History of Krav Maga in Boston
Dennis Survival/Hisardut Ju-Jitsu
In December 2009, Gershon Ben Keren was invited to compete (representing the U.S.) and put on a demonstration at the 28th Dennis Survival Championship in Herzilya, Israel. This championship is put on by the Dennis Survival Ju-Jitsu association, whose system is often referred to as Hisardut (meaning “Survival” in Hebrew) outside of Israel. For those of you who may not be aware of who Dennis Hanover is or what is system looks like, the following clip from the Human Weapon’s Krav Maga episode may act as an introduction or reminder.
The competition was held on the 17th December and was televised on Israeli National TV. It is probably after the Maccabi Games, the most important martial arts/self-defense event in Israel. There were demonstrations by international experts on gun-disarming, displays by Israeli attack/defense dog teams as well as counter-terror exhibitions etc.
The event is in honor of Dr Dennis Hanover, possibly Israel’s most important contributor to the martial arts and is attended by Israel’s leading politicians and defense experts. Those competing, demonstrating and even many of the spectators make up the trainers at Wingate and LOTAR (the national counter terror school). It is testament to the regard that Dennis Hanover and his family is held in by the country of Israel, that so many important individuals attend.
Dennis Hanover is the veteran of five wars and his life is one that is epitomized by one word, “Survival”: a word that has extreme significance to the country of Israel. In fact the Israeli martial arts be they KAPAP (Krav Panim a Panim meaning “fighting face to face”), Hisardut i.e. Dennis Survival Ju-Jitsu (DSJJ) or Krav Maga have little relevance without the Israeli experience(s). If an instructor of these styles has not trained in the country the real meaning and urgencies of these systems are lost.
Still in his 70’s Dennis Hanover trains and teaches on the mats daily. He has students that have been with him 30 years and many of these are trainers to the military, Special Forces and intelligence agencies (some of them having been with him since they were 4 years old). The training is real and without compromise and the results are more than impressive – they have to be when you consider the situation and threats that Israel faces on a day-to-day basis. The message is very simple “Survival”.
Many countries are really only now waking up to the threat of terrorism on their own soil. Israel has been dealing with such a threat before it was even declared a state. This is why the message of the system is so uncompromising: it understands the reality of violence. For some, Krav Maga and self-defense may be simply a work out with some techniques thrown in, for us at the Boston Academy of Krav Maga it is dealing with the reality of violence.
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