Talia Harris, Class ’22, is a fellow at Helen Diller Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies. She has been there since the beginning of 2020. A political science major, Harris has worked as an intern at the U.S. House of Representatives and the Superior Court of California. She also interned at the U.S. Department of State, Near East Affairs Bureau, and the U.S. House of Representatives. Harris is an Undergraduate Fellow and works as a work-study for the Helen Diller Institute and Berkeley Center on Comparative Equality and Anti-Discrimination Law. Harris plans to apply for graduate programs in international affairs or public policy after she graduates.
What did you enjoy most about your undergraduate fellowship experience?
It’s been a pleasure to have intimate conversations with fellows and professors at our fellowship meetings. The Institute frequently sponsors visiting professors from Israel in a variety academic fields. It’s great to learn about new ideas that I might not have encountered in my political science classes. It’s great to ask professors about their work in an informal and comfortable setting. These opportunities are not available anywhere else.
A great thing about being with fellow mates is the ability to organize events on any topic that interests us. Since the beginning of the year, I have been involved in a series of events that explore the intersection of Jewish and Latin American culture. With the help of some other students, I organized a Latin-Jewish Film Series that featured expert directors and professors as guests speakers. The Institute allows me to explore my interests and create programming that is tailored to them.
What do you think the Institute can add to conversations at Cal about Israel and Jewish subjects?
The Institute is not a center for Israel activism but provides an academic space for discussion on issues related to Israel, Jewish law and identity. Students are encouraged to develop informed and nuanced views about Israel and the Middle East from the Institute’s staff by inviting speakers from many academic disciplines. They will not push any agenda but instead let students learn from experts and form their own opinions.
It’s important to note that our fellows are very diverse. Our group includes Jews and non-Jews of all political backgrounds. The fellowship is more nuanced when there are different points of view.