dan, instructor Wingate Institute, Ran Daloya, 1st Dan, instructor Wingate Institute, Yuval Kohavi, 1st Dan, and Ro'I Elitzur, 1st Dan.

	Yaron Stil Yaron Stil began his training at the age of eight as an after school hobby with grandmaster Haim Zut in Pardes Hana. In 1987, while still a brown belt, he participated in an instructor course at Wingate Institute, and at the age of 18 he earned his black belt. He joined the IDF in 1990 and was released in 1993, finishing his mandatory service in the intelligence branch. In 1993 he opened his first class in Giv'at Ada where he taught groups of children of all ages. During that time, he taught Krav Maga to middle school aged children in a project that was supervised by Shaike Barak. In 1998 he successfully finished the trainer course at the Wingate Institute and received his second Dan. He specializes in teaching athletics to children in their formative years and is also licensed to operate a weight room. He continues to teach and train and has advanced to the rank of 4th Dan. Today, teaching Krav Maga and specializing in the athletic development of young children is his primary occupation. "I was blessed" says Yaron "that my favorite pastime has become my occupation and my way of life." As of today he has fifteen years of teaching experience and hundreds of student from yellow through black belt, some of whom are instructor course graduates. Yaron sees Krav Maga as "a way of life." He says "it is an area in which I will continue to donate my time and teach Krav Maga. Krav Maga gives both to myself and to my students physical and mental growth."

	Guy Cohen Guy Cohen is a 3rd Dan black belt in Krav Maga, and a Wingate graduate. He has studied with Uri Raphaeli since 1984, and received his 1st Dan in 1992. During his military service he instructed the elite units of the IDF in anti-terror tactics and self defense. He has completed the military instructor course for Krav Maga on IDF base #8, and in 1994 he successfully completed the instructor course at Wingate Institute. Presently, Guy teaches classes in Hoff Ha Carmiel.

	Dani Nemichenizer Dani Nemichenizer began training in Krav Maga at the age of ten in 1991, under the instruction of Uri Raphaeli, Haim Zut's most advanced student. At the age of 16 he successfully tested to black belt, at the age of 18 he passed the test for 2nd Dan, and in 2003 he tested to 3rd Dan. He is a certified instructor of the Wingate Institute. Dani joined the IDF in 1998, and was an instructor of Krav Maga on the military base for physical fitness where he taught Krav Maga to military instructors. This is where he spent his full military service, and during this time he worked with every branch of the Israeli military and law enforcement in Israel. He certified military Krav Maga instructors for every branch of combat and special units. During this time he was exposed to other fighting arts, such as kickboxing and boxing, and has exposed his students to these styles as well. He has been involved in a number of professional fights in Muay Thai Kickboxing, and since the end of his military service has continued to teach Krav Maga. In 2004, Dani participated in an instructional project in Central Africa that was sponsored by the Department of Defense. Presently, Dani leads a group of children, teens and adults in the civilian sector. Dani takes an active roll in the management and daily routine of Krav Maga International-Kapap, where he is a member of the Professional Committee. He describes his future goals by saying "The Krav Maga International-Kapap is the highest in the field of Krav Maga. My goal is, with the help of the rest of the advanced instructors, to continue to contribute to the evolution of the art, and to bring it to even higher standards, while at the same time preserving and maintaining the original foundation and principles of the art of Krav Maga."

	Meni Mehabad Meni Mehabad is an advanced instructor under Haim Zut. For Meni, the profession of Krav Maga instructor is a way of life. Meni was born in 1977 in Hadera, where he spent his childhood and was educated. He continues to live there today. In 1994, he successfully completed an instructor course in the fighting arts at the Wingate Institute which was run and supervised by Haim Zut. In 1995, Eran Fastman and Haim Zut promoted him to the black belt level. From 1995 through 1997, during his study of electronics, he continued to teach groups of children and teens in Hadera. From 1997 to 2001, he served in the Israeli Air Force and continued his training with Haim Zut. In 2001, Meni began studying electronic engineering. In that same year, Haim asked Meni to join the Federation, and to help open a larger school for Krav Maga in Pardes Hana. In 2003, Meni was honored with a second Dan from Haim Zut. In 2004, Meni was Haim's assistant in an instructor course that was conducted by the Wingate Institute. From 2004 through 2005, Meni continued to teach Krav Maga as a project for special needs youth groups (specifically for children with physical and mental disabilities). Those children benefited immensely from the experience, which was a tremendous success. Today, in addition to his career as an electronic engineer, Meni continues to teach groups of children and teens and an adult class of advanced students with Haim Zut in Pardes Hana. Separately, Meni teaches teen and adults in Kibbutz Ma'agan Michael. Meni is a member of the Professional Committee of Haim Zut's Krav Maga International Kapap, and is one of the testers of high level belts for the Federation. Meni met Haim Zut for the first time in 1991, but from the year 2000, he was rewarded by spending countless days in the company of Grandmaster Haim Zut, which has been a tremendous inspiration in his life, and has enriched his ability to become a better self-defense and Krav Maga instructor. Meni received his 3rd Dan in 2007.

	Avivit Cohen Avivit Cohen (Dan 2) discovered Krav Maga at the age of eight - she says that by this time the boys were already afraid of her. She was stubborn and uncontrollable, and she spent her days playing soccer and getting into fights. Her parents threw up their hands. Then, her oldest sister introduced her to two good friends, Yaron Stil and Ilan Fadlon, who trained and taught with Haim Zut in his school in Pardes Hana. Yaron invited Avivit to take a trial class, and from that moment forth she was hooked. This love affair lasted for two and a half years, until she received her green belt. At this point she was forced to quit, due to her parents' financial difficulties. A year later she began training in Judo, which she continued for eight years. Her second love affair with Krav Maga began when she entered military service. She was recruited by the IDF to instruct Krav Maga and completed a difficult three month training course on military base number eight for military training. She trained for eight hours a day, and slept in a tent on the ground. Although she was in tremendous physical shape, the training was brutal. After three months, she joined the education branch of the army, teaching pre-IDF entry youth programs in high schools. She also instructed soldiers and recruited for special units of the paratrooper division. Her primary location during this time was in the northern part of Israel. Although she was not the only instructor in this region, she received the most recognition. After her military service she successfully tested to black belt, and since then she has taught Krav Maga on a permanent basis. Avivit holds a Masters in physical education from the Wingate Institute and 7 diplomas in instruction of different aspects of physical fitness (volleyball, basketball, swimming, weight room, two types of gymnastics, spinning, and Krav Maga). She is a phys-ed instructor in a high school, and every day in the afternoon she teaches Krav Maga in various schools for fighting arts in Petachtikva, Hadera, and Tel Aviv. She is a member of the Professional Committee responsible for conducting tests for brown and black belts, changes to taught material, professional events in the Federation, and seminars. In addition, she is the trainer for the Krav Maga Federation show team, which is comprised of highly talented kids that are students of all the instructors of the federation. These kids are carefully selected prior to their entry to this team, with the goal of representing the federation in events and shows, such as Independence Day celebrations and other promotional activities. Recently, Avivit joined the Israeli Judo team. Her intention is to acquire more knowledge in an area that is different from Krav Maga (because Krav Maga is for actual fighting and she is interesting in pursuing competitive fighting as well), with the hope of proudly representing Israel in the next Olympic Games.