A HISTORICAL LOOK
AT THE MITZVAH TECHNIQUE
(Background of M. Cohen-Nehemia and His Work:)
Founder/Director of
The Mitzvah Technique Centre

A historical look at the Mitzvah Technique is intertwined with the background, discoveries and work of M. Cohen-Nehemia. There are many unique influences which have helped shape Nehemia's discoveries and work.

M. Cohen-Nehemia was born and raised in the old city of Jerusalem in Israel. He studied classical, modern and oriental dance and was a long time member of the internationally acclaimed Inbal Dance Theater of Israel. In addition to dancing and choreography, he helped dancers with postural difficulties and injuries. While in New York City during 1957 Nehemia as he is known, studied dance injuries at the studio of Carol Trier, where ballet dancers and actors sought assistance for their postural difficulties and injuries. Injuries would often result in the cancellation of performances and the termination of many careers. To understand the source of injuries resulting from dance techniques he researched classical, modern and African dance techniques at numerous New York City dance studios. Nehemia suffered back problems from dance injuries and was advised by three surgeons to quit his dance career to undergo back surgery to repair a damaged disc. However, Nehemia successfully helped himself overcome the damaged disc through his own experience in body movement. He had gained many unique insights into the relationship between health and body movement through participation in training seminars for dance instructors of the kibbutzim school. Courses in anatomy were given by Dr. Yitzhak Farine of the Tel-Hashomer government hospital. Upon hearing of Nehemia's success in resolving his back problem, Dr. Farine invited Nehemia to help his own patients at the hospital rehabilitation Center. Upon special invitation, Nehemia helped physically rehabilitate Israeli Defense Force soldiers and other patients with back and spinal injuries at the Tel-Hashomer Government Hospital. At that time Nehemia also worked closely with Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais (who developed the method of "Awareness Through Movement") at his home clinic and Center. Feldenkrais used the Inbal Dance Studio as a location for his Center. Nehemia attended classes with Feldenkrais for dance teachers and actors. Exposure to these approaches stimulated and motivated Nehemia to seek a non invasive means of alleviating people's pain and suffering.

Nehemia became interested in the Alexander Technique through a course given to hospital medical staff. He studied the Alexander Technique, an approach of non-interference of body performance for five years in London, England (from 1963) where he qualified as an Alexander Teacher. He studied in the same center where F.M. Alexander practiced his work. Many people were interested in the improvement of human performance, including David Ben-Gurion, first Prime Minister of Israel. He visited the Israeli students at the school for the Alexander Technique, where Nehemia was asked to work with him. In his conversation with Nehemia afterwards, Ben-Gurion said that everyone should learn from the Inbal dancers about natural flexibility and movement. After returning to Israel from England, Nehemia's approach to improve human performance led Dr. Feldenkrais to ask him for assistance by introducing his techniques into Feldenkrais' approach.

Nehemia continued research studies to master the discipline of non-interference and efficient use of body mechanics . Nehemia had observed and studied the upward rippling body motion of the unique Inbal dance movement as a member of the Inbal Dance-Theater.

The unique Inbal dance movement consisted of rippling their bodies with the head springing and spiraling upwards in an endless motion with grace and ease, showeing a high quality of body performance. This triggered much of my interest in the work which led me to my discovery of the essence of human rippling body mechanics and dynamic relationship which underlies the Mitzvah Technique. ^{3 (M.Cohen-Nehemia)}

He identified and observed good working bodies in action among animals, children and amongst the nomadic Bedouin.

The Bedouin roams through the endless desert day and night as their ancestors have done, rippling their bodies in an upward motion with the long-legged steps of the camel while awake or asleep.
^{4 (M.Cohen-Nehemia)}

Observing the rippling body motion of the Inbal Dancers and the nomadic Bedouin provided Nehemia with previously unknown insights into efficient mechanics of the human body. Nehemia discovered the dynamic rippling motion of the spine - the principal of motion of body mechanics. The Mitzvah Principle as identified by M. Cohen-Nehemia is the interplay of physical forces acting between the pelvis and the spine that triggers the Mitzvah Mechanism. The Mitzvah Mechanism is the rippling defense and corrective mechanism of the neuro-muscular and skeletal systems. Nehemia developed The Mitzvah Exercise and The Mitzvah Technique to re-educate the functioning of the Mitzvah Mechanism and the Mitzvah Principle.

After teaching his work in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, Nehemia and his wife Malka came to Canada and opened The Canadian Centre for The Alexander Technique and later established The Mitzvah Technique Centre. He refined his new approach by working with; dancers from York University in Toronto and the National Ballet of Canada, other North American dance companies, music students from the Royal Conservatory of Music and University of Toronto, nuns from the Order of the Sisters of St. Joseph and the general public. Nehemia is widely recognized for his expertise in helping people improve their functionality through a disciplined technique.

Nehemia has taught at the Canadian National Ballet School and at the Royal Conservatory of Music. He has given lecture-demonstrations and workshops in Canada,United States, England, Germany,Austria and Israel; to medical personnel in various hospitals, to school teachers, musicians, actors and many other groups. He regularly visits Israel to continue his research, to conduct workshops and to carry out studies with the Bedouins and with dancers of the Inbal Dance Theater.

In 1984 M. Cohen-Nehemia began training people to teach the Mitzvah Exercise and he now teaches a three year Teacher Training Course in the Mitzvah Technique.