Ariela Ronay-Jinich

Ariela Ronay-Jinich (she/her/ella) grew up in Mexico City, where her family is from. She has been serving Bay Area youth and families since 2005, focusing her work on innovative Jewish educational programs that center nature connection and community-building. Programs she has founded and directed include Urban Adamah’s youth and family programs, B’Hootz (Wilderness Torah), and Edah (Berkeley), and garden programs at Camp Tawonga and Gan Shalom Preschool.

Her signature professional development and consulting project, “Jewish Outside,” has trained over 80 preschool teachers throughout the Bay Area in nature-based Jewish learning.

She most recently served as Program Manager for Project Shamash, a racial justice initiative of Bend the Arc focused on supporting Jews of Color leadership and racial equity work among Jewish organizations in the Bay. Ariela serves on Jewtina y Co.’s Advisory Board, and is a recent recipient of a research grant from the Jews of Color Initiative.

Trained as a qualitative researcher, her current research focuses on heritage language learning and intersectional identity among Latinx Jewish families.

Olamim uniquely blends her equity work with her extensive background in nature connection, early childhood education, and community-building.

Ariela lives in the Bay Area and, along with David Doostan (Octopretzel!), are raising their young daughter, Alma, to delight in speaking Spanish and feel nourished by her Jewish, Mexican, and Persian cultural roots.

Education & Awards

• Bachelors in Education Policy and History, Brown University
• Masters in Educational Leadership, Mills College
• Bend the Arc Selah Leadership Program
• Rockwood Leadership Institute
• Helen Diller Family Award for Excellence in Jewish Education, 2015
• Kevah Teaching Fellowship
• Torah Trek Guide

Publications

“Intersectional Identity and Heritage Language: Latinx Jewish Families and Their Educational Choices,” Mills College, 2022