Israeli mixed martial arts fighter Natan Levy wants to teach Jews how to fight antisemitism, but not with databases, reports, and legislation, in the manner of many organizations. Levy wants Jews to learn martial arts so that they can defend themselves and their families if theyâre attacked.
After competing in the mixed martial arts (MMA) ring for almost a decade, Levy explained to The Jerusalem Post, his current goal is to help strengthen the Jewish people.
He seeks to prepare others for self-defense situations with his gym and programs with the Israeli and American militaries, but his chief priority is seminars for Jewish communities.
American Jews are a tiny proportion of the US population, just over 2%, but a significantly disproportionate amount of hate-motivated crimes targeted them. He experienced antisemitism himself, constantly being bombarded with death threats on social media.
He is also sad to admit that he is part of a sport that, he said, is antisemitic, with many fans or fighters embracing antisemitic ideologies and rhetoric.
On a physical level, Natan Levy can punch his way through his opponent during a match, but there is another arena he fights in as well: The rhetorical one, in which he uses words to sway his adversary (credit: Natan Levy)
Yet he refuses to see himself as a victim, and does not want that fate for other Diaspora Jews either. Levy bemoaned how ubiquitous videos of antisemitic incidents have become, but in those videos in which there was violence, one rarely saw Jews defending themselves.
âWake-up callâ for antisemitism
âI think itâs a wake-up call, and that all Jews, or most of us, will finally wake up, train, and take ourselves, our physical training, seriously â whether itâs in fitness or martial arts, or even, if itâs in the United States, to carry a weapon â to protect yourself and your family,â said Levy. âItâs very simple. Itâs the laws of nature. Once they see that we are not prey, they will stop coming to attack us.â
Beyond the ideologies that motivate antisemitic attacks, Levy sees antisemites as bullies, and they have to be dealt with as such. Far-right extremists and Islamists believe Jews to be the source of all their problems, and like a school bully transferring the abuse from a parent at home to peers at school, they are looking for an easy target. They donât have the strength to address their actual issues, so they look for someone weak to attack so they can feel better about themselves.
âUnfortunately, we seem to be the easiest target, and thatâs why theyâre preying on us,â said Levy.
Fighting is a âlast resort,â and if there is a choice to flee, it is always preferable, the fighter explained, as when one enters into combat one never knows if it could end with either partyâs injury or death, or legal issues. Yet if one is cornered, Jews have to show the âbulliesâ that they are strong â strong enough to teach an assailant not to try Jews again.
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Levy compared such engagements to the situation of Israel in the Middle East. There are those that have ideological and fanatical designs on Israel, but Israelis fight to survive, so they always âfight to the end.â
âWhoever fights not to survive, he does not fight to the end; he will fight until he is uncomfortable. The same goes for Israel and the Jews. You think that someone is big and scary, but he will only fight until he is uncomfortable,â said Levy.
âOnce youâre strong and know how to defend yourself and have the confidence, youâll stand differently; youâll look different. Then you usually wonât have to defend yourself, and people will look at you and say, âIâll find an easier target. It doesnât look like a victim. Iâll go find someone else to beat up.â Of course, if there is no choice, then you have to fight,â said Levy.
He also said that âas soon as you make him [an antisemitic attacker] uncomfortable and he realizes that it was a bad decision to start this story, he will stop.
âWe must always fight to the end. Because if we stop fighting, we will die, so we have no choice. Always fight to the end; never move an inch back. Always stand proud and strong and show them that you can love us or you can hate us, but you will respect us.â
Levy said that learning martial arts would give Jews the confidence to walk city streets. True self-confidence comes from realism, he argued, and has to be earned. Martial arts had changed his life since he was young, giving him the confidence that he lacked when he struggled with schooling or grappled with standard teenage challenges.
MMA fighter Levy trains Jews in self-defense to fight antisemitism
âOnce I dedicated myself completely to this sport, I saw how my life changed for the better, and how I achieved my goals in martial arts, through hard work and through discipline. It basically taught me that I can achieve other goals, whether in business or anything,â said Levy.
Many told Levy that beginning his training at 15 was late for someone with aspirations of being an athlete, but he redoubled his efforts, training every day. He flew to the US to become a fighter, earning his way into the Ultimate Fighting Championship. After investing in himself, he proved the naysayers wrong.
During this period he trained others to support himself, but now he wants to return to teaching with the knowledge and experience he has gathered over the years.
Levy doesnât expect everyone to become a professional MMA fighter, a difficult life that he wouldnât recommend for everyone, but he does believe that everyone should know how to defend themselves.
âIâve always wanted to help teenagers, teach them, and for them to go through what I went through,â said Levy.
For the last two years in Las Vegas, he trained a group from the Jewish and Israeli community twice a week. The goal was to be able âto be hands-on with the youth and really teach them high-level martial arts.â
He couldnât travel every week to other places such as New York, but when he could, he organized seminars. Usually, communities invite him, and he works with the youth or older community members for several hours, depending on their degree of experience.
Levy also helps train those tasked with defending the US and Israel. He shared that he has an upcoming trip to Israel to train for the IDF and Defense Ministry, for situations in which they are guarding or arresting terrorists. The MMA fighter has worked mainly with Krav Maga instructors, but has also collaborated with the Yamas Border Police special unit and the Yahalom special operations Combat Engineering unit. Levy didnât visit Israel often, but when he did, he ensured that he passed on the skills he had learned over years of training.
Recently, Levy also gave seminars for the US Army at a base in Irvine, California. He and other MMA fighters trained with the soldiers, guiding sparring matches. Levy said that he was the youngest of the MMA fighters and learned much from them as well. It was the first time Levy had been involved in the project, but called it a âgreat honorâ and a âjoyâ to work with the US soldiers.
Yet first and foremost is his desire to help the Jewish Diaspora. Levy advises all Diaspora Jews to begin training in martial arts.
The easiest and safest type of martial art to learn is Krav Maga. While Levy also recommends Muay Thai and Brazilian jujitsu, it depends on the trainer.
He has heard from many seeking advice from him that they encountered gyms where there was a Palestinian flag on display, or they had pro-Palestinian trainers or sparring partners who would try to seriously harm Jewish participants during training.
âThis is something that is painful and disappointing to the highest degree, because in the end, martial arts and sports are supposed to bring people together,â said Levy.
At his gym, he said, politics are left at the entrance, and he receives Muslim or Palestinian trainees with open arms. It is unfortunate that, in the sport that he loves, when the opposing side had power, they took a different approach. Many have turned to Levy instead, asking him for advice online.
Levy said that Jewish communities should reach out to him, and they could develop programs together. The fact that so many have been appealing to him about training with their Jewish communities makes Levy feel as if he is creating a positive movement for people to grow stronger. People are motivated to train, even if it isnât with him, and grow strong enough to defend themselves.
âThis is something that makes me super proud and [makes it] worth all the hate and all the threats. I continue to advertise [for Jews to get stronger] despite the hate I get in my sport, and if I miss opportunities and there arenât sponsors, and I get fewer fights and all that stuff, I donât care,â said Levy. âWhat motivates me now is to strengthen the Jewish people.â
wowâŚthose poor jews! I had no idea theyâve been so discriminated against!
every single promotion they try to fight in they get accused of cheating and banned
Dude was a bad mofo on both seasons of ultimate self defense challenge he was on
The Jew cries out in pain as he flops to guard.
They just keep wearing disguises for the first free class.