Benny Fisher, Deputy CEO of the Da’at Education Network, leads the organization’s education and treatment programs. The network operates educational and therapeutic institutions in Israel’s social periphery. Previously, he served as Director of the Administration of Rural Education and Youth Aliyah at the Ministry of Education; CEO of Yemin Orde Youth Village, which primarily serves immigrant youth; and founder and director of the Melkisho’a Therapeutic Community for youth struggling with drug addiction. In addition, he lectured on addictions in the Department of Criminology at Western Galilee College, and served as a supervisor of youth-at-risk residential facilities in the Northern District of the Ministry of Welfare.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in Education from the Jerusalem College; a master’s degree in Educational Administration from the University of Derby; and a PhD in Education from Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) in Budapest, Hungary, where his dissertation focused on the therapeutic community as a tool for rehabilitating at-risk adolescents.
He lives in Kibbutz Meirav on Mount Gilboa, is married to Esther, and is the father of five. Throughout his educational career, Benny has been guided by the Talmudic teaching, “Beware of the children of the poor, for from them Torah will emerge.” He has sought to learn from the wisdom and resilience found in the “backyards” of society and to bring about positive change within them. Since October 7, he has felt an even deeper responsibility to work with partners in every possible way to help shape a better society.