Martial Arts Therapy

Special Features

Belt and Badge Awards

A very exciting part of our Martial Arts Therapy training is the Belt and Badge promotion. As in most martial arts students are awarded 10 different colored belts until they often receive the coveted Black Belt, which demonstrates the students' physical and mental prowess, techniques of kindness, academics of martial sciences, and proficiency in their abilities to defend themselves and their families from external and internal attacks.
Everyone begins at white belt then they move up in the following colored belt order: yellow, orange, gold, green, blue, purple, red, brown, gray, black.
For younger children who need promotional testing more often the additional belts have the same color only with a black stripe added to it.
After Black Belt they are eligible to test as for their instructional certificate. After first-degree Black Belt the student tests for their 2nd 3rd and 4th degree Black and with each promotion the belt is striped accordingly. At 5th degree and 6th degree Black Belt the student wears a black and red belt. For 5th degree the black stripe is on top and for 6th the red is on top. For 7th, 8th and 9th degree Black Belts the student would traditionally wear a black and white belt but has the option of wearing any significant color that adds to their style or philosophy of teaching for example – a light blue belt like the sky.
For 10th degree Black Belt the traditional double width white belt is worn as the student prepares for returning to their humble beginnings.
In the saddest cases when death is imminent the student will be promoted to Black Belt and if the family wishes the child would be laid to rest with their karate uniform and belt. This often has a strong emotional impact on the family and begins the long journey of healing.

The second ranking system is the badge promotion. Like many police agencies students who opt to join the police cadet-training program will have additional training as their local police officers have. They will actually train with professional officers on duty, off duty or those retired from service. Students will learn about restraint and riot tactics, police codes on the radio, police regulations and guidelines, and a host of other pertinent information.
The badge promotional system starts each recruit as an officer where they get an ID card and shield, then our following order is:
Corporal, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Deputy Inspector, Inspector, Major, Deputy Chief, Assistant Chief and Chief. There are several divisions of chiefs – Chief of Patrol, Chief of Community Affairs, Chief of Special Operations Division, Chief of Training, Chief of Detectives, Chief of Crime Scene Division, Chief of Internal Affairs, Chief of Legal Affairs, Chief of Youth Units, etc. Finally, the student can rise to Deputy Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner, and Commissioner of their community or town.

Students have the option to train with various police officials to learn their duties and are expected read the Patrol Guide and other interim and legal memos in additional to the tactics training. When students are ready they will be taken to various tours of real training facilities and operations. For the students who are home or hospital bound the police officers will come to the hospital to conduct training as with our Martial Arts Therapy.

Naturally, there is a direct correlation our police training has in assisting the students with their therapy using our guidance imagery techniques of pain management, rehabilitation and healing. The students who elect to go into this joint training program will wear a police uniform and have the auxiliary training gear that comes with it; handcuffs (plastic), night stick (foam), mace (water canister), two-way radio, and memo book.

We have already met with various Police Chiefs and Commanders in the NYC police department who have assured us participation in this program. In any event several Police Officers have already signed to volunteer their time to work and train our students in how to fight crime and cancer cells, keep the streets safe and keeping the bodies they work with safe.

Kids Healing Kids

Kids healing kids is a double program. The students themselves who have serious illnesses and disabilities often are able to help their fellow students now close friends more than themselves at first. There is cohesion, which develops where Martial Arts Therapy students feel like family like in most good Dojos (training schools).
Students learn the art of mutual support just as it is needed on the battlefield of criminal attacks so it is needed on the body battlefield.
The second part of kids healing kids is where our kids reach out to help other kids with other problems. When "other kids" see how our brave samurai students deal with their pain and their trauma they become inspired.

Our kids develop a strong sense of worth and purpose as a direct result.

Theater Therapy

All kids love theater and film. The entire guidance imagery approach is similar to theater therapy. Instead of students imagining the battle between the ninja cancer cells and the samurai/police officer antibody we actually act it out dressing up students in the appropriate attire. In addition, students get to act out other problems that bother them within their support network and attempt to remedy the situation.

The second part is stage-fighting training, which many kids find very appealing. Students learn to fight in front of the camera. This is more of a fun class and highlights guidance imagery even more.

The third component is where we attempt to pair up actors, directors, writers, make-up artists, and other entertainment personnel to visit our kids and teach elementary skills in theater leaving them with big smiles on their faces and very fond memories which is all part of the healing process.

Help us make a difference

Your contribution counts. Every dollar you give will help Martial Arts Therapy to reach more children. Now it can be your money that helps a child fight pain and cancer, and if you want to get involved with Martial Arts Therapy or see how donations are used, please visit our contributions page.

Our Program

About Gary Moskowitz

Rabbi Sensei Gary Moskowitz is a former New York City police officer, private investigator, teacher, principal, social worker, talk show host, and president of a Long Island Jewish community council. He has trained police in the United States and anti-terrorist units in Israel in riot and hostage tactics. Gary holds a Seventh Degree Black Belt in both Juijitsu and Karate, a Second Degree Black Belt in both Judo and Oriental Weapons, and he is an instructor in Tai-Chi-Aki. His life long desire for educating others and for making the world a better place has led him to teach Martial Arts and a broad variety of other subjects over many years and to found the award winning National Association for the Jewish Poor and other charitable organizations, including Martial Arts Therapy for children fighting cancer.

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