The Historical development of Hisardut Dennis Survival Ju Jitsu
and its influence on Martial Arts in the world
The history of Dennis Hanover and his Survival self-defense style started when he was 3 years old after his parents divorced and his mother had no means to support her children. He had to learn how to survive at that young age and was forced, with his 2 sisters, to live in poor homes for deprived and unwanted children.
Because of his belief in God, his gifted physical natural ability and his spirit, he developed survival skills that not only kept him sane and safe throughout the hardship of his life but also helped him to go from strength to strength adapting himself with honor to new situations.
As a poor Jewish child on his own, living under appalling condition, in South Africa at the time of the Second World War, he learnt to survive through his struggle against the anti-Semitism in the street, at the trade school and at work. To survive, at that time, he had to deal with psychological and physical abuse. "Jews sit and eat with the dogs", "Jews and dogs not allowed" were regular sentences he had to deal with. His goal, already, was to be able to live in security and with respect.
At the age of 15, Dennis Hanover starts to learn Judo. Very fast he became the Transvaal Middleweight Champion. He was graded his first, second and third Dan by Prof. Jack Robinson. He opened, with Micky Davidow, the first Jewish self-defense club in South Africa. After immigrating to Israel, in 1960, he opened the first Judo club in Israel (Moshav Moledet. ) and was exposed to Karate through his friend Sidney Faiga (Second Dan Shai-Hun International, By Charles Robin). Dennis's character and personal views led him more to full contact fighting and he directed himself to Kiu Koshinkai Karate style. In 1964, he was introduced to Ju Jitsu and Kung Fu by Al Holbert, an expert black belt in these two professions. In 1966, they opened together the first Self-Defense gym,Budoka, in Tel Aviv , teaching Judo, Karate, Kung Fu and Ju Jitsu.
Dennis Hanover was one of the Judo pioneers in Israel. He introduced Judo in the sixth Maccabia Games and it became an integral part of the games. In the tenth Maccabia games, he introduced Karate and here too, Karate became an integral part of the games. "Yom Kippur War", in 1973, was a important turning point in Dennis's way looking to life, instruction and Martial Arts in general. After he lost one of his best pupils who fell in the Golan Heights battle, he vowed to make a championship every years in the name of the fallen. With the years this yearly championship turned to be in the honor of the fallen as well as in the name of all his pupils who passed away. On his 65 birthday (2002), Dennis Survival Ju Jitsu will hold the 25 championship.
At that time Dennis taught Judo to children up to the age of 15, as a sport. From the age of 15 upward he taught sport Karate and self-defense (Ju Jitsu). In 1975, as a 4th Dan Karate (by Israeli Karate federation, 5th Dan in 1979), Dennis Hanover was introduced to Kancho Oyama and his Kiu Koshinkai style of Karate that, at that time, was the strongest full contact Karate. Fighting for Israel in the first World Full Contact Kiu Koshinkai Karate, being the oldest participant but nevertheless one of the best of the championship. His fighting spirit and his will to survive and overcome all challenges for him and his country resumed Dennis Hanover's philosophy of life. His personality and his fighting spirit brought him honor and Kancho Oyama bestowed on him the presidency of the Israeli Ku Koshinkai organization (1976-1987) and a 3rd Dan in Kiu Koshinkai. After Dennis's grate success in the first Ku Koshinkai world championship, in 1975, Dennis organized the Dennis Survival Ku Koshinkai first team to participate in the second world championship, in 1979, been warmly invited by Kancho Oyama.
The Israeli Hisardut-Survival Ku Koshinkai 1979 Team
Head of the team: Dennis Hanover, president of Ku Koshinkai Israel, head coach
Captain: Shmulik Berner, light weight Israeli Ku Koshinkai Champion
Micky Erez, heavy weight Israeli Ku Koshinkai Champion
Yoram Cohen, Light-heavy weight Israeli Ku Koshinkai Champion
Boaz Aviram, middle weight Israeli Ku Koshinkai Champion
Yoram Yehezkel, Open Israeli Ku Koshinkai Champion
A few weeks before the second open championship (1979), for political reasons, the Israeli team was disallowed to participate.
"Japan disinvites Israel from Karate tournament"
The Jerusalem Post, Sunday, November 11,1979
""Hanover said that "quite obviously Oyama was referring to Arab pressure. The IKF head pointed out that the organizing committees president is Jordan's King Hussein, and Prince Mohammed is its "honorary adviser"""
"To compensate the disappointed Israeli team members, Hanover reported that the IKF has accepted an invitation to send the same fighters to the United States shortly as guest of the New York-based Jewish Karate Federation. The Israelis will spend three weeks in America, competing against both Jewish and non-Jewish teams."
Already a few years, after Dennis participated in the Wars of Israel and was living the day to day Israeli reality, he understood that the Martial Arts conception of self-defense doesn’t give proper answers to terror and modern violence. He had to think how to deal with the regular threats of the 20th century as well as the Israeli terror reality. He started a new conception, Hisardut-Survival system that in 1983 was introduced publicly and demonstrated in the University of Vienna in front of the Masters of the Original E.J.J.U. The Hisardut-Survival style was recognized as a new style of Ju Jitsu by the board (Rvd. Bell, Life E.J.J.U. president and Mr. Wenkstetten, chief technical advisor).
