Curriculum Vitae

Dr. Rafi’ Yehya
Date: December 31, 2024

1. Personal Information

Full Name: Rafee Yahya
Marital Status: Married

2. Higher Education

Degree	Specialization	Institution	Year Awarded	Country
Ph.D.	Arabic Literature	Yarmouk University	2006	Jordan
M.A.	Arabic Literature	[Unspecified University]	2000	Israel
B.A.	Arabic Literature and Middle Eastern History	Bar-Ilan University	1988	Israel

3. Academic Ranks and Tenure in Higher Education

Academic Rank	Year & Scope of Appointment	Institution	Department
Senior Lecturer	Tenured (100%), since 1992	Arab Academic College for Education	Arabic Department

4. Academic Administrative Roles – Arab Academic College for Education

Years	Academic Rank & Role	Institution
1999–Present	Lecturer	Arab Academic College for Education
2015–2017	Director, Center for Children’s Literature	Arab Academic College for Education
2024–Present	Liaison Between College and Community	Arab Academic College for Education

 

5. Academic Roles Outside the College

Years	Academic Rank & Role	Institution	Location
2015–2017	Director, Center for Children’s Literature	Arab Academic College for Education	[Israel]
2007–2012	Director, Center for Children’s Literature	Al-Qasemi Academic College of Education	Baqa al-Gharbiyye
2001–2012	Lecturer, Arabic and Early Childhood Departments	Al-Qasemi Academic College of Education	Baqa al-Gharbiyye
1999–Present	Lecturer, Department of Arabic Language and Literature	Arab Academic College for Education	[Israel]
1994–1995	Instructor, "Collaborative Reading Skills" Project	University Project & Ministry of Education	Israel
1994–1999	Instructor, Children's Programs in Educational Television	Ministry of Education	Tel Aviv
1992–1999	Teacher, Ibn Sina Elementary School	Ministry of Education	Kafr Manda
1990–1992	Teacher, Tel Sheva Secondary School	Ministry of Education	Be’er Sheva

6. Other Educational Activities

Year	Role	Location
2014	Founder, Masarat Institute	Iksal Village
2018	Academic Advisor, "Materna" Project for Arabic Songs	Nazareth
2001	Member, “Story Path” Project	Educational TV
2021	Arabic Language Instructor, Middle School Level	Ministry of Education
1992–1997	Arabic Language Instructor, Elementary Level	Ministry of Education

7. Participation in Local Conferences (up to 2020)

Year	Title & Conference	Organizer/Location
2004	The Internet as a Tool to Combat Illiteracy in the Arab World	UNESCO & Pedagogical Forum, Jordan
2004	Folk Tales and Their Influence on Arabic Children's Literature	Al-Qasemi College
2006	Tolerance in Arabic Children's Literature	Al-Qasemi College
2006	Palestinian Children's Literature: Political and Ideological Aspects	Dar Al-Aswar Institute, Akko
2007	Humorous Aspects in Arabic Children’s Literature	Beit Berl College, Israel
2007	Children's Literature and Creativity	Al-Qasemi College
2007	Magic in Children’s Literature	Achva College, Israel
2007	Oral Heritage in Children’s Magazines	Mawaqef Institute, Nazareth
2008	Psychological View of Folk Tales	Beit Berl College, Israel

8. Participation in International Conferences (up to 2020)

Year	Title	Conference & Location
2006	Palestinian Folklore and Its Influence on Arabic Children's Literature	The Arab Child: Language and Literature, Hashemite University, Jordan
2010	Arabic Children's Literature in Israel as Minority Literature	The Power of Minorities, Santiago, Spain, IBBY Conference
2011	Islamic Children’s Literature	The Child and the Book, University of Oslo, Norway

8.1 Local Conferences

Date	Conference Title	Location	Lecture/Discussion Topic
27-05-2021	Annual Symposium in Memory of Prof. David Zemach	University of Haifa	The Development of Palestinian Children's Literature in Israel
10-05-2022	Arabic Children's Literature in Israel: Challenges and Future Outlook	Al-Qasemi College	Arabic Children's Literature in Israel: Where To?
05-07-2023	Education Conference at the Forefront of Research II	Arab College of Education, Haifa	The Writer's Imagination and the Child's Imagination
05-05-2024	Literature and War Conference	Al-Qasemi College & Arabic Language Academy	The War on Arabic Children's Literature: Dialogue with Reality or Mere Adventure?
30-06-2024	Hanoch Conference at the Forefront of Research	Arab Academic College of Education – Haifa	The Concept of "Place" in Palestinian Children's Literature

