| Kobi Lichtenstein | |
| Birth Name: | יעקב ליכטנשטיין |
| Birth Place: | Rehovot, Israel |
| Residence: | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Martial Art: | Krav Maga |
| Teacher: | Imi Lichtenfeld, Eli Avikzar |
| Rank: | 8th dan in Krav Maga |
| Website: | South American Federation of Krav Maga |
Yaakov "Kobi" Lichtenstein (born 1964) is an Israeli-Brazilian master of krav maga who introduced this technique to South America.[1] [2] He is the President of the South American Federation of Krav Maga (FSAKM).[2]
Lichtenstein was born in 1964 in Rehovot, Israel.[1] He began training in the martial art of krav maga in 1967 under its founder, Imi Lichtenfeld (1910–1998).[1] Lichtenstein began teaching the art at the age of 15.[1] He served for three years in the Israeli Defense Forces, by the end he held a black belt diploma from the Krav Maga Association.[1] He fought in the First Lebanon War (1982).[1]
Lichtenstein arrived in Brazil on 18 January 1990,[2] [3] [4] appointed by Lichtenfeld to introduce his martial art to South America.[3] He has written at least three books on krav maga,[5] including Krav Maga: A filosofia da defesa Israelense[6] (Krav Maga: The Philosophy of the Israeli Defense) and Krav Maga: Sua defesa pessoal contra a violência urbana[7] (Krav Maga: Your self-defense against urban violence). In January 1996, Lichtenfeld promoted Lichtenstein to the rank of 6th dan in krav maga.[1] [4]
In March 2009, Lichtenstein received the Tiradentes Medal.[1] On 15 May 2009, he received the Pedro Ernesto Medal in recognition of his service to krav maga in Brazil.[1] [8] Lichtenstein lives and teaches krav maga in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.[9]
In the middle of 2011, Lichtenstein was granted an 8th dan red belt by Haim Zut and Uri Refaeli from the Krav Maga Federation.