In 1988, a new Israeli law starts to rule over the sports education in Israel: "The Sport Law": only a teacher who will pass with success a special instructor or coach's course under the supervision of Ministry of culture and sport, will be allow to teach sport (including Martial Arts). Dennis Hanover is bestowed in 1989 the first certificate of Hisardut-Survival coach and then opened the first Hisardut-Survival Instructors course.
Among the graduates as well as among Hisardut-Survival pupils we can find with the years people who change their way and style while their basic techniques are the same of what they learnt with their first Master, Dennis Hanover.
Dennis Hisardut-Survival is so vast and versatile in its techniques and fighting spirit that a person can take the whole style or break it up to suit the individual in his own direction.
Some have gone to be professional fighters like Avner Shalom, Black belt Dennis Hisardut-Survival, Vice European Kick boxing Champion, training in Europe (Holland) and Thailand. " For Master H. Dennis, You taught me Tao of life, April 1986, Shalom Avner."
Motti Horenstein (second row from the bottom, third from the right in the above picture), 1986- heavy weight Dennis Hisardut-Survival champion, orange belt (down-left picture), 1989 Dennis Hisardut-Survival heavy weight champion and Dennis Hisardut-Survival instructor in 1989, brown belt (down-right picture), Kick boxing American champion, full contact American champion. While in America Master Dennis Hanover gave him his 1st Dan for his fighting ability.
George Eshet, Dennis Hisardut-Survival black belt, Airport and Plane security.
Shlomi D. -Dennis Hisardut-Survival Ju Jitsu 6th Dan, Open Weight Dennis Hisardut-Survival Ju Jitsu Champion, World Pankration Open weight amateur champion 2000, Greece.
Tzahi - Dennis Hisardut-Survival Ju Jitsu 3rd Dan, Light Weight Dennis Hisardut-Survival Ju Jitsu Champion, World Pankration lightweight amateur champion 2000, Greece.
Micky Erez, Dennis Hisardut-Survival black belt in 1975, member of Dennis HisardutSurKoshinkai team to the second World Open Ku Koshinkai Championship in 1979.
Micky Erez- second row, second from the right. Micky Erez-1979- 4th from the left training in Caesarea with
Master Dennis Hanover.
Ran Steinberg , 5th Dan Dennis Hisardut-Survival Ju Jitsu, Light-Middle Weight Dennis Hisardut-Survival Ju Jitsu Israeli Champion for many years, Dennis Hisardut-Survival Ju Jitsu official instructor, Head instructor teaching Self defense in the IDF, Dennis Hisardut-Survival Ju Jitsu Official representative in the U.S. (Santa Barbara area)
Alon Stivi, 5th Dan Dennis Hisardut-Survival Ju Jitsu, Middle weight D.S.J.J. Israeli champion. In the nineties, Master Hanover, Soke, gave Alon Stivi from the "Hisardut - Dennis Survival Ju Jitsu head quarter" to be head instructor of Dennis Survival Ju Jitsu and to represent Dennis Survival system in America under Master, Soke and president Mr. Dennis Hanover of the "Martial Arts center of Israel (Hisardut)".
Mickey Davidow, (South Africa) was the first Judo instructor to introduced Judo to Dennis Hanover, at the age of 15. In a short while they were the first Jews to introduce Judo the Jewish South African Youth. They, together, opened the first self-defense Jewish clubs in Johannesburg-Transval and then they became black belts champions and were graded by Master Jack Robinson and his son Norman, 3rd Dan. Mickey Davidow, in later years developed South African Fanchento Kung Fu Federation. Dennis Hanover saw in him always a wonderful and honest man, doing only good for Humanity. Dennis Hanover in respect to Master Mickey Davidow who did so much for the Jewish Youth of S.A., bestowed on him the title of 6th Dan and the presidency of Dennis Hisardut-Survival Ju Jitsu in South Africa.
Gavriel Schneider, (South Africa) 3rd Dan Dennis Hisardut-Survival Ju Jitsu, Middle weight Israeli and South African D.S.J.J. champion. He taught in the main center of Dennis Hisardut-Survival Ju Jitsu in Israel for Master Dennis Hanover and represents the D.S.J.J. system in South Africa and teaches it in the self defense body guard program.
Zvonko Tubic and Josip Anic, (Croatia) 3rd Dan Dennis Hisardut-Survival Ju Jitsu, both champions in Israel and both represent the Dennis Hisardut-Survival Ju Jitsu in Croatia for Master Dennis Hanover. They have opened up a club for fighting and self-defense, working both with civilians, army, security and police force.
Zak Kapantaidakis, (Greece) 2nd Dan Dennis Hisardut-Survival Ju Jitsu, was given by Master Hanover the presidency of D.S.J.J. in Greece to represent the style. Zak Kapantaidakis is using the style for security and bodyguard purposes.
To be continued...
Learning Hisardut Dennis Survival Ju Jitsu philosophy and conception is opening doors to life, creativity and the respect to Humanity. Its end is the beginning of the circle of life, the beginning of everything.
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