dough never rises after being in refridgerator??

What type of yeast are you using? Is it relatively new instant (not RapidRise or bread machine) dry yeast? If it is a big old jar/bag or past the pull date try a new baatch and see if your results change. I've had your sort of conundrum happen when using RapidRise/Bread Machine yeast on accident. Fresh cake yeast or instant dry yeast will behave the best for retarding a dough. You can of course get by with active dry yeast which will be a little sluggish. Or sourdough culture but that is a different beast entirely and your post-retard final rise would take hours. Also, how cold is your refrigerator? If it's really close to or below freezing it will take longer for your dough to warm up and rise after a long retard. As Nancy mentioned, punching down (or better yet folding as you mention) is necessary to get the yeast redistributed and to degas a dough which helps it continue to rise. Proper final proofing temperature and humidity after a retarding is very important. I always find it takes longer than expected. I aim for 80°F and 80% RH. Good luck, bake on!

Heat not cold kills yeast.
Only cause I can think of for non-rising of dough after being in fridge is leaving it too long without punching it down.
My recipes that call for fridge rise also ask for 2-3 punch down every 24 hours. That expels some of the gas released by the yeast and reactivated them in the dough big left too long with out punch down, the gas bubbles eventually burst and - I think - the yeast stops working; stops feeding on the dough.
If dough doesn't rise when removed from fridge, perhaps you need to give it more time (first to come to room temp, then to rise).

I'm not sure why your rugulach dough should rise in the first place. I've never put yeast in mine. It's a cream cheese cooky dough. What are you adding that it should rise?