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

2019; Scientific Research Publishing; Volume: 07; Issue: 04 Linguagem: Inglês

10.4236/jss.2019.74023

2327-5960

Guy Mor,

Metallurgy and Cultural Artifacts

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.