Karate Do International - Our School Development

Karate Do International: 9 Hafetz Hayim St. Petah Tikva, Israel. Phone: +972-3-9309504

Development of Karate Do International

Leib Yehuda Pantanovich 2nd Dan immigrates to Israel from South Africa and start's teaching Karate lessons. Among the first 8-students, was Rony Kluger, Kancho. The class takes place at the "Amos Institute", Petach Tiqva.

First visit to Israel of Hugh St. John Thomson, head of Karate-Do South Africa.

Kancho Rony Kluger leaves to South Africa to become a Learner Instructor, where he studies, practices, breathes and lives Karate-Do seven days a week, full time, under the guidance and watchful eyes of Hanshi Denis St. John Thomson. Kancho Rony returns to Israel by the end of 1975, as a Black Belt, authorized by the head of the school as the Chief Instructor of Karate Do in Israel.

Kancho Rony begins teaching Karate-Do as a professional, full timer Teacher in Petach Tikva, first in the Maccabi gym, and than in the Hess Street Dojo. This period continues until 1984.

First international Gashuku of Karate-Do in Urdorf, Switzerland.

Second international Gashuku of Karate-Do in Urdorf, Switzerland.

The two teachers (Leib Pantanowitz and Rony Kluger) take separate ways after a long and successful visit to Okinawa Japan at Higaonna Morio Senseiâ€™s Dojo. Pantanowitz, Sensei joins Higaonna Senseiâ€™s organization, and Kancho Rony continues his Karate-Do with a fruitful collaboration of his personal mentor and Teacher, Hanshi Denis St. John Thomson. During this year, the first Israeli Dechi, Cna'an Lifshitz (2nd Dan), begins his training - studying and practicing full time, for two consecutive years as the personal student of Kancho. Cna'an initiated the magnificent tradition of â€œDechiâ€ in Israel, a tradition that has lasted to this days. During this year an accelerated development of the school began - many branches were opened, the instructor's team grew bigger, many newly awarded black belts joined our Yudansha Kai, and international relations began to flourish.

Kancho Rony pays a visit to his homeland (Hungary), and establishes initial relations with the Hungarian Karate Federation and with Attila Miskolczi, then a Goju-Kai student, and the future Chief Representative of our school in Hungary.

First international Gashuku under Kancho Rony Klugersâ€™ supervision in Stans - Switzerland.

Historical International Gashuku, The first of its kind ever in Hungary, under the leadership of Kancho Rony. As a result of the Gashuku, Attila Miskolczi arrives in Israel as the first foreign Uchi Dechi. Later, Marius Strydom from South Africa will join as a senior Uchi Dechi, followed by a long line of Dechiâ€™s both from Israel and abroad continuing the ancient tradition.

Attila Miskolczi Sensei completed his first training period in Israel and opens the first Hungarian branch of Karate-Do International Renmei. On the other hand, the school in Israel departs from students who choose to follow a different path.

Kancho Rony is invited as an official guest to Finland, as a Teacher and Lecturer. These initial relations will turn into an ongoing bond - Kancho Rony has already visited Finland on eight occasions and the relationship continues to grow.

Along with the development and expansion of the school's activities, the Honbu Dojo moves to different places, starting at Amos Institute, through Maccabi Petah Tiqva gym, 13 Hess St., â€œHeychalâ€ Theatre basement, and finally in 1992 to its present location on 9 Hafetz Haim St. in Petach Tiqva. Karate-Do celebrates 20 years anniversary in an extraordinary festive event with the presence of the Japan Karate Federation's (JKF) Masters Team. The JKF seniors stayed as our guests, leaded a successful seminar, and conducting examinations at the Honbu Dojo. They participated in our 20th year celebrations under the patronage and presence of the Japan's Ambassador in Israel.

Kancho Rony Kluger is appointed Dean of the International Budo Academy (IBA).

Karate-Do International Renmei separates from Kancho Hugh St. John Thomson turning toward a new and independent way, while establishing renewed relations with the historical sources of Okinawa Goju-Ryu Karate-Do in Okinawa Japan. Kancho Rony returns to practice in Okinawa where he is warmly welcomed by Eiichi Miyazato Sensei. Ever since, he has returned many times for professional visits in Okinawa and Japan. During the same year Kancho Rony is appointed a senior member with official status in the legendary â€œDai Nippon Butoku Kaiâ€, which is the elite governmental organization of traditional martial arts and senior Budo Teachers in Kyoto, Japan. Kancho Rony Kluger becomes one of the first teachers of the western world to be accepted and honored with an official position in this prestigious historic organization.

Karate-Do celebrates 25 years of activity in a historical event, with the presence of: Dr. George Popper, General Secretary of European Karate Federation and the General Secretary of IBA, with the active participation of the Japan, Hungary and Poland Ambassadors, Mr. Imad Khalil, the head of the Royal College of Karate from Amman - Jordan, and personal friends of Dr. Rony Kluger, senior members of Hungarian Karate-Do under the leadership of Attila Miskolczi Sensei, Israeli IOC Chairman, leaders of World Maccabi, and many top senior Israeli sport executives.

First decade celebrations of Karate-Do in Hungary, with the participation of: the Ambassador of the State Of Israel in Hungary, Dr. George Popper Executive President of IBA, Foreign Affairs Ministry representatives, highly respected guests from Russia and Romania, and of course the students and seniors of the school in Israel and Hungary. The memorable events of Karate-Do in Hungary culminate in a a festivital to end our international Gashuku.

Team of our seniors ( Shmulik Friede, Yossi Keyserman, Shay Bendersky) companied Kancho Rony Kluger for a special educational tour to Okinawa. We paid respect and joined the memorial services held in remembering the late Miyazato Eichi Sensei, the legendary leader of the Jundokan Dojo. The team received special attention and personal instruction from all leaders of the Jundokan.

30th year celebrations of Karate-Do in Israel was received with a sense of nostalgia and sentiment , with the very treasured visit of Denis St. John Thomson, Hanshi, 9th Dan,- the personal Teacher and Guide of Kancho Rony Kluger. Hanshi Denis arrives in Israel thanks to the invitation of Yudansha Kai , as a gesture to Hanshi Denis, and as a acknowledgment for his lifetime work in promoting and developing traditional Budo. Hanshi Denis teaches a series of workshops and leads some stunning and extraordinary discussions with the schoolâ€™s seniors. Spartaco Bertoletti, Soke, chairman of the World Ju-Jutsu & Kobudo Organization (WJJKO), and a close friend of Kancho, was also invited to direct a seminar of Ju-Jutsu and Iaido.

During the historical event of 115 years to Dai Nippon Butoku Kai, at the Butokuden, Kyoto, Japan, in the presence of the DNBK's Hanshi Board, the representatives of the Japanese emperorâ€™s family and some government representatives of Japan, Dr. Rony Kluger is officially awarded â€“ Karate Do 8th Dan. Kancho Rony is the second non-Japanese ever awarded with such a rank in Karate-Do, by the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai.

A selected team of our seniors (Shmulik Friede, Yossi Keyserman and Ronen Berger Sensei) joined again Kancho Rony for a special training program with the Ju Dan's (10th. Dan) of the Jundokan Dojo. The team trained intensively at the Jundokan, and also at the private Dojo of Hichiya Sensei and Minei Nanko Sensei We also received a great amount of information from a very friendly visit and meeting with Hokama Sensei - the director of the Okinawa Karatedo Museum The visit concluded with the third year Memorial Service held at the Jundokan Dojo in memory of Miyazato O'Sensei. As mentioned before, the heart of the school is at the â€˜Honbu Dojoâ€™ Petach Tikva, Israel. From there the educational and administrative system is managed, and the way of the school in Israel and abroad is outlined. Karate Do International Renmei has branches in Hungary, under the headship of Attila Miskolczi Shihan, in Australia Shihan Jonathan Sandler in Israel, Smulik Fride Sensei leads the Yudansha Kai and Sensei Gilad Kluger Directing the Honbu Dojo, the branches are with Sergei Arz, Sensei leads the Kfar Saba Dojo, Ronen Berger Sensei, who is a full time instructor in Shoham, Rishon Le-Tzion and Ramat Aviv, of Felix Sidelkovsky Sensei, who runs the branch in Ashkelon and of Yaron Ben-Shachar, who lately joined our school from Haifa and Amir Harduf Sensei heading Karate Do Galil Elyon. Karate Do International Renmei holds professional relationships and tight cooperation with many International Budo organizations and Senior Teachers from Okinawa, Japan, South Africa, Finland, USA, Canada, Italy, India, France, Germany, Romania and Latvia.

State Of Israel, Ministry of Education Culture and Sport Karate Do International under the leadership of Dr. Rony KLUGER, Kancho have been officialy recognised and acredited by the as a School of Instructors and Coaches (Sport law 1988).

The leargest team of Seniors so far, joined Kancho Rony KLUGER for a special visit to Okinawa to pay respect to the memory of Miyazato Eichi O Sensei, the legendary head Master of the Jundokan Dojo f Okinawa. This very succesfull visit created the oppurtunity to finalise the main event of Karate Do for 2006, The first International Jundokan Gashuku with the participation of Miyazato, Kancho, Taira Sensei, Gima Sensei, Azuma Sensei,and Glenn Sensei of Jundokan.

The first International Jundokan Summer Gashuku in Godollo, Hungary organsied and hosted by Karate Do International Renmei. Great succes of the First International Sho Honbu Jundokan Gashuku in Hungary, over 200 participants, over 80 Yudansha from eight countries, joined forces to make it a wonderful and outstanding event.