8.2 International Conferences

Date	Conference Title	Location	Lecture/Discussion Topic
19-20-05-2021	Identity Communication in Arabic Children's Literature	University of Boumerdès, Algeria	"Homeland and Identity Extension in the Novel 'To Whom Does This Doll Belong?' by Taghreed Al-Najjar – A Case Study"
26-28-07-2022	Readings in Achievements of Literary, Critical, and Linguistic Research in the 21st Century	Yarmouk University, Jordan	"Writing in the Time of Corona: The Novel 'The Tragedy of the Story Writer' by Ibrahim Nasrallah as a Model"
21-22-06-2024	Beyond the Border	Columbia University, Canada	The Development of Palestinian Children’s Literature
23-25-07-2024	Nineteenth International Literary Criticism Conference	Yarmouk University, Jordan	A Dual Approach to Good and Evil between Children's Literature and Cinema: The Folktale as a Model

11. Colloquia and Guest Lectures by Invitation

Date	Inviting Institution	Lecture Title	Location
27-05-2021	Prof. David Zemach Annual Symposium	The Development of Palestinian Children's Literature in Israel	University of Haifa
10-05-2022	Al-Qasemi College	Arabic Children's Literature in Israel: Where To?	Al-Qasemi College
05-07-2023	Arab College of Education, Haifa	The Writer's Imagination and the Child's Imagination	Arab College of Education, Haifa
05-05-2024	Al-Qasemi College, Arabic Language Academy	The War on Arabic Children's Literature: Dialogue with Reality or Adventure?	Al-Qasemi College, Arabic Language Academy
30-06-2024	Arab Academic College of Education – Haifa	The Concept of "Place" in Palestinian Children's Literature	Arab Academic College of Education – Haifa

7. Scholarships and Awards

Year	Award/Scholarship Name	Awarding Institution
2004	Sheikh Salem Al-Sabah Informatics Award	Kuwait
2003	Prize of Creation	Department of Culture and Art, Ministry of Education and Culture, Israel
1997	Recognition Award "Miller"	University of Haifa, Israel
1995	"Super Teacher" Scholarship	Ministry of Arts and Culture, Israel

8. Teaching and Instruction

Year	Course Title	Type	Weekly Hours
2021	Short Story	Lecture	1
2021	Folktale	Lecture	1
2021	Creative Writing	Lecture	1
2021	Poetry in Children’s Literature	Lecture	1
2021	Children's Literature A	Lecture	1
2021	Seminar: Children's Literature as a Tool for Early Childhood Educators	Seminar	2
2021	Children’s Literature as a Tool for Early Childhood Educators (M.Ed.)	Graduate Seminar	2
2021	Children's Literature B	Lecture	1
2022	Children's Literature A	Lecture	1
2022	Children's Literature B	Lecture	1
2022	Creative Writing	Lecture	1
2022	Seminar: Early Childhood	Seminar	2
2022	Children’s Literature as a Tool for Early Childhood Educators (M.Ed.)	Graduate Seminar	2
2022	Poetry in Children’s Literature	Lecture	1
2022	Folktale	Lecture	1
2023	Children's Literature A	Lecture	1
2023	Children's Literature B	Lecture	1
2023	Issues in Children's Literature	Lecture	1
2023	Seminar in Children's Literature	Seminar	2
2023	Children’s Literature as a Tool for Early Childhood Educators	Seminar	2
2023	Poetry in Children’s Literature	Lecture	1
2024	Children's Literature A	Lecture	1
2024	Children's Literature B	Lecture	1
2024	Poetry in Children’s Literature	Lecture	1
2024	Issues in Children's Literature	Lecture	1
2024	Seminar in Children's Literature	Seminar	2
2024	Children’s Literature as a Tool for Early Childhood Educators (M.Ed.)	Graduate Seminar	2

9. Supervision of Graduate Students

Last Name	First Name	Thesis Topic	Institution	Completion Status
Zubeida	Sa’id	Modern Children's Literature and Technology	Arab Academic College of Education – Haifa	Completed
Alika	Halu	The Folktale: A Timeline of Time and Place	Arab Academic College of Education – Haifa	Completed
Rania	Ali	The Reflection of Fear in Early Childhood Arabic Children's Literature	Arab Academic College of Education – Haifa	Completed
Samraa	Khater	The Suitability of Teen Stories for Adolescence	Arab Academic College of Education – Haifa	Completed
Sina	Abu Fares	The Role and Influence of Family in Children's Literature	Arab Academic College of Education – Haifa	Completed
Nida	Mohamadia	Manifestations of Imagination in Children's Stories	Arab Academic College of Education – Haifa	Completed
Yasera	Bakri	Expression of Imagination in Children's Stories: Modern vs. Classic	Arab Academic College of Education – Haifa	Completed
Hanan	Abu Hariri	Humor in Contemporary Arabic Children's Literature	Arab Academic College of Education – Haifa	Completed
Zaynab	Shahin	Violence in Arabic Children's Literature	Arab Academic College of Education – Haifa	Completed
Zahraa	Khater	The Influence of Heritage on Arabic Children's Literature	Arab Academic College of Education – Haifa	Completed
Nura	Zariq	The Character of the Father: Presence and Absence in Local Arabic Children's Stories	Arab Academic College of Education – Haifa	Completed
*Umayma	Abu Lil	The Hero's Character in Children's Literature	Arab Academic College of Education – Haifa	Completed

10. Theses and Dissertations

• • Yahya, R. (2001). The Influence of One Thousand and One Nights on Arabic Children’s Literature (Master’s Thesis). University of Haifa, Haifa.
  • Yahya, R. (2006). Arabic Children's Stories in Israel During the Last Century (Ph.D. Dissertation). Yarmouk University, Irbid.

 

 

Yehya, R.

·        (1989). Path of Pain. Dar Al-Sharq.

·        (1991). Waiting for You is My Destiny. Iksal Printing House.

·        (1993). The Lamp and the Wind. Kol Shay Publishing House.

·        (1994). The Road to Morning. Department of Culture and Arts – Ministry of Education.

·        (1996). The White Horse. Al-Tala’i Publishing.

·        (1996). A House on Paper. Al-Tala’i Publishing.

·        (1997). Nargis and the Secret of the Green Plant. Center for Children’s Literature.

·        (1999). The Illuminated and the Earthly (The Celestial and the Realistic): A Study of Al-Bayati’s Poem “A Portrait of Al-Suhrawardi in His Youth”. Dar Al-Kunuz Al-Adabiya.

·        (2000). The Magical Chicks. Center for Children’s Literature.

·        (2001). The Joy Bag. Center for Children’s Literature.

·        (2001). The Influence of One Thousand and One Nights on Arabic Children’s Literature. Center for Children’s Literature.

·        (2002). The Olive Branch (with others). Ministry of Education, Educational Television.

·        (2002). Once Upon a Time (with others). Ministry of Education, Educational Television.

·        (2009). A Picture Sweeter than Honey. Dar Al-Huda.

·        (2009). Rahaf and Rafif. Kol Shay Publishing House.

·        (2009). The Dream Fairy. Kol Shay Publishing House.

·        (2009). The Hill of Butterflies. Kol Shay Publishing House.

·        (2009). The Happiest Child in the World. Kol Shay Publishing House.

·        (2009). Harqush the Rabbit. Kol Shay Publishing House.

·        (2009). Manqousha. Kol Shay Publishing House.

·        (2011). The Doll Seller. Kol Shay Publishing House.

·        (2012). Children of the Butterflies. Kol Shay Publishing House.

·        (2012). Noor’s Olive Tree. Kol Shay Publishing House.

·        (2015). I Love to Sing. Kol Shay Publishing House.

·        (2016). Humor in Children’s Literature (with H. Abu Hariri). Kol Shay Publishing House.

·        (2016). The Talkative Window. Kol Shay Publishing House.

·        (2018). Behind the Fence. Kol Shay Publishing House.

·        (2018). The Little Beaver’s Wish. Kol Shay Publishing House.

·        (2020). The Barefoot Child. Kol Shay Publishing House.

·        (2021). The Hat. Kol Shay Publishing House.

·        (2022). Seven Camels. Kol Shay Publishing House.

·        (2022). The Flute of Strangers. Kol Shay Publishing House.

·        (2022). The Cake Seller. Kol Shay Publishing House.

·        (2023). Yellow Flowers for Rita. Kol Shay Publishing House.

·        (2024). The Strange Eagle. Dar Al-Huda Publishing.

·        (2024). The Candy Carpet. Dar Al-Huda Publishing.

·        (2024). The Happy Village. Dar Al-Huda Publishing.

