“In 1940, Lichtenfeld fled the Nazi occupation of his homeland, heading for Palestine on the Aliyah Bet vessel, Pencho, which shipwrecked on the Greek Dodecanese Islands. He arrived in Israel in 1942 after serving with great notoriety in the Czech Legion. Israel’s early leaders immediately recognized Lichtenfeld’s fighting prowess and ingenuity. He began to train Israel’s first fighting units the Palmach, Palyam, and Haganah in military close quarters combat.

After the establishment of Israel in 1948, he became the Chief Instructor of Physical Training in the Israel Defense Forces. It was during this time that his system came to be called Krav Maga.”