The Case for the Recognition of Krav-Maga as Part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Israel

Guy Mor

doi:10.4236/jss.2019.74023

Abstract

Krav-Maga (“contact combat”) has attracted increasing attention, both in Israel and abroad, as a civilian combat discipline, a martial art and an effective self-defense system used by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). This paper explores the interactions between the development of Krav-Maga and the history, culture and heritage of the Jewish population of Israel. Using qualitative research methods, it is demonstrated that the evolution of Krav-Maga is intertwined with ideological changes and historical events that affected the Jewish people in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and with the cultural history and identity of Jewish immigrants to Israel in the mid 20th century. We argue that Krav-Maga meets the criteria set out in UNESCO’s definition of intangible cultural heritage and that it should be included in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Israel.

Highlights

Krav-Maga, meaning “contact combat”, is a hand-to-hand combat discipline that was developed in the 19th century by Jewish immigrants to Palestine [1]
We argue that Krav-Maga meets the criteria set out in UNESCO’s definition of intangible cultural heritage and that it should be included in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Israel
Krav-Maga has been growing in popularity [3], a trend which may be attributed to the global increase in terrorist actions against civilians, such as the Charlie Hebdo shooting in 2015 [4], and to the reputation of Krav-Maga as the official hand-to-hand combat method of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) [5]

Summary

Introduction

Krav-Maga, meaning “contact combat”, is a hand-to-hand combat discipline that was developed in the 19th century by Jewish immigrants to (what was ) Palestine [1]. We examine the evolution of Krav-Maga in more detail and seek to locate its development within the cultural and ideological trends that fashioned the development of Jewish consciousness during the late 19th century and the first half of the 20th century We argue that these socio-cultural trends found their natural expression in the establishment of the State of Israel and that Krav-Maga qualifies as part of the intangible cultural heritage of the Israeli nation. “intangible cultural heritage” means the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills—as well as the instruments, objects, artifacts and cultural spaces associated therewith—that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage This intangible cultural heritage, transmitted from generation to generation, is constantly recreated by communities and groups in response to their environment, their interaction with nature and their history, and provides them with a sense of identity and continuity, promoting respect for cultural diversity and human creativity” [10].

Mor DOI

First Signs of a Jewish Pioneering Ethos

Krav-Maga Today

Discussion