About Rabbi Rafael J. Polisuk
Rabbi Rafael J. Polisuk teaches Talmud, Tanakh and Jewish Thought at Pardes. Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Rafael made aliyah and studied at Yeshivat Merkaz HaRav. Rafael co-founded and led the Seed Beit Midrash initiative of Bnei Akiva Israel, helping cultivate young Torah leadership communities throughout the country. He received rabbinic ordination in 2024 through the Yashrut Semikha initiative led by Rabbi Daniel Landes.
Rafael is deeply engaged in social and spiritual activism, with a particular focus on LGBTQ inclusion within the Orthodox community. A believer in rigorous and vibrant Torah learning as the moral and spiritual center of Jewish life, he works to foster greater belonging and tolerance through a Torah-rooted approach.