Otzem Academy was founded in 1992 by HaRav Rafi Peretz, in the community of Atzmona in Gush Katif. In 2005, during the disengagement, the academy was uprooted together with the rest of Gush Katif's settlementss and moved to temporary locations. In 2010 HaRav Rafi was appointed Chief Rabbi of the IDF, and selected Rav Chaim Baruch to head the Academy in his stead, which he does to this day. In 2002 the academy moved to its permanent home in Nave, in the Negev. The academy has been active for 23 years, and is constantly developing.
The academy teaches the values of faith and of the state of Israel as 'the beginning of our redemption', and we are proudly committed to our Judaism and to doing whatever we can for our people and our country