Rafael J. Polisuk teaches Talmud, Tanakh, and Jewish Thought at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem. He made aliyah from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and studied at Yeshivat Merkaz HaRav. He co-founded and led the Beit Midrash groups (גרעיני בית מדרש) initiative of Bnei Akiva Israel, teaching and empowering young Torah leadership across the country.
Rafael is a passionate social and spiritual activist, with a particular focus on Religious LGBTQ inclusion. He works to promote tolerance and belonging within the Orthodox community, from a Torah-rooted perspective.
A strong believer in lively and in-depth Torah learning as the spiritual and moral center of Jewish life, Rafael received rabbinic ordination in 2024 from Rabbi Daniel Landes through the Yashrut Semikha initiative.
He can be reached at: rafaelp@pardes.org.il