Boaz Heilig

Instructor Bio

Dan 5 

Instructor at the Netanya Club

I started my karate training at the age of 15, during the summer vacation I came to the dojo in Netanya and watched the black belt training. He was greeted by Sensei Yehuda Pantanowitz. I was fascinated by the concentration and intensity of the training and the aesthetics of the movements. But since I wasn’t excelling in sports, I wasn’t sure if the training was right for me, but I decided to take the challenge. Particularly influential was the personality of Sensei Yehuda, which instilled a sense of fatherly security. The atmosphere was homely and the trainees seemed to be having fun. Later on, this is one of the things that made me strengthen my connection to the dojo.

I started training. In the beginning, I was guided by senior campers and guides with black belts. From each of them, I remember principles and emphases that helped me progress in karate, such as determination, meticulous movement and setting goals, but most of all I was influenced by Sensei Yehuda, with whom I started training as a green belt. Sensei Yehuda often emphasized the harmony of karate with the human body and gave examples of fighting spirit and determination from nature. In 1995 I enlisted in the IDF, and during my service I was able to continue training and advanced to a black belt that I received in 1997.

At that time, Sensei Yehuda sent me to compete in the national championships. The approach to the competitions was not one of the importance of winning at any price, but in order to represent the system at the national level. The competitions helped develop self-confidence in front of an audience. In 2001 I came in second place in kata and that same year I represented Israel at the Maccabiah and won third place. In 1999 I underwent a instructors course of the Wingate Institute under the guidance of Sensei Yehuda and I began to instruct in the dojo in Netanya, mainly new campers who came to the club. I was happy to help Sensei Yehuda and also understood the importance of my role, as I was responsible for providing the basics for those beginners as well as motivating them to continue training. I am happy to see many of those beginners who are already in advanced levels today.

From 1999 I started participating in international training camps (geshuku) in Europe and in 2002 I went to Okinawa for the first time to train in Sensei Higaona dojo. It was an amazing experience that strengthened my connection to karate. In 2006, with the sudden passing of Sensei Yehuda z”l, I joined the senior cadets at Honbo Dojo, with the aim of continuing the dojo activity at the request of Sensei Yehuda. In 2007 I received the rank of Yondan (4th Dan) from Sensei Higaona in a test held at the Honbo Dojo in Netanya.

In 2006, with the sudden passing of Sensei Yehuda z”l, I joined the senior cadets at Honbo Dojo, with the aim of continuing the dojo activity at the request of Sensei Yehuda. In 2007 I received the rank of Yondan (4th Dan) from Sensei Higaona in a test held at the Honbo Dojo in Netanya.