Magic and Balance
In writing and designing content for the MyPwr App, I have had to dig deep into why we at El HaLev have created our self-defense program...
Yehudit Zicklin-Sidikman
Activist. Global Speaker. Sensei.
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Yehudit Zicklin-Sidikman
- Apr 18
- 1 min
On Dealing With Grief, Part 2 -- The Power of Asking “What Do You Need?”
After I told my friend about the box and ball analogy, she told me that she was trying really hard to find something she could say that...
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Yehudit Zicklin-Sidikman
- Apr 18
- 2 min
On Dealing With Grief, Part 1 -- The Box and Ball Analogy
Last week, a friend called me for some advice about helping her mother deal with grief. She was worried, and she didn’t understand why...
5 views0 comments
Yehudit Zicklin-Sidikman
- Apr 14
- 2 min
The Tournament, Part 3
I bet you are wondering why I brought my oldest and my youngest children to a Judo tournament. Well, that is because we were going to be...
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Yehudit Zicklin-Sidikman
- Apr 14
- 2 min
The Tournament, Part 2
There are different ways of running a tournament based on the number of competitors. When there are a lot of competitors, it is some sort...
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Yehudit Zicklin-Sidikman
- Apr 14
- 1 min
The Tournament, Part 1
In June of 1994, about two years after beginning to train in Judo, my Sensei decided that it was time for me to go to a tournament. To...
3 views0 comments
Yehudit Zicklin-Sidikman
- Apr 5
- 2 min
Oncology and Violence Prevention - An Analogy
I have been thinking a lot about how it might sound that I don’t appreciate aftercare provided by emergency services. That is not at all...
2 views0 comments
Yehudit Zicklin-Sidikman
- Apr 1
- 2 min
An Artichoke, A Kerfuffle, and a Lesson in Boundary Setting
Recently, I had a little kerfuffle with my 4 ½ year old grandson. Had to do with an artichoke and you can only imagine. Because of my...
20 views0 comments
Yehudit Zicklin-Sidikman
- Mar 25
- 2 min
Sometimes, You Have To Ask -- An Old, Chassidic Tale
Every Friday morning after visiting the mikvah (ritual bath), a young man comes home to a million kinds of craziness. His little kids...
21 views0 comments
Yehudit Zicklin-Sidikman
- Mar 25
- 1 min
A Blackbelt in Being You
Years ago, I was in a blackbelt seminar. The senior instructor came to the mat and said good morning. We bowed. And then he said,...
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Yehudit Zicklin-Sidikman
- Mar 23
- 2 min
The Best Martial Artist YOU Can Be
For over a week now, I’ve been talking about how as an Empowerment Self Defense instructor, my job isn’t to tell you what to do. My job...
26 views0 comments
Yehudit Zicklin-Sidikman
- Mar 18
- 2 min
The Value of (Seemingly) Impossible Goals
At the end of an ESD Global Level 1 training, trainees leave with the knowledge and tools they need to teach a ten-hour Empowerment Self...
12 views0 comments
Yehudit Zicklin-Sidikman
- Mar 18
- 1 min
Do Students Need to Master a Curriculum?
Yesterday, I talked about teaching a class right after a terrorist attack, and how I had to abandon my original plan. Which brought up...
9 views0 comments
Yehudit Zicklin-Sidikman
- Mar 18
- 1 min
The Value of Assessment
It is so important to begin every self-defense class with assessment. How’s everybody feeling today? Who showed up today? What are their...
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Yehudit Zicklin-Sidikman
- Mar 18
- 1 min
Bringing Our Authentic Selves to Class
I, as an instructor, have to bring humor into my class. It’s who I am. It’s my personality. I know another teacher who is soft but can...
30 views0 comments
Yehudit Zicklin-Sidikman
- Mar 18
- 2 min
Being Responsible for the Safety of my Students
I’ve been talking (and thinking) a lot lately about how as an Empowerment Self Defense instructor, it is not my job to tell my students...
14 views0 comments
Yehudit Zicklin-Sidikman
- Mar 17
- 2 min
Respecting the Boundaries of Boundaries
Last week, in a conversation with a group of master instructors, somebody brought up the question of “what are the boundaries of...
18 views0 comments
Yehudit Sidikman
- Mar 15
- 2 min
The Essence of our Work
One of my current projects is going through the El HaLev instructor manual and making sure the language reflects the spirit of what we...
5 views0 comments
Yehudit Sidikman
- Mar 15
- 2 min
Agreeing to the Same Simple Code
There’s no simple answer to the question “How do we build safe(r) communities?” And, of course, there’s more than one answer. But I do...
9 views0 comments
Yehudit Zicklin-Sidikman
- Mar 6
- 2 min
The Messages We Give Our Children -- Part 3
When my kids were young, they were very aware that I taught Judo on certain days at certain times. They knew that the soup (or whatever I...
26 views0 comments
Yehudit Zicklin-Sidikman
- Mar 5
- 2 min
The Messages We Give Our Children -- Part 2
From a very early age, children get used to hearing messages like, “I’m busy” and “don’t bother me.” Yes, that can be good. It’s an...
23 views0 comments