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Caliber 3

Remembers Ari Fuld

by Col. Sharon Gat (res.)

I had just returned from serving in the and pain to protect those around us? But Ari was also very active in bringing people
Reserves when I heard the news. I wasn’t surprised. I’ve known Ari for 15 to Israel in order to share with them his
years. We had trained together and served love of the land and one of his favorite
Ari Fuld, a man unmatched for his together in the local First Response Team. places to take them was Caliber 3. He was
enthusiasm and love of life, was no longer I know that for Ari, there would have been
among the living. no other way. proud for them to see a place where any
Jew could come and learn to fight and
While running errands on a Sunday I first met Ari when he joined the First defend themselves. The last time I saw
morning, Ari was attacked from behind by Response team in Efrat, where I was Ari was just three days before his death,
a Palestinian teenager with a knife. training local citizens on how to protect striding enthusiastically across the Caliber

The story is now well known. After their towns. When I founded Caliber 3, 3 training grounds, surrounded by a group
of American visitors.
stabbing Ari, the teenager went on to Ari was one of the first people in the door.
attack a woman in a nearby falafel stand. He took his responsibility to protect his I started Caliber 3 because I wanted
Just as the terrorist was poised to strike, family and neighbors seriously and went there to be a place where Jews could
Ari jumped on him and gave chase, despite above and beyond the required training to come to learn to protect themselves, their
the fatal wound in his back. Ari went on improve his fighting skills. He understood families and their communities against
to shoot the attacker before collapsing. A that the gun that he wore was more than the increasing dangers that we face in the
short time later he was dead. a decoration; that someday he may be
called upon to use it to save himself and world today. I wanted every person who
People that didn’t know Ari may be those around him, so he pushed himself to left Caliber 3 to have the fighting spirit
surprised by his response to the attack. ensure that if that time came he would be and love for Israel epitomized by Ari Fuld
How many of us could ignore our own fear prepared. every day of his life.

Ari Fuld (left) with Colonel Sharon Gat training at Caliber 3 Self-defense training at Caliber 3

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