Partnership in Action: Highlighting our Avodah Fellows

For a number of years, Legal Council has partnered with the Avodah Jewish Service Corps to welcome two fellows to our team each year.

The Jewish Service Corps is an immersive service year program for individuals ages 21-26 who are passionate about social justice and ready to engage in a pluralistic Jewish community. Corps Members live and learn together in intentional, pluralistic communal homes in Chicago, New Orleans, New York, and Washington, DC. While they deepen their social justice framework through experiential programming and values-driven community building, Corps Members serve directly at local organizations tackling crucial social and economic justice issues.

Over the past year, Legal Council has been thrilled to have Rachel Harris (she/her) and Sofia Geller (she/her) with us on our Homeless Outreach (HOP) and Children & Families (CMLPC) projects, respectively. As Rachel and Sofia wrap up their time with us, we sat down to talk to them about their experiences with Legal Council and what they are taking away from their time with us.

What motivated you to apply for the Avodah fellowship?

Rachel: I actually first heard of Avodah as a senior in high school, when I did an internship at a placement site in New York. The service corps seemed like everything I could want from a post-graduate, pre-law school experience. I love living communally and I was excited by the opportunity to build community in a new city, and to do meaningful work at a placement organization like Legal Council.

Sofia: After college, I wanted to find a first professional experience in which I would feel supported, and Avodah offered that! I was also drawn to Avodah’s focus on participants building community, exploring their placement city, and learning from other recent graduates.

How does Legal Council’s work align with the Avodah mission?

Rachel: Avodah is very intentional about choosing partner organizations doing direct service work at the community level. Legal Council’s work, absolutely embodies that model: we work directly with community partners to identify those most in need of our services. I feel that Legal Council very effectively balances hyperlocal focus in the client work we do, as well as state and national focus for policy-level changes that can make our clients more likely to get the benefits that they deserve.

How has the Avodah fellowship and your work at Legal Council impacted your personal and professional growth?

Sofia: This year, I have learned so much about showing up as part of a community. Being part of the CMLPC team and living communally in the Avodah house both have taught me how to balance supporting others and asking for support.

What’s one thing you learned during the last year that you’ll carry with you as you take on new challenges?

Rachel: Throughout my time at Legal Council, I have grown to appreciate and rely on the way that the HOP team communally manages caseloads. Of course, there is a primary advocate on each case, but I have found that the whole team is always willing to pitch in their support, whether through a brainstorm for a tough case, stepping in to help summarize thousands of pages of medical records, and even sharing caseloads to help relieve an overloaded advocate or to help with the development of newer advocates. This model is something that I find unique and powerful about the way that Legal Council operates, and will be something I look for and try to cultivate in my future work.

Sofia: One super transferrable skill I learned at work this year is how to use accurate, technical language with clients, while also explaining legal issues in an accessible way!

What are your plans after completing your fellowship?

Rachel: I plan to attend law school next year (starting August 2025). In the meantime, I am not yet sure of my plans! I may be doing paralegal work at another nonprofit, or another law firm, or doing legal research with a law professor.

Sofia: In the fall, I am starting a Master’s program in Public Health at UC Berkeley, which is very exciting. I will miss Chicago and the Legal Council so much!

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We wish Rachel and Sofia all the best as they embark on new adventures. To learn more about working with Legal Council, click here.