From Battles that never happened - to a Commando who never was. Read that article that blew the lid off the Commando Krav Maga Scam.
He made it all up...
The claims were impressive. Train with a former Israeli commando and counter terror expert. The trainer of the Israeli Special Forces. The founder of their hand to hand system and co founder of the Krav Maga system. The war hero who escaped from behind enemy lines whilst injured. And now for a little over £1300 and a long weekend - you too can become a respected Commando Krav Maga Instructor - scurge of terrorists and an icon of manly virtues... Absoloutley no experience required.
Welcome to Krav Maga sucks - the real story behing Moni Aizik and his Commando Krav Maga Scam.
Interested in what he really did in the Military - we think weve got that too ! Read on....
“I was used to Bullshit in the martial arts, but it became increasingly obvious that Moni was a compulsive liar."
Stuart Mcgill former UK CKM Director
To be clear, I wrote this article as this sheer deluge of Bullsh*t directly effects me. I am a Krav Maga Instructor you see. I love the system - the honesty, the bullsh*t free, tough training. Then Moni comes along hoping to make a quick buck of Krav Maga. Commando Krav Maga is in fact a scam. A fraud. A rip off. Moni Aizik is a conman. Lets look at some of his claims. These are mostly in print and taken directly from Aiziks interviews.
Moni Aizik makes the following claims
1. He is a former Israeli Commando
2. He regularly teaches the Israeli Special Forces - and is flown over to teach them every month.
3. He founded the hand-to-hand system of the Israeli Special Forces.
4. He co founded Krav Maga with legendary founder Imi Lichtenfeld, spending a year 'improving' Imi's Krav Maga system.
5. He is a Counter terror Expert
6. He survived an ambush of 1000 Syrian commandos and was one of only 4 to do so escaping from behind enemy lines.
7.He is a former officer of the special forces (Claims different ranks in different versions)
8. A Former Chief Instructor of Krav Maga in the IDF
The whole story stank - it just did not ring true. So we did some research..
We pieced together available information from a range of sources from the UK, Australia, Canada and Israel. We have been in touch with former/current associates of Mr Aizik as part of our research and some Israeli military insiders. We shared some of the our findings here.
Aiziks claims are in the public domain and available for public scrutiny. We believe these claims are misleading and untruthful. Further more, we believe Mr Aizik fabricated his association with the Israeli Special Forces, fabricated his role in the military and his association with Krav Maga to gain financial advantage. In short to dishonestly obtain money from the general public. We believe he is a fraud.
Many former Commando Krav Maga Instructors voice concerns at the standards of people passing the Commando Krav Maga Instructor course and becoming instructors on the basis of this 3 day course.
Aizik does not hold any Krav Maga Instructor certification. Not from the army, and not from Imi.
We will demonstrate Moni Aizik lied and misleads those paying to do his courses. He mislead several magazines - notably Black Belt Magazine and Martial Arts Illustrated, mislead the documentry team on the Human Weapon series, whose film clips he relies so heavily on to marketing his courses.
What did we find out ? Quite a lot. We add that these findings are provisional but we believe they are fairly accurate.
Name: Pino ( AKA Moni) Aizik
Israeli Military identification number: 2166428
Date of birth: 26/06/54
Date of service: August 1972 to August 1975
1. It appears Moni was a NOT a Commando. Aizik did NOT serve in any Special Forces.
2. Aizik served briefly with a regulatr Infantry Brigade before being transferred to admonistrative duties.
3. Moni DOES NOT/ DID Not teach Krav Maga or hand to hand combat in the IDF in any capacity, and is not qualified to do so.
3. Moni does not teach Israeli Commandos. His methods are not used or recognised by any branch of the IDF.
4. Aizik was not tasked with updating Krav Maga by the IDF. There was no year long project with Imi. Imi retired from the IDF when Moni was 10 years old. Aizik was not even a certified Krav Maga Instructor.
5. Moni has NEVER been a Krav Maga Instructor - at least not with Imi or known Krav Organisation.
6. Until recently, most of the elite units he claims to teach had never heard of him.
7. Moni was not an Officer in the IDF (believed to have left as Sargent)
In order to be fair and verify our findings, we contacted Moni Aiziks lawyers via email. We did this on two seperate occasions to give him the opportunity to respond to these findings. If he does produce reasonable evidence to support his assorted and extensive claims we will gladly retract this article. No evidence has been produced.
