MASA partners with self-defense experts to attract potential olim.
By LIANNE MERKURkarate 88(photo credit: )
A new program to attract potential young, active olim from around the world is teaching kung fu, with a twist of Jew.
Israel is using its international reputation in the martial arts to attract Diaspora Jews to the country, as part of MASA, the government-run network of long-term study programs. Two weeks ago, participants arrived from the United States, Australia, Canada, and Russia.
For five months, participants aged 18 to 27 will gather at the Green Beach Hotel and Country Club in Netanya. They will be introduced to the physical and mental training aspects of traditional martial arts, including karate, judo and aikido, as well as to the Israeli-developed Krav Maga, which has become popular around the world.
Yonah Melnik, who helped found the project and is involved in the training, said he considered it "a challenge to bring Jews from all over the world [to] study martial arts together.
"We hope that they will stay as new immigrants, or that they will return to their communities as young ambassadors of Israel," says the 14-time national Judo champion, who has lengthy international experience as both an athlete and coach.
He has ambitious plans to expand the program, to include more countries and greater numbers of students. So far, the participants are enthusiastic and training well, he says.
Though martial arts is the focus of this program, there is a strong Jewish influence. A daily four-hour intensive ulpan is offered by Ulpan Akiva, and there are lectures on Jewish history. Every week, the group tours the country to follow in the footsteps of the Bible and the sages, which connects them to the history they are studying.
The program costs about $9,000, but it is heavily subsidized by MASA, with participants paying only about $5,000.
