By Jennifer Levine, Senior Director, Israel & Overseas Department
The word Shaliach (or Shlicha for a female) means “emissary.” The Jewish Agency for Israel, one of Federation’s core overseas partners, has been sending Israeli emissaries to the diaspora since its formation in 1929, with significant expansion in the 1990s and 2000s. Many of you may know Jeff Kaye and/or Yoav Raban, both of whom were Shlichim in Detroit during this timeframe.
With the severe recession that began in 2007, the Detroit Federation stepped away from the program briefly. It was resurrected around 2014 with Community Shaliach Eviatar Baskis and then, after much consideration and input from the community, fully revived in 2017 with the selection of a Senior “Bina” Shlicha, Nina Yahalomi. Nina stayed here for three years and was instrumental in getting the Shinshinim program off the ground. She was followed by Yiftah Leket, who was also here for three years. Our current Shlicha is Lior Zisser Yogev, who is now halfway through her third and final year as our emissary.
Lior has been a strong force in the community. She has proudly and effectively cultivated relationships, launched new and exciting initiatives, taught classes, brought speakers, re envisioned Yom Hazikaron (Israel’s Memorial Day) and Yom HaAtzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day), consulted on programs, staffed a mission, and so much more. Her energy and “can do” attitude have been a beacon during a very dark time. She was only in her second month of shlichut in Detroit when the atrocities of October 7 took place. On that horrific day, she lost her younger brother, who was a soldier defending Israel.
We are in awe of all she has accomplished and how she has managed to achieve so much while also processing her own personal grief. We owe her a tremendous debt of gratitude.
Next month, we will travel to Israel to interview candidates for our next Shaliach or Shlicha. It is bittersweet. While we are devastated to say goodbye to Lior at a time that feels far too soon, we understand that the program is built on having a new emissary every 2–3 years—someone who brings their own personality, ideas, and initiatives to our community to help us grow and strengthen our relationship with Israel.
The Shaliach Program has become one of the cornerstones of the Israel & Overseas Department. We cannot take all 70,000 Jewish Detroiters to Israel, but we can bring one outstanding individual here, charged with building as many relationships as possible in their 2–3 years in our community.
Please join us in saying Todah Rabah (thank you) and L’hitraot (see you soon) to Lior—and wish us luck in our interviews in Jerusalem for the next iteration of this incredible program.
