Rabbi Rachel Van Thyn serves on the Rabbinic Cabinet at Avodah.
Rabbi Rachel Van Thyn is a board-certified chaplain and an ACPE Certified Educator at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, NY. She provides spiritual and emotional support to patients, their loved ones, and staff, as well as teaching students how to provide compassionate and competent care at the bedside. Originally hailing from Mississauga, Ontario, Rachel received her Bachelor’s Degree from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, and then participated in the Avodah Service Corps in New York City in 2004. After working in the Jewish community in social justice-oriented positions and in the camping world, she discerned a call to the rabbinate. Rachel was ordained through Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York City in 2013 and served as Associate Rabbi at Temple Beth-El of Great Neck on Long Island, NY before returning to chaplaincy. Rachel and her husband Toby live in Brooklyn, NY with their son Asher, and their fantastic dog, Neko.