'Inspection of Mr. Aizik’s military discharge certificate will confirm that he did not serve in the Special Forces, that he has no background or certification in counter terrorism, that he had no contact or responsibility with Krav Maga in the IDF at any time during his service, and that he was discharged from service with the rank of Sergeant as opposed to the rank of Lieutenant or Major as he claims in various publications'
Lieutenant Yuval Aran, Israeli Defence Force
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Moni_Aizik)
The Advertising Standards Authority on Aiziks claims
Moni Aizik was challenged in the UK by advertising standards Authority on 2 fundamental points.
He was asked to provide evidence that he was;
1. A Former Special Forces Commando
2. A Counter Terrorism Expert.
Mr Aizik was 'unable to find his papers' and stated,
"documents that related to Moni Aziks military experience and counter terrorism expertise were considered classified by the Israeli military and were not readily available. Aizik said members of highly specialised units were not permitted to specify which unit they had belonged to or the duties they had performed; to do so would break the military code of conduct."
This is untrue. We found numerous cases of well known Israeli public figures who shared their military units. Including the 'highly speacilised' and counter terror units like Yamam. We also checked with an Israeli Military insider who confirmed this was untrue.
Former Prime Minister Euhud Barak's career and time with special forces - Sayaret Matkal ( A highly speacilised unit) is advertised along with some of his missions including raid on Entebbe, Operation Isotope. These were highly classified missions involving a man who became Chief of General Staff and the Prime Minister of Israel. They are available for inspection on the net. Its all quite legal and common practice in Israel. See ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ehud_Barak#Military_service )
Numerous examples can be found in Israel and now on the net. its only Moni who claims he cant even mention the name of his unit.
Similar histories can be found for many public figures including Arial Sharon and his time and missions as a Paratrooper see (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ariel_Sharon#Mitla_incident)
What do the Israeli's Military say about Moni and his claims?
One figure in the Israeli forces went on record officially with the following statement.
"Commando Krav Maga has never existed and does not exist in the IDF in any capacity. Not by name and not by form of strategies and tactics. Kapap included, it existed once from the 1930’s to the 1950’s and has never been used in any way in any area of the IDF since. Both of those systems negate what we teach here in the IDF. I’ve contacted Moni in regards to his claims, and he says he’ll call me when he’s in Israel next time to meet cause he would rather explain everything to me in person…so I’m looking forward to that meeting.
My last and final point I’m going to make here, for those who are interested in learning the official system of the IDF SF…..that system always has been and till this day is krav Maga…..and nothing else! “
SGT/MJR N
Chief Counter-Terror and Krav Maga Instructor
Israeli Defence Force, Special Forces Division
Counter-Terror and Special Operations School
Moni and Avi Nadia complained to the Military about this statement made by SGT./MJR N They complained he was making a public statement as an official quoting his rank and unit. They did not contest the accuracy of its contents in anyway.
We have been in touch with Sgt Maj N. He is not allowed to make further comment on Moni Aizik but confirms he did make this statement and stands by it.
Moni Aizik on Imi the founder of Krav Maga
(Statement from a CKM Instructor)
In October 2006 he told me that he was “not impressed” with Imi Lichtenfeld when he trained him. He said that he “bounced up and down a lot” and was quite limited as a Martial Artist.
Statements Moni made to his Trainee Instructors - Many not in print
(Statements from various CKM Instructors.)
1. The defence against a downward “ice-pick” style knife stab had changed considerably from the defence that I had learned 1 year previously on my Level 1/2 CKM instructor course. Moni Aizik told me that he had been thinking about this situation on the plane over to the UK and had made up the technique actually on the plane. Later on in the same course I learned that Moni had been talking to other students on the course about the origins of the technique and had told them that he had been developing it Israeli Special Forces people for the previous 6 months.
2. When I first spoke to Moni Aizik about coming down for a seminar (summer in June 2006), I asked him what training he had in Krav Maga. He stated that he had collaberated with Imi Lichtenfeld many years prior and he did some refining of the system. 'That he was a Chief Instructor in Krav Maga."
