Talion's Law (Karaté Bushido n°216 Aout 1994)

" KB - The G.I.G.N. (Group d’Intervention de la Gendarmerie National; equivalent to SWAT) showed an interest in your system. What came of this?
RD - The policemen of the G.I.G.N. were indeed interested in Krav Maga and after detailed examination, their experts, who were all black belts with dan grades in their own disciplines, adopted it. While on this subject, I would like to emphasise the profound satisfaction it gives me to instruct this elite unit.

KB - You were strongly impressed by the first meeting with your master. Tell us about this event.
RD - When I was recruited into the Israeli army in Israel in 74, I was already passionate about combat sports and I had immersed myself in them head-first with a fervour which was almost excessive. At this time, Bruce Lee “Karate” films had widely contributed to the general awareness of martial arts, and had given the young man that I still was an idea that was more or less unrealistic and which, with respect to the old masters, was particularly caricatured.
In the course of my military service, my lieutenant decided to send to me on an intensive course to become a Krav Maga military instructor. It is there, from the very first day, that I became acquainted with my instructor, Raphy Elgrissy, one of Master Lichtenfeld’s very first pupils and who later continued to teach me in civilian life. Focussed as we were in assimilating techniques, none of the pupils had noticed, sitting in the shade, an elderly, elegantly dressed gentleman, who was observing the lesson attentively, all the while taking care not to disrupt the group. After some minutes of the instruction, our teacher was the first to notice the very discreet presence of this onlooker. His attitude was immediately marked by a profound respect and he asked him to approach us so that we could be introduced to him. It was at this moment that I became acquainted with Master Lichtenfeld (nicknamed Imi), the founder of Krav Maga, who was going to radically change my view of Martial arts and life in general"