Ginsburg becomes 10th Dan at 72

ILAN HERRMANN

This was the realisation of a lifetime of dedication to the sport and discipline. Davidow submitted the grading to the World Jiu Jitsu Association and said that he consulted with martial arts grandmaster Dennis Hanover before the grading.

In a Jewish Report interview, Ginsburg recalled how his start in life was mired by the most dire of circumstances. “I was born with severe complications. The medical experts said I would not live to see 10 years. Through my early years I was weak and sickly and my physiology stunted.”

At age nine, Ginsburg saw Reg Park who had just become Mr Universe. Seeing Park’s physique, stature and power, sparked something in the young Ginsburg and he decided that he wanted to be like him. He started going to gym and doing weights. This was followed by his introduction to martial arts under sensei Solly Margolis.

This changed Ginsburg’s life. His health improved and he pushed forward, grading in various martial arts. He then came under the tutorage of Davidow, with whom he has been practising ever since. At age 19, amid highly-skilled competition, Ginsburg won the national championship.

He has competed and risen through the ranks in judo (4th Dan), jiu jitsu (10th Dan) and karate (1st Dan) with a Brown belt under Stan Schmidt.

 In his twenties, his involvement in the sport became an obsession. He found his niche in mentoring and began coaching, more than fighting, and went on to open up 10 dojos. “I found I had a talent for motivating people.”

This led Ginsburg to raise a generation of fighters. He was named “Sensei of the Year” by the Judo Association of South Africa in 1972. His pupil, Ronnie Engelman, won bronze in judo at the Olympics.

Over the year Ginsburg has produced 80 pupils who competed for South Africa and, of those 39 became national champions. Ginsburg led a Maccabi team to Israel in 1971 where the South African squad took bronze.

Ginsburg said of SA Jewish martial artists over the generations: “We’ve been blessed. Mickey Davidow was an amazing figure, both as competitor and trainer in the sport.

“The Dorfmans – both Malcolm and Shane – are nothing short of legendary and world-class in every sense. The outstanding Martin Taitz was one of the best Jewish fighters I’ve seen.”

In the same breath Ginsburg laments the dwindled numbers of Jewish fighters in recent years, in martial arts.

Ginsburg believes strongly in the positive value that martial arts can bring to a person. “Martial arts teach you much more than techniques in physical combat; it teaches character.” He goes on to quote his favourite saying: “The ultimate goal of martial arts lies not in the victory or defeat over one’s opponent, but in the perfection of one’s character.”

Ginsburg always wore the mantle of his Jewish identity with pride. He recalls that as a 10-year-old, he was once accosted and beaten up by anti-Semites because he wore a kippah. “I made a point of etching that experience in my consciousness, to motivate me to become strong. I used that incident to drive me on, to ensure that that would never happen again.”

Some 30 years ago Ginsburg began taking his Judaism far more seriously, increasing in his observance. He found a new purpose in his calling as an instructor, and now combines the spiritual teachings of Torah in his martial arts classes.

“Every person is given a sphere of influence through which he is uniquely able to draw the people around him, or her, to a deeper appreciation of their spiritual purpose in life. Mine is through martial arts.”

Ginsburg’s recent grading is a sterling tribute in itself. But those who know him will testify to his humble and unassuming demeanour, as being the hallmark of the man. He loves it when he is stopped in the street by past students who extend their deep appreciation for the contribution he has made to their sport and their lives. 

Looking back at those early years where he was precariously hanging on to life, Ginsburg says philosophically: “It doesn’t matter what hardships you have, they can be overcome, but that is only if you really want to overcome them.”