Krav Maga is one of the various club sports found on campus. This week, the Justice had the chance to talk to the club team’s president to learn about their organization and what makes it unique.

Krav Maga, which means “contact combat” in Hebrew, is a self-defense system developed for the Israel Defense Forces and Israeli security forces. This sport is not about competitions or showcases, but training to prepare for worst-case scenarios. According to a 2013 article from the Art of Manliness, the principles of Krav Maga include “neutralizing the threat, keeping it simple, simultaneously defending and attacking, and focusing on weapons and vulnerable soft tissue and pressure points.” In a March 8 interview with the Justice, club president Miriam Fisch ’25  explained,  “Krav Maga isn't about competition. We just work on ourselves.”

The club meets at 11 a.m. on Sundays in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. With eight members on the roster, the club always welcomes newcomers who have any range of experiences. Fisch explained, “For those who feel insecure joining suddenly, who want to catch up, or can't make Sunday, I'm happy to find another time to do a mini session.” This club focuses on body positivity and gaining strength while building a community. Because of the close contact nature of the sport, members bond through practicing fighting positions on the mat or holding pads for each other. 

This year, Fisch restarted the club, citing the club’s existence as one of her reasons for choosing to attend Brandeis. Fisch expressed her appreciation for Brandeis Krav Maga’s intersections between body acceptance, kickboxing, and self-defense. “We focus on getting in tune with our bodies and toning our bodies rather than changing them or forcing them to change,” Fisch continued.  “The routines themselves are built to empower the members physically and psychologically rather than just to burn calories or get physical.”