K.A.M.I – Krav Magen Israel stems from the family of Krav Maga and is an essential part of the generic name “Krav Maga”.
The founder of K.A.M.I – Krav Magen Israel was Eli Avikzar (RIP) who was the first ever student to receive a Black Belt in Krav Maga from the founder of Krav Maga, Imi Sade-Or (RIP).
For many years Eli and Imi worked together until Imi’s retirement from the IDF (Israeli Defence Force). Eli was then elected on the recommendation of Imi to Head the Division of Krav Maga in the IDF.
Upon Eli’s retirement from the IDF, he proposed to Imi to add the word ISRAEL to Krav Maga in order to distinguish between the generic name “Krav Maga” (literal translation - Contact Combat), to a more specific and meaningful name including its origin. Imi rejected this idea under the pretense that the name ISRAEL will deter foreign students from studying Krav Maga.
In 1987, with the blessing of Imi, Eli resigned from the Krav Maga Association, and formed a new one called “Krav Maga Israel” or in short K.A.M.I. Imi did not accepted this new name, and because of the great respect that Eli had for Imi, changed the name from “Maga” to “Magen” (literal translation – Shield or Defence), but kept the word Israel, in order to make the name “Krav Magen Israel” a specific name and not a generic one.
The word change from Maga to Magen (Defend), was that people would learn to Defend themselves, but still belong to the family of Krav Maga.
Another thing that Eli demanded was that every student have the same dress code and that the colors would be Blue and White as in the Israeli flag.
Today K.A.M.I is a volatile trending martial art, with a syllabus that accommodates the changing reality that is seen in the street today.
Even today the name “Krav Maga” is a generic name, such that anyone can teach it without any professional inspection or oversee, while K.A.M.I with its Emblem is a registered Association all over the world including Israel, with a study syllabus that is equal to all students anywhere in the world followed with close professional supervision.
K.A.M.I today is the largest Association in Israel under ongoing professional supervision from outside bodies as well as its own internal supervision. All its trainers and coaches are qualified from the level of assistant instructor up to Expert in the specific martial arts, and all this is under the vigilant supervision of the Academic College at Wingate and the Ministry of Sport.