EDUCATION

MA in Hebrew Arts & Letters and Rabbinic Ordination. Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, Philadelphia, PA. 2016-2019.

MA in Philosophy of Religion. Union Theological Seminary, NYC, NY. 2003-2005.

BA in Theology & Religious Studies. Seattle University, Seattle, WA. 2000-2003.

CLINICAL PASTORAL EDUCATION

Mount Sinai Health Systems Residency (3 Units, 2019-2020)

Jewish Theological Seminary Center for Pastoral Education: Prison and Re-Entry Internship (1 Unit, Summer 2017)

Albert Einstein Medical Center Internship (1 Ext. Unit, 2014-2015)

EXPERIENCE

Hertzberg Palliative Care Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NYC, NY — Palliative Care Chaplain

JULY 2020 – PRESENT

• Provide spiritual care to patients consulted to Palliative Care Service
• Work with broad interdisciplinary team to support patients and care team
• Support learning of Palliative Care learners
• Areas of Clinical Focus: Palliative Care and Hospice, Trauma

The Mount Sinai Hospital, NYC, NY — Staff Chaplain

JULY 2020 – DECEMBER 2020

• Provide spiritual care to patients, friends and family, and staff at Mount Sinai Hospital
• Support learning of Spiritual Care learners (CPE residents and interns)
• Areas of Clinical Focus: Critical Care

Mount Sinai Beth Israel, NYC, NY — Chaplain Resident

JULY 2019 – JULY 2020

• Provide spiritual care to patients, family, staff, and friends at Mount Sinai Beth Israel, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, and the Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery.
• Developed Palliative Care QI project utilizing the PC-7 for Palliative Care Spiritual Assessments.
• Run weekly Behavioral Health Spirituality Group.
• Areas of clinical focus: Palliative Care, Transgender Health, Outpatient Spiritual Care, and Behavioral Health.

Avodah: Jewish Service Corps, NYC, NY — Spiritual Advisor

AUGUST 2018 – AUGUST 2019

• Provided spiritual care and rabbinic leadership to emerging adults living collectively and working for economic justice.
• Developed and implemented religious life programming relating to Jewish practice, identity, life, and activism.

Mishkan Ha’am, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY — Rabbi

JULY 2016 – JUNE 2019

• Lead shabbat and holiday services, taught adult education ran programing for a 45-family Reconstructionist congregation.
• Pastoral care and counseling, life cycle rituals.
• Coordinated congregational activities with appropriate committees and the Steering Committee.

Hour Children, Long Island City, NY — Chaplain Intern

SUMMER 2017

• Provided emotional and spiritual care to currently- and formerly-incarcerated women and their children through work-release, re-entry, and childcare programs.
• Employment and education life skills training.

Jews for Racial & Economic Justice, NYC, NY — Rabbinic Organizer

SEPTEMBER 2015 – JUNE 2018

• Organized NYC-based rabbis & cantors on the JFREJ Rabbinic Council; developed and implemented programming.
• Co-created ritual resources with JFREJ members of communal programs and public ritual. Coordinated creation and implementation of these rituals and programs.

Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA — Chaplain Intern

AUGUST 2014 – JUNE 2015

• Provided emotional and spiritual care to patients, family, and friends on a Medical/Surgical Step-Down Unit.
• Areas of clinical focus: Palliative Care, Trauma.

Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, NYC, NY — