Doron Perez

Rabbi Doron Perez is a Rabbi, educator and author. He is also the executive chairman of the World Mizrachi movement, having previously served as its chief executive.^[1]

Perez was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, and at 18 made Aliyah. He studied for 10 years in some of Israel's leading Yeshivot, served in the IDF as part of the Hesder program, and gained rabbinic ordination and a Bachelor of Education majoring in Jewish Philosophy^[1] and a MA in Jewish History from Haifa University.^[2]

During his 15 years in South Africa, Perez fulfilled multiple leadership roles, as executive director of Mizrachi South Africa, the senior rabbi of the Mizrachi Shul, and head of the Yeshiva College school, the first and largest Torah school in Southern Africa.^[3]

Perez returned to Israel with his family during 2014 to assume his new position as chief executive of the World Mizrachi movement^[4] and has driven the revitalization of the organization as a global movement.^[5] Perez was behind the 2023 World Orthodox Israel Congress that welcomed over 1,000 delegates from 48 countries, representing more than 250 different cities and 1,000 Jewish organizations.^[6]

In June 2024, Perez was presented with the Torat Tziyon Award from Yeshiva University.^[7]

Rabbi Perez lives in Yad Binyamin with his wife Shelley and four children.^[3] He is also the author of the books “Leading the Way”^[2] and “The Jewish State From Opposition to Opportunity”.^[8]

Perez' son, Daniel, was declared missing in action following the Hamas invasion of Israel before his death was confirmed in March 2024.^[9] Daniel was a commander of a tank crew in the Israel Defense Forces. During the invasion his tank came under attack at Nahal Oz and was destroyed. One crewmen was killed and Daniel and two other crewmen were listed as missing until March 2024. His other son, Yonatan, was lightly wounded in action.^[10][11]