Dennis Hanover: An illustrious career

Dr Dennis Hanover was presented by the Ministry of Culture and Sport with the “Life Achievement Award 2012” for his contribution to developing martial arts in Israel.

Sportsman, sports entrepreneur, teacher, philanthropist, founder and volunteer, Dennis has had an illustrious career in the martial arts for which he has been duly recognized and acclaimed.

This latest award is added confirmation of what Dennis has given to the world of martial arts. 

Born in South Africa, Dennis immigrated to Israel in 1960 where he was one of the first to introduce the martial arts in the early '60s.  He and Sydney Faiga opened, on Moshav Moledet where he was living, one of the first judo clubs in Israel. They also helped to put judo in the 6^th Maccabi Games and Karate in the 9^th and 10^th. Hanover was the founder of Dennis Survival Ju Jitsu.

As a sports entrepreneur, Dennis also initiated the Judo and Karate Federation of Israel in the 1970s and 80s. He put Karate in the European Karate Federation. From 1960 – 2013, he opened up 30 gyms all over Israel and abroad, and opened the only Museum for Martial Arts in Israel in 2010, in Herzliya.

He is a 9th Degree Black Belt and is the founder of the system. After achieving top belt and recognition in several martial arts (mainly Judo, Ju Jitsi and Kyukoshinkai Karate under Mas Oyama), he developed Hisardut® (Survival) as a more applicable answer to the threats and challenges facing people in modern society.

For 12 years, from 1978-1990, Dennis and his two sons, Yaron and Guy, together with a small cadre of Hisardut® instructors, have trained the elite units of the Israeli military who were looking for a more advanced close combat method than the basic Krav Maga program: the Naval Commandos and the Israeli Anti-Terrorist Units. The Hisardut® training program is endorsed by the Israeli Ministry of Education and taught in some public schools.

Dennis is also a philanthropist and active volunteer. In 1999 he opened the Dennis Survival Foundation which takes care of thousands of children and youth, many of whom are under stress. The foundation has given 150 children bar/bat mitzvahs and has raised thousands of dollars for these children.  For the last 30 years he has taught in Mitzpe Yam, a reformatory for children up to age 18. He is now teaching Ju Jitsu at seven schools for underprivileged children.

A great sportsman, particularly in the martial arts, Dennis was the Transvaal and Jewish Middleweight Champion in South Africa in 1958 and 1959, and started the first Jewish Judo clubs there with Mickey Davidow. Till 1970 he was Israel’s Judo champion. In 1975, with the first team of Israelis, he participated in the 1^st World Knock-Down Championship in Japan, and was rated as one of the best fighters for his spirit.

His children too, Aur-Ly, Jaron and Guy, are many times champions of Israel in the martial arts and are full-time teachers. Dennis and Oscar, his wife, have been married for 58 years. 

Achievements of Dennis Hanover 

■1984: Kaicho, as a teacher of teachers  

■1994: Honorary doctorate of the original European Ju-Jitsu Union  

■2000: Sportsman of the Year by the South African Zionist Federation  

■2000: Recipient of the Diamond Award in the Hall of Fame, Durban  

■2000: Recognition for his Teaching to the Security of Israel  

■2000: Outstanding Volunteer Award by Telfed  

■2001: Grandmaster and International Achievement in Soko as an inventor of a new style of martial arts  

■2004: Induction into the Hall of Fame in America

■2004: Life Presidency of the European Ju-Jitsu Union  

■2008: History Award from the world head of the Sokoship Council  

■2011: Sokoship Council Living Legend