Adv. Roi Abecassis – Head of the Department of Education in the World Zionist Organization
Roi grew up in Kedumim in the Shomron, and is the son of Bracha and Gad Abecassis, who served as Deputy Director of the Ministry of Education.
Roi studied in Har Etzion Yeshiva and served as a soldier in the Golani brigade. He was certified as a lawyer in 2002, and holds a master's degree in political science, specializing in public policy from Bar-Ilan university. Roi is a member of the board of World Mizrachi, Kanfei Ruach, and Keren Meirim.
Roi, is married to Yael and has five children. The family lives in Modi'in.
Between 1998-2002, Roi worked at World Bnei Akiva as Coordinator of Gap Year Programs (Hachshara). In 2003, he served as a Jewish Agency and World Bnei Akiva Shaliach in Scandinavia. He returned to Israel in 2006 and was appointed Director General of the department of Hagshama (student division) in the World Zionist Organization.
Five years later, in 2011, Roi was appointed to serve as the Deputy Secretary General of World Bnei Akiva. Between 2015-2021, Abecassis served as Secretary General of World Bnei Akiva, which operates in 26 countries, with 110 branches and has 120 Shlichim. He led the process of establishing the World Council (the movement’s Board of Directors), established the World Preparatory School (Mechina) - a co-ed pre-military preparatory school for foreigners and Israelis, expanded the movement's activities to new populations, and led the project of establishing two buildings: Beit Bnei Akiva in and Tirat Yosef in Jerusalem, and the World Preparatory School in Haifa - Atzmon Cinema. In October 2020, he was elected as the representative of the Mizrachi movement in the national institutions.
In 2021 Roi was appointed to the position of Head of the Center for Religious Affairs in the Diaspora in the World Zionist Organization. He led the "Ben Ami" communities Shlichut project, and the Flying the Flag project which aims at strengthening the Zionist identity and encouraging Aliyah among yeshiva and seminary students abroad that are studying in Israel.
In 2023 Roi was appointed Deputy Director of JNF, as part of his position, he deals with issues regarding the relationship between the JNF and World Jewry.
In January 2024, Roi was appointed as the Head of the Department of Education in the World Zionist Organization which sends hundreds of Shlichim that are teachers and educators from Israel to the Jewish communities around the world.