3. When asked about his Krav Maga background, he said that the Krav Maga we would be exposed to is the graduate level of Krav Maga. I specifically asked him if Imi Lichtenfeld gave him his certification test and he said yes that they had worked together to get this certificate. Note I believe Eyal Yanilov (IKMF) introduced Graduate levels after Imi's Death -
4. Moni Aizik stated to me that and he was the driving force behind Krav Maga in Israel and was a Black Belt in Krav Maga and Judo. I found out later that Aizik never trained in Krav Maga a day in his life
5. In that time I trained, he said he was a Major with a Special Forces Unit in the IDF called Sayeret Golani 13. He said while he was in the unit they were sent behind the lines of a Syrian force 1000 strong. In that battle he told me he was wounded and that all but 4 others and himself were killed. His wounds consisted of a piece of shrapnel in his eyes.
A source contacted us saying there is no Sayaret Golani 13. There is a Golani 13 which is an Infantry Batallion - not a commando or Special Unit. Aizik may have served there pror to working a Fitness Instructor. The source also informed us Aizik was definatley not in Sayaret Golani during the Yom Kippur war as they had spoken with Officers who had served then.
6. In our first meeting Moni told me and my colleague xxx xxxx that he flew to Israel once per month to teach elite Israeli Special Forces. We believe Moni visits Israel to see his mum ! Alas perhaps she is in the Yamam !
7. I met him at Heathrow airport, his having arrived from Israel. I asked him who he’d been training in Israel – he answered “Yamam” a Special Unit of the Israeli Police Force. I asked him how it went; he said it went well then talked about how he was a little uncomfortable with their right wing and vehemently anti-Arab views. We understand that the Yamam have had no dealings with Moni Aizik.
8. In our course held in 200x he briefed the students extensively about the history of Commando Krav Maga and they were asked questions about it as part of their test. This included Aizik being asked to devise a new self defence system for the IDF after the 1973 Yom Kippur War in partnership with Imi Lichtenfeld. Imi retired when Moni was 10. They never trained together and certainly never did a 12 month project at the request of the IDF. In this time Imi was working refining civillian Krav Maga with his senior instructors - none of whom ever saw or heard of Aizik.
9. In our UK courses he talked continually about how his handgun defences had taken 20 years to develop within the IDF and how he had played a part in that development. Aizik has never trained the Special Forces and does not train the IDF in hand to hand combat.
10. Moni stated that one of the Special Forces tests that he’d undergone was to stay underwater for 12 hours breathing through a long straw and occasionally that salt would be pushed down the straw by the Instructors; he explained that the only way to counter this was to swallow the salt. ? Our sources say there is no such test. As a diver I would add that this would be highly unlikley given the diameter of the pipe and likleyhood of inhaling the salt. (Paul Grey)
"When all this came out, I knew logically I had been lied to about everything and that Moni had no credibility left at all. But he is so charismatic we all wanted to believe him."
Former UK Commando Krav Maga Instructor
But I have seen the pictures on his website...
Interestingly some of Moni's images were lifted directly off a website about Israeli special forces called, isayaret.com You will also notice many pictures of Moni in one (now removed) he can be clearly seen wearing a white undershirt. We have been informed this was the uniform of a non-combatant such as worn by a trainer, cook, clerk, and physical fitness instructor. Combat troops are not allowed to wear white.
Moni Aizik with the non combatants white undershirt. Not a commando - at least until after he left.
These images had been removed from his websites but some can still be found on the net.
Not a single military source has come out on Moni's behalf from the military he claims to have taught. This in its self is remarkable. Not one single person. . However several have emailed us privately stating that none of Moni's claims are untrue.
But it was on Human Weapon, it must be true
We were informed the Human weapon team chose Moni Aizik as they saw/read his extensive claims on his websites. They did not verify them. They saw his marketing and agreed to feature him.
You will note that Moni is the only person to teach on the episode with no students, or school and selected an isolated location away from from the public. For the person claiming to teach the special forces he had no soldiers, no acces to any military base/equipment
Ran Nakash on the other hand (who does actually teach the Israeli Military) was featured on the fight quest documentry. ( Its featured on our site.) He had access to soldiers, a military base and military instructors and equipment.
