Matan Gavish
Matan Gavish () is the founder and chief instructor of Krav Maga Academy in New York City. Gavish is a former Krav Maga officer for a special operations unit in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), in charge of self-defense training for hundreds of special forces soldiers. Gavish has also trained U.S. Navy SEALs, U.S. Army Rangers, and security teams worldwide. He is actively working with the New York City Police Department (NYPD) in the design, practice, and implementation of Krav Maga training at the New York City Police Academy.
Gavish has been featured as a Krav Maga expert on television, including on CNN's Anderson Live with Anderson Cooper, National Geographic Channel's Doomsday Preppers, CBS New York, The Today Show, and Israel's Channel 2, as well as in print and online in Sports Illustrated, Men's Fitness, Fox News, CBS New York, Yedioth Ahronoth, and DNAinfo. He particularly utilizes Krav Maga to promote self-defense and personal empowerment for women.
Gavish holds a BA from Columbia University and is a lifelong martial artist.