I’m Ariel (no pronouns, please) a queer non-binary coach, doula, caretaker, writer, Jewish ancestral ritualmaker, translator, logistical coordinator, and preserver of many things.
In my work and studies as a grief coach and doula, I have come to understand that nothing and no one truly comes to an end. Grief can be a teacher and transformer because it holds in it a multiplicity of truths, selves, and powers. As a doula, I really value being a non-medical and non-familial presence who can create and hold intentional space during some of life’s more immersive and overwhelming times.
I am honored to have been trained as an End of Life Doula in the INELDA method, which is rooted in openness to the needs of a person who is dying and their circle of care. My work in trans and queer communities is rooted in honoring the parts of all of us that are queer ancestors. I believe that dreaming towards our utopias and finding ways to enact our dreams as our best and favorite selves makes our world a better place.
In addition to being a coach and a doula, I am an amulet maker, a translator, and a ritual-maker rooted in ancestral and feminist Jewish traditions. My upbringing in Jewish day schools and degree in Jewish Studies have given me a strong background in Jewish learning that is rooted in pluralism. Pluralism means creating spaces and learning that recognizes the full range of personal belief and observance that are not rooted in institutional dogma.
Dozens of people over the years have asked me why I don’t become a Rabbi. I have offered many answers over the years about why I’ve not pursued this, and the one that remains is that my most profound connections with Judaism have been through interpersonal and ancestral practices, personal rituals and communal gatherings outside of Jewish institutions. So many have been excluded from the Jewish institutional world – myself included even as I worked professionally in that world – and much repair is needed as we look for deeper meanings in our lives that can connect us to our bodies and our ancestral memories.
I am endlessly grateful for our ancestors and trancestors, in whose honor I continue work towards care and love, decolonization and abolition in the broadest way possible, and endlessness.
I’m grateful for this earth and for those who steward it – and all of us – with care. I live on Turtle Island, here among the Lenape, with beloveds of my heart/ocean nearby.
Inquire for examples of fully-written rituals, to chat, trade translations, share readings, and learn about pricing. I’m always glad to hear from you <3.
Ariel N Kates 