But he survived an ambush by over 1000 Syrians
We looked into this. There is no such battle documented in any account of the war by anybody on either side. Nothing. So we spoke with a current Israeli Military insider about it. He told us there that the IDF had no history of such an event. More so, if anything so significant had happened it would be made a case study to learn from for the future. There is no such case study.
Chief Instructor of Krav Maga ? We can find no evidence that Moni was ever a Krav Maga Instructor
Moni states he was asked to help Imi revamp the Krav Maga system as Moni he had the combat experience Imi lacked. Moni forgot to mention Imi was a soldier in WWII seeing action across the Middle East with the Chezk legion attached to the British Army. This was on top of his life experiences in Middle Europe and the Nazi gang violence Imi endured on the streets. Extreme voilence where Jews could be beaten stabbed or shot with impunity, This is the gritty, ugly background from which Krav Maga evolved.
This is a million miles from the glossy Black Belt Magazine, Walter Mitty history with Moni in the starring role.
So why this article.
Krav Maga is a great system. An honest system. A tough no nonsense system. It can be used by anybody. Its strength is that it is simple, realistic and proven. Its founder Imi tried to perpetuate some noble ideals.
It seems abhorrent that Moni Aizik should come along after the death of the founder (Imi) and simply claim credit for Imi's lifetime of work. To claim that the founders system was old discredited system and Moni’s was somehow the successor, the better system, the system used in the Israeli Forces. It's very wrong, immoral maybe ?
Moni tried to re write history. To make history reflect on him as an innovator, founder and war hero. Someone even tried to rewrite the Wikipedia Krav Maga page one several occassions. CKM has a huge publicity machine, a huge budget utilising viral marketing techniques on on the net, on internet forums, on youtube and in print.
The contrast between Moni and Imi could not be greater. Imi was honest, principled and interested in ordinary people. Although a great fighter he was greatly concerned that anybody should be able to defend him or herself. Even years after his death he is fondly spoken of and remembered with respect. Will the same be said of Moni I wonder.
To Commando Krav Maga Instructors
I wish you well and am honestly sorry to have to write this article. I am not interested in bashing other systems, or writing articles to say my system is better than yours etc. Its Moni Aizik, his lies and misrepresentation of history I have issue with. But guys, come on be honest. How much credibility can you expect from a 3 day course ? I am sure Moni worked you hard but be honest - you need to work like that for 23 days and hold a Black Belt and pass an audition to do Basic Krav Maga insrtructor training. You cant compare a long weekend to the real thing.
And the whole whole cammo clad paramilitary thing.......
Most Commando Krav Maga Instructors are toning down their claims now. Others are leaving. However, some Instructors knowingly perpetuate Moni’s dishonest statements for their own financial or emotional benefit. I have a problem with this as they are misleading the general public and as guilty as Moni is.
If you really want to teach Krav Maga, approach a genuine krav Maga organisation. Pass selection and do your time build your skills. It wont be done in a weekend but it will be real.The main international organisations are the IKMF, IKMA, FEKM and KMWW (in no particular order).
I would recommend the IKMF they certainly are the main organisation in the UK, there are other organisations. There is the IKMA (mainly Israel I believe), the FEKM ( mainly France I think but also other countries in Europe) and the American organisation KMWW which i believe has a presence in Belgium as well. They all offer real Krav Maga and a good standard of Instructor training.
Commando Krav Maga in a nutshell
Commando Krav Maga was created by Judo Instructor Moni Aizik. CKM is a civilian system that attempts to associate its self with both Krav Maga and the Israeli Military.
Not quite as sexy as the story Moni tells is it.....
Best Wishes.
Paul Grey
This article represents our honestly held beliefs. After researching Mr Aiziks extensive public claims, we believe Mr Aizik has been dishonest and mislead people for his own emotional and financial gain. Further more we believe our article reflects a reasonable and fair account of the reality around his claims.
Our sources are varied and researched and are prepared to make formal legal statements if needed. We believe it is in the pubIc Interest to share what is a reasonable and fair account of Mr Aizik and his claims.
If you disagree - put it to the test and demonstrate reasonalble evidence of Aiziks many claims.
Paul Grey
ASA Judgment article on Commando Krav Maga is here
ASA Judgement here
More information can be found here at an American Forum
Former Instructors speak out here
More on another Forum here
