Shlichim (plural of shaliach or shlicha, the feminine form of the word) are emissaries who are trained and sent from Israel to be equal parts teacher, ombudsman, and friend to myriad kids, staff, and community members with whom they come in contact over the course of a shlichut (literally, a “mission”) that typically lasts between two and three years. Those years are spent far from home and as a time-out from career pursuits, but with a vitally important purpose: to bring Israel to life for Jews throughout the Diaspora. [Doron Krakow]