A message from Michael Holben

Meet Michael Holben – a 10-year member of the NY Aikikai, Board member, and one of the instructors teaching at our Tuesday 4:15 class. In this video, Mike talks about how aikido and our dojo community have transformed his life. His story will resonate whether you've been on the mat for decades or are just beginning your journey.

We encourage you to take a few minutes to watch – and stick with it all the way through. It's moving, genuine, and captures something special about what we've built together here. Mike also invites you to join our end-of-year campaign and help ensure the NY Aikikai continues to thrive for years to come.

Here are a few quotes from his video:

"I started aikido when my daughter was born. I knew I would tell her I would try new things, and I wanted to be able to point to something new that I had tried, just to show that I wasn't a hypocrite."

"This environment is truly one of a kind. There are lots of forces in the world that make the negative seem normal and pushes away from connecting with each other, and so it is our responsibility to support and protect places like the NY Aikikai."