Moshe Feldenkrais: a short biography

Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais, Dr.Sc, (1904-1984), was an Israeli physicist, athlete, author and educator.   As a student  in mechanical and electrical engineering at the Sorbonne University in Paris, he was also  involved in the martial Arts of Jujitsu and Judo. He received his judo black belt in 1936.

He applied his science background along with his interest in human functioning and  movement to address a disabling knee injury for which doctors suggested a surgery but, in the same time, warned him that it might leave him in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. After teaching himself to walk without pain by improving his kinesthetic awareness  through countless hours of movement explorations in addition to studies of anatomy, bio-mechanics, and neuroscience, he began teaching others his unique method of "Awareness Through Movement" and the capacity to "re-learn how to learn".

His first training of Feldenkrais Practitioners in the U.S. happened in San Francisco in the four summers of 1975-78. Another training was started in Amherst with 235 students in 1980 but he was only able to teach the first two summers. Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais passed away in 1984.

Today, The Feldenkrais Method® is practiced throughout the world.