K.A.M.I. - Krav Magen Founder

ELI  AVIKZAR

(16.6.1947  -  16.5.2004)

 

E

li Avikzar immigrated to Israel from Morocco in 1963 as a boy with nothing in his pocket, except a rich background of street fights from his hometown, Casablanca. He was forced to fight local gangs who were harassing him for being Jewish in a hostile Arabic environment.

 

Eli began training with Imi Lichtenfeld (Sde-Or), the founder of Krav Maga (Contact Fight) in November 1964 at his institute in Netanya, and became his principal student. In those days there were no training outfits or grades for Krav Maga, so they trained in army uniforms. In 1965 Imi added Judo training, as part of the Krav Maga training and distinguished teachers like Gadi Schornic and Amos Grinshpen became Eli's Judo instructors.

Eli trained twice a week, and after receiving his Orange belt in Judo and with Imi's consent, went to train in Tel-Aviv, where he continued practicing Judo and added Karate and Jujitsu to his training schedule. Eli would then return regularly to Imi's training classes and together they improved and developed counter exercises to Judo, Karate and Jujitsu. Imi stuck to the motto that every person, with or without coordination, strong or weak, can perform Krav Maga exercises, by utilizing ones own maximum force.

Until 1968 there were no grades in Krav Maga and trainee's grades were determined largely by his knowledge in Judo.

In 1968 Eli Avikzar began learning Aikido under the guidance of an Englishman named Mike and within a year became his training partner. Mike was astounded by Eli's rapid progress and offered him to go abroad for his Black belt trainings in Aikido. Following mike's recommendation, Eli left for France in 1971, past the test and received a brown belt in Aikido. Prior to his journey, Eli received his Black belt in Judo, in addition to the first Black belt ever given in Krav Maga, which he received from Imi on the 1.5.1971.  Upon his return, Eli started working as an instructor alongside Imi in both Netanya and Tel-Aviv training centers. In addition, they trained special army and volunteer units. In 1977 Eli went to Germany and after passing the test, he received a Black belt level in Aikido from the European Federation.

 

In 1974 Imi retired and handed Eli the Krav Maga training center in Netanya. In 1976 Eli joined the permanent force, as head of the Krav Maga section. The role of Krav Maga in the army advanced greatly after his appointment. More courses were given and every P.E. instructor was obliged to learn Krav Maga and teach it. The improvement of Krav Maga in the I.D.F. was a result of the development of methods and exercises in civil life, and it became accepted and more professional, proving its efficiency in fighting units. Eli continued to develop Krav Maga within the I.D.F. until his retirement in 1987. Up to this date, Eli had trained 80,000 male soldiers and 12,000 female soldiers.

In 1978 the Krav Maga association was established. As an active member of the Judo association, Eli Avikzar helped to establish the professional and rank committees in the Krav Maga association.

 

In 1979 Eli appointed his first two black belts to trainees:

* Avi Avisidon

* Eyal Yanilov

 

A List of the degrees of Eli's students is at the botom of this page

 

In 1981 Eli travelled to the U.S.A. along with Imi and some of his trainees for a 45-day performance tour, as part of a fund raising journey. In 1983, following that journey, the first American group arrived in Israel for a 3 week Krav Maga instructors course. In 1984 the Krav Maga Association awarded a Black belt to two American trainees, Allen Feldman and Darrin Levine. In 1985 Eli went to the U.S.A. as a representative of the Krav Maga Association, to lecture in front of the department of police and in 1987 he returned again to the U.S.A. to give his first course to the Los-Angeles police department. The many improvements Eli added to Krav Maga transformed it into a new method that was parallel to Krav Maga.

In 1987 Eli Avikzar retired from the Krav Maga Association and founded K.A.M.I. - Israeli Krav Magen Association, with Imi's blessing. Today, the K.A.M.I. method has over 40 branches across the country. It is recognized by the Israeli Ministry of Education as the recommended method for schools, it is authorized by the Wingate Institute, the Wingate College, "Na'amat" (women's organization), and P.E. teachers and it is used by various security forces and is well known throughout the world.

In 1996 Eli was granted a Dan 8 grade, including a Founder diploma, which was the first to be issued by Imi and in 1999 was granted Dan 10 grade by all the esteemed and professional members in K.A.M.I., including the senior pupils and P.E. institutes in Israel. The name K.A.M.I. (Israeli defense battle) is attached to Eli's ideology since the method is divided into two parts: self defense and hand to hand combat (rather than competitions), if a self defense exercise does not work, it is a sign that the defender enters a battle in order to defend himself. From this theory comes the name Israeli Krav Magen which means Israeli defense battle. K.A.M.I. adjusts itself to the altering state of the street and to the immediate, modern, contemporary dangers. K.A.M.I. renews and improves, adds and revises exercises to find solutions to a changing environment. In practice, the exercise is short and efficient and all is permitted to save lives. "Minimum movement against maximum movement becomes minimum defense against maximum offense"

  

The Method tree:

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Last Rank given by Eli Avikzar

Name

Dan 1

Adini Guy

Dan 1

Adler Yaakov

Dan 1

Almon Oded

Dan 1

Amselem Albert

Dan 1

Amselem Asi

Dan 2

Arie Avner

Dan 1

Arnia Michal

Dan 1

Arnia Raviv

Dan 2

Asulin Moshe

Dan 1

Avikesar Ronen

Dan 4

Avikzar Yehuda

Dan 1

Aviram Boaz

Dan 7

Avisidon Avi

Dan 1

Avital Aviv

Dan 1

Avital Fransua

Dan 1

Avitov Amir

Dan 1

Avrahami Mickey

Dan 1

Avtalion Moshe

Dan 1

Bafri Penina

Dan 3

Barkan Tal

Dan 2

Beit-Av Zohar

Dan 1

Ben Shimon Noam

Dan 2

Ben-Ami Eli

Dan 1

Ben-David Danny

Dan 1

Benisty Yohan

Dan 1

Ben-Kfir Hadar

Dan 3

Ben-Margui Itzik

Dan 1

Ben-Zion Ido

Dan 1

Biorski Yura

Dan 1

Biton Asi

Dan 1

Blashnikov Avner

Dan 3

Broitman Barak

Dan 1

Broshi Shlomo

Dan 1

Cohen Amir

Dan 2

Cohen Eliran

Dan 1

Dafni Danny

Dan 4

Dar Guy

Dan 2

Darshpiel Pablo

Dan 1

David For Moti

Dan 1

Dekel Rafi

Dan 1

Deutch Tal

Dan 1

Dishon Guy

Dan 1

Edelman Arie

Dan 2

Fadida Simon

Dan 2

Fallach Amos

Dan 1

Galbert Yuval

Dan 1

Ganach Avi

Dan 1

Ganach Eli

Dan 1

Geva Shay

Dan 2

Gideon Haim

Dan 1

Giladi Tal

Dan 1

Giladi Yogev

Dan 2

Gonen Perry

Dan 2

Gorlik Rani

Dan 1

Grinberger Yehuda

Dan 1

Grosberg Eyal

Dan 2

Gulet-Kotzer Sebastien

Dan 1

Guy Roi

Dan 1

Gvirtzman Ahi

Dan 1

Hagag Rammy

Dan 3

Halaf Rahamim

Dan 1

Hasid Shahar

Dan 1

Hazan Avner

Dan 1

Herzig Shlomo

Dan 1

Inbar Asaf

Dan 2

Ivgi Sondrin

Dan 1

Kahiri Itay

Dan 1

Kahiri Regev

Dan 1

Kama Amit

Dan 1

Kings Ofir

Dan 1

Kogos Ilan

Dan 1

Koren Yehuda

Dan 1

Kossia Gossia

Dan 1

Landau Shmuel

Dan 1

Lavi Gadi

Dan 5

Lavstein Eli

Dan 1

Levi Moshe

Dan 1

Levi Viki

Dan 1

Lichtenstien Kobi

Dan 2

Lightner Zigmond

Dan 1

Livne Hilel

Dan 2

Lugasi Ami

Dan 2

Mangam Hofen

Dan 1

Mazo Boris

Dan 3

Meri Fernando

Dan 1

Mesika Eyal

Dan 2

Miara Izchak

Dan 1

Miller Assaf

Dan 2

Miller Shlomo

Dan 2

Mimon Reuven

Dan 1

Mizrahi Alon

Dan 1

Moiyal Avi

Dan 1

Moiyal Rami

Dan 1

Morduch Sammy

Dan 1

Nachum Haim

Dan 3

Nelkin Akiva

Dan 1

Nezer Tal

Dan 2

Nimrovski Sharon

Dan 2

Nimrovski Yaakov

Dan 3

Niv Ami

Dan 1

Noach Gabby

Dan 2

Ovadia Itzhak

Dan 2

Peleg Ziv

Dan 1

Peretz Aviram

Dan 3

Rochlitz Moti

Dan 1

Rotem Yuval

Dan 1

Sadon Joel

Dan 1

Sadon Maksim

Dan 1

Saidof Eliasaf

Dan 1

Saidof Hila

Dan 2

Saidof Nissim

Dan 1

Saidos Yaara

Dan 1

Saiferes Rona

Dan 1

Samuel Michal

Dan 1

Sannes Avi

Dan 1

Savir Brothers

Dan 1

Segal Aviad

Dan 1

Segal Nir

Dan 2

Sela Avi

Dan 1

Shahak Rotem

Dan 1

Shalom Ran

Dan 3

Sharabi Erez

Dan 1

Sharoni Miki

Dan 1

Sharoni Yossi

Dan 2

Shaulian Eitan

Dan 1

Sher Yonatan

Dan 2

Shuweka Roni

Dan 2

Simho Ovad

Dan 1

Solomon Nir

Dan 1

Sorokin Guy

Dan 3

Tabib Ilan

Dan 1

Tamam Kobi

Dan 2

Tav Pini

Dan 1

Trivaks Haim

Dan 2

Vigdorchik Izik

Dan 4

Yanilov Eyal

Dan 1

Yeffet Avraham

Dan 2

Yemin Shaul

Dan 1

Yifrach Amichai

Dan 1

Zabari Asaf

Dan 1

Zaken Avi

Dan 1

Zion Avner