HEMA Jerusalem
HEMA Jerusalem is the branch of The Knights of Jerusalem club, specializing in Italian Renaissance Fencing. We hold regular training sessions in the Talpiot neighborhood of Jerusalem, led by Denis Zlatopolsky, a certified HEMA instructor.
Our practice is based on Achille Marozzo’s Opera Nova and includes:
- Spada a due mani (two-handed sword)
- Spada da lato (sidesword)
- Spadone (the greatsword)
To attend a trial session (age 18+), please contact us via Facebook or email: hemajerusalem@gmail.com
To attend a trial session (age 18+), please contactDenis Zlatopolsky via Facebook or email at hemajerusalem@gmail.com
The Evolution of Our School: From Armored Combat to HEMA
Denis Zlatopolsky has been involved in Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) for over 20 years.
In the early 2000s, Denis Zlatopolsky and Oleg Morozov co-founded The Knights of Jerusalem club. At the time, much of the club’s activity was centered on armored fencing and stage fencing, with the goal of showcasing the technical richness of historical fencing.
From 2006 to 2008, under the guidance of Alexander Zheleznyak (founder of ACT), the largest group of sword fencing enthusiasts in Israel came together — Denis Zlatopolsky among them. Alexander also organized the seminar of John Clements in Israel, which became a major milestone in the development of historical fencing in the country.
Early Foundations and Public Festivals
Starting in 2009, Grigory Tamar began producing the Knights of Jerusalem project. With his support, the first international medieval culture festival in Israel — “Knights of Jerusalem” — was held. The festival became an annual event, attracting enthusiasts of both armored and unarmored historical fencing, who showcase their skill to a broad Israeli audience every year.
In 2010, Denis Zlatopolsky launched an experimental theatre project based on a medieval Arthurian text in Yiddish, which included choreographed fencing scenes.
The Influence of Full-Contact Combat
In 2011, our club took an active part in organizing the first trip of the Israeli team to the international Battle of the Nations championship in Warsaw. For several years afterward, the club focused on full-contact armored combat. This experience strongly influenced our approach to HEMA — we strive to perform historically correct technique under stress conditions, both mental and physical, in sparring.
Building a Modern Teaching Methodology
Since 2016, The Knights of Jerusalem began hosting open training sessions, attracting people from all over Israel. In 2018, Shaul Wyner, a HEMA instructor with extensive teaching experience, was invited to one such event. That same year, Gur Nedzvetsky, an international naginata instructor, joined the club. In 2021, Gur organized a national gathering of Israeli HEMA clubs — an event that could be considered Israel’s first HEMA tournament.
The Formation of HEMA Jerusalem
Over the years, the club has welcomed many talented and passionate individuals, some of whom went on to develop their own directions and eventually opened HEMA clubs in other parts of the country.
Since 2018, we have established contact with Israeli Olympic fencing coaches and began training alongside them. Coach Alexander Ivanov helped us analyze the foundations of fencing from a different perspective.
In 2020, Denis Zlatopolsky enrolled in a martial arts instructor course led by Dr. Gabi Michaeli, a prominent figure in the development of martial arts pedagogy in Israel. Dr. Michaeli’s guidance made an important contribution to our understanding of teaching methodology and training structure.
In 2023, Denis and one of his students received the first officially recognized HEMA instructor certification in Israel.
In recent years, the club has shifted its main focus to unarmored fencing and the study of Italian Renaissance martial sources, particularly the works of Achille Marozzo. Since this practice is most closely associated with the term HEMA, a distinct branch of the club was officially established – HEMA Jerusalem.
In recent years, dozens of people have trained with our club. While it would be impossible to name everyone, I would like to highlight Slava Lutz and Tal Silverwater, who have been training consistently and have taken an active part in developing HEMA Jerusalem for over five years.