Began his academic career at the University of Lyon (France), where he received his BA in Arabic and French language and literature. Arazi completed his doctorate at the Sorbonne in Paris, on the topic of the poetry of jest in the Abbasid period.

Prof. Arazi has taught at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem since 1976, became Full Professor in 1990, and retired in 2006. One of Arazi’s most important contributions in the field of Arabic poetry was the publication of the Concordance of Early Arabic Poetry, together with his student Dr. Salman Masalha. Arazi is also the author of the entry Shi‘r (“Poetry”) in the Encyclopedia of Islam, which is considered one of the central entries in the entire work.

Prof. Arazi teaches Arabic poetry and Abbasid belles-lettres in the department on a volunteer basis until the present day.