Rabbi Dr. Refael S. Feuerstein
Rabbi Dr. Refael “Rafi” Feuerstein is the President of the Feuerstein Institute, where he directs the mission and focus of the Feuerstein Institute’s work.
- 1959
- 1977-1985
- 1989-1993
- 1993-2014
1959
Rafi Feuerstein (b. 1959) is the eldest son of Feuerstein Institute founder Professor Reuven and Bertha (nee. Guggenheim) Feuerstein. He is married to Tal (a cognitive therapist), and together they have eight children and five grandchildren.
1977-1985
Feuerstein began his higher education at Yeshiva Merkaz HaRav in Jerusalem (1977-1985), where he earned his rabbinical ordination. Upon completion, he continued to study Jewish Law at the prestigious Psagot Kollel. By 1988, Feuerstein was appointed senior instructor for Gemara and Jewish philosophy at the Kibbutz Ein Tzurim Yeshiva. Five years later, he became the Kibbutz’s first Chief Rabbi.
1989-1993
Feuerstein’s second eldest child, Elhanan, was born and diagnosed with Down syndrome in 1989. This created a shift in Feuerstein’s professional interests, and he began to study psychology and philosophy at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, before completing his BA and Ph.D. at the University of Paris 8 in France. By 1993, Feuerstein joined his father at the International Center for the Enhancement of Learning Potential (now the Feuerstein Institute).
1993-2014
Throughout his tenure, Feuerstein has developed intervention techniques for preventing human error in the business sector, advocated for the integration of people from diverse cultural backgrounds into the mainstream population, and lobbied for the integration of thinking and learning processes in the education system in Israel, as well as internationally. He has co-authored several books and articles concerning the Feuerstein Method and is considered one of the leading experts in Dynamic Assessment.
In 2014, following his father’s passing, Rabbi Feuerstein was appointed as the President of Feuerstein Institute, a position in which he serves to this day.
The Leader of the Feuerstein Movement
Rabbi Dr. Feuerstein holds degrees in Psychology and Philosophy from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and earned his Ph.D. in Psychology from Paris V University. Since 1993, he has been a valuable member of the Feuerstein Institute staff, specializing in cognitive-dynamic assessment. He co-authored numerous books and articles on intervention and assessment techniques with his father. Following his father’s passing, Rabbi Dr. Feuerstein took over as president of the Institute. He is deeply committed to improving education for children, adolescents, teens, and young adults worldwide, and he strives to keep the Institute up to date with the latest technological advances. Rabbi Dr. Feuerstein is a sought-after speaker on integrative education and therapy topics in Israel and worldwide.
Apart from his involvement with the Feuerstein Institute, Rabbi Dr. Feuerstein is also one of the founders of the Tzohar Organization of Rabbis, which aims to establish a shared Jewish identity for the broader Israeli community.