Otniel, a settlement in the southern area of Mount Hebron, was founded on 4 Cheshvan, 5774 (October 11, 1983) and named for the Biblical Judge Otniel ben Kenaz.

Today, close to a quarter-century after its founding, Otniel is the hub of Jewish life in the Mount Hebron region, and boasts many educational institutions, chiefly among them the Hesder Yeshivah.

In the month of Av, 5776, following the fatal terror attack and tragic murder of Rabbi Michael Mark, Hy”d, the Danielle Foundation helped sponsor the construction of a beautiful playground for the settlement children. The playground was dedicated in memory of Rabbi Mark and Kedoshim killed in Otniel while defending the borders of the country.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on 8 Tishrei, 5777, in a heartwarming event attended by Minister of Education Naftali Bennett, Mr. Moti Sonnenfeld, rabbis and leaders of the settlement, among them Natan Meyer (husband of Daphna Meyer, H”yd), the Mark family, and many residents of Otniel, most notably the settlement children whom the playground will benefit.