·        (2024). The Cheerful Turtle. Dar Al-Huda Publishing.

·        (2024). The Magic Boat. Dar Al-Huda Publishing.

·        (2024). The Two Dwarfs. Dar Al-Huda Publishing.

·        (2024). The Reed House. Dar Al-Huda Publishing.

·        (2024). White Snow. Dar Al-Huda Publishing.

·        (2024). The Arrogant Clothesline. Dar Al-Huda Publishing.

·        (2024). Hanan and the Forest. Dar Al-Huda Publishing.

·        (2024). Mother’s Voice. Dar Al-Huda Publishing.

·        (2024). Nadim’s Palace. Dar Al-Huda Publishing.

·        (2024). The Branches Sing. Dar Al-Huda Publishing.

·        (2024). A Cat that Looks Like a Cloud. Dar Al-Huda Publishing.

·        (2024). The Short Story in Palestinian Children’s Literature During the Twentieth Century. Dar Al-Kitab Al-Thaqafi.

·        (2024). When Madrid Smiled. Dar Al-Kitab Al-Thaqafi.

·        (2024). Mu'in Bseiso: A Poet Who Writes Theater as a Revolution. Kol Shay Publishing House.

·        (2024, Ed.). The Sea Sheikh. Dar Al-Huda – Zahalka.

Book Chapters

1.     Yehya, R. (1996). “Political Motifs in the Poetry of Michel Haddad.” In A Poet in the Mirror of Criticism, Shfar’am: Dar Al-Mashriq, pp. 60–67.

2.     Yehya, R. (2006). “The Image of Occupation in Palestinian Children’s Literature.” In Proceedings of the Children's Literature Conference Among Arabs in Israel, Akko: Al-Aswar Publishing, pp. 43–63.

3.     Yehya, R. (2014). “The Pain of Nostalgia and Reflections of Creativity in the Works of Mustafa Murar.” In Encyclopedia of Palestinian Literature Studies, Al-Qasemi Academic College, pp. 203–227.

4.     Yehya, R. & Abu Bakr, H. (2015). “The Image of the Family in Arabic Children’s Literature.” In Early Childhood Education in Arab Society, Mofet Institute and Al-Qasemi College, pp. 235–260.

Journal Articles

1.     Yehya, R. (2002–2003). The Development and Trends of Arabic Children’s Literature in Israel, 1948–2002. Al-Karmel, pp. 209–236.

2.     Yehya, R. (2003). Islamic Children’s Literature. Jamaa, 7, pp. 99–115.

3.     Yehya, R. (2003). Modern Children’s Poetry. Mawaqef, 36–37, pp. 148–164.

4.     Yehya, R. (2011). Humor in Arabic Children’s Literature. Jamaa, 15, pp. 85–110.

5.     Yehya, R. (2011). Palestinian Children’s Literature in Israel: The Anxious Voice of a Minority. Al-Majma’, 5, pp. 127–136.

6.     Yehya, R. & Jaraisy, H. (2013). Death in Arabic Children’s Literature. Journal of the Academy of the Arabic Language – Haifa, 4, pp. 87–111.

7.     Yehya, R. & Al-Kurdi, R. (2022). Homeland and the Expansion of Identity in the Novel “Whose Doll is This?” by Taghreed Najjar. Children’s Literature Journal, 2(1), pp. 51–77.

8.     Yehya, R. (2022). Writing in the Time of Corona: The Tragedy of the Short Story. In Readings in the Achievements of Literary, Critical, and Linguistic Studies in the 21st Century (pp. 171–184). Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Criticism, July 26–28.

9.      

10. *Yehya, R. (2024). Did the mermaid continue to dive into the sea? The representation of the One Thousand-and-One-Nights' mermaid in Arabic children's literature. Journal of African Interdisciplinary Studies, 8(5), 140.

11. * Yehya, R. (2024). The role of metamorphosis in Arabic children's literature. The Arab Institute of Science and Research Publishing (AISRP). https://doi.org/10.26389/AJSRP.Y180424

12. *Yehya, R. (2024). Palestine children's literature until 1948: A historical analysis. Joas, 33, 103–133.

13. *Yehya, R. (2024). The influence of A Thousand Nights and One Night on children's Arabic literature. Jama, 5, 141-166

14.      *  Yehya, R. (2024). The motif of flying in Arabic children's stories and the role of One Thousand and One Nights in presenting it. Journal of Child Literature, 2(1), 48–60.

15. * Yehya, R. (2024). The representation of insects and reptiles in contemporary children's literature and implications on learning. Journal of African Interdisciplinary Studies, 8(7), 177-194.

16.  *Yehya, R. (2024). The transformations of imagination in children’s literature: The tale of the flute player and the clever princess as examples. Darana Journal, 51, 75-83. 

17. *Yehya, R. (2024). Development of the narrative techniques in children's literature over time. Journal of African Interdisciplinary Studies, 8(9), 67-83.

18. *Yehya, R, (2024). Narrating Places and Searching for the Lost Paradise in Palestinian Children's Literature. Journal of African Interdisciplinary Studies, 8(9), 285 – 303.

19. *Yehya, R. (2024). Narrating places and searching for the lost paradise in Palestinian children's literature. Journal of African Interdisciplinary Studies, 8(9), 285-303.

20. *Yeḥyā, R. (2024). A dualistic approach to good and evil between children’s literature and cinematic art: The folk tale as an example. Al-Majmaʿ - Al-Qasemi, 20, 207-232.

21.      * Yehya, R. (2024). Cultural identity formations in children's literature. Journal of Human and Social Sciences, 9(1), 125–135.   https://journals.ajsrp.com/index.php/jhss

Writings on Rafi‘ Yehya

Khatib, G. F. (2021). The Journey in Search of Homeland in the Novel "A House on Paper" by Rafi‘ Yehya. In The Department of Arabic Language and the Al-Qasemi Research Center (Eds.), The Constant and the Changing in Modern Palestinian Literature: Peer-Reviewed Critical Studies (pp. 307–326). Baqa al-Gharbiyye: Al-Qasemi Academy.

Najm, S. (2017). The Roots of Palestinian Identity: A Reading in the Novel "A House on Paper" by Rafi‘ Yehya. Retrieved from Arab World Books

Hamad, M. (2000). The white horse: A short story collection by Rafi‘ Yehya – Estrangement and symbolic meaning (pp. 87–95). In The eleventh book: Critical studies. Dar Al-Tali‘a.

 

Masarwa, I. (2024). Short Story Techniques in the Works of Rafi‘ Yehya: "A Yellow Rose for Rita and the Flute of Strangers" as a Case Study. Haifa: Kul Shay Library.

Additional Notes on Academic and Professional Activity (Including Future Plans)

In recent years, I have actively worked to promote Arabic literature among children and adolescents. I view literature as a vital tool for nurturing creative thinking and fostering intercultural understanding. Within this framework, I have conducted a series of workshops titled "Literature and Education" in various schools, engaging both students and teachers. These workshops included group readings and discussions focused on contemporary Arabic children's literature and its impact on young readers.

Looking to the future, I intend to expand my academic activity by developing new courses that explore the intersection between children’s literature and digital innovation—such as e-books and educational applications. Additionally, I aim to collaborate with scholars in the fields of Arabic literature and pedagogy to publish joint research that explores how literature influences children's cognitive and emotional development across diverse sociocultural contexts.

I am confident that the continued advancement of these programs will contribute to a deeper understanding of the pivotal role literature plays in children’s lives, and more importantly, will help cultivate the next generation of thoughtful readers and creative writers.

Personal Teaching Philosophy ("I Believe" Statement)

I believe in the transformative power of storytelling to convey profound human values and to shape individual and collective identity. Children’s literature, in particular, serves as a fundamental tool for understanding the child’s inner world and introducing essential values such as empathy, compassion, justice, and tolerance.

To me, reading is not solely a solitary act—it is also a powerful cultural bridge that allows children to encounter diverse perspectives, challenge assumptions, and broaden their worldview. Literature encourages children to reflect on personal and societal issues, such as interpersonal relationships, decision-making, and life’s many challenges.

I strive to design curricula that foster critical thinking by analyzing literary characters and narrative structures. Moreover, I believe children’s literature is uniquely positioned to address complex topics such as cultural identity, gender equality, environmental consciousness, and social justice. Through guided discussions, I seek to inspire students to become empathetic, responsible, and socially engaged citizens.

Looking ahead, I plan to collaborate with educational and cultural institutions to develop workshops and professional development seminars for teachers. These initiatives will aim to deepen educators' understanding of children’s literature and enhance their ability to incorporate it meaningfully into classroom instruction. Through such efforts, we can empower future generations with the intellectual tools and moral imagination to contribute positively to society.