After a great no-gi seminar last night, we woke up and received an unexpected and very moving invitation. We headed back to Tel Aviv for an important and emotional meeting with families directly affected by the October 7th attacks.
In Tel Aviv, we met with Yarden Bibas, whose wife Shiri and their two young sons, Ariel (4) and Kfir (9 months), were abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the attacks. Tragically, Shiri and the children were killed while in captivity, and their remains were returned to Israel in February 2025. Yarden, who was held separately, was released on February 1, 2025, after 15 months in captivity. Hearing his firsthand account was incredibly moving.
We also spoke with Ilana Gritzewsky, who was kidnapped from her home in Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023, and endured 55 days in captivity before being released. Her boyfriend, Matan Zangauker, a 25-year-old soldier, is still being held. Ilana shared her story and talked about her ongoing efforts to advocate for Matan’s release.
Additionally, we met Ella Mor, the aunt of Abigail Mor Edan, a four-year-old American-Israeli girl who was taken hostage during the attacks. Abigail’s parents were tragically killed during the incident, and Abigail herself was held captive for 51 days before being released. Ella has been playing a big role in helping Abigail recover and in advocating for the release of other hostages.
Hearing these stories firsthand was deeply emotional. What really stood out was their strength and determination, not just to keep pushing for their loved ones’ return but to make sure that all remaining hostages are brought back safely. Their message was clear: the priority right now is to bring everyone home.
After this impactful meeting, we hit the road again, dealing with rush-hour traffic as we made our way back north to Akko for the second day of our seminar series. This time it was a kimono seminar, and once again, we had over 100 students from different Binyamin academies across Israel. Professors Pedro and Gui taught for about three and a half hours, covering both standing and grappling techniques. They wrapped up the session with a great discussion on the philosophy and history of jujutsu.
We really want to thank David Binyamin and his family for being such incredible hosts. A big thank you to the senior black belts who received their ranks at Valente Brothers: Roy Peretz from Tiberias, Yoni and Edi Dubrotsky, from Haifa. We also really appreciate all the black belts and instructors who brought their students to participate.
Special thanks to our students who made the trip to join us: Ted Schwartz, Drew Knohl, and Shana Lazar. The technical level and the energy in the room were amazing, showing just how dedicated and skilled the Binyamin academies are. We can’t wait to come back.
Stay tuned for more updates as our journey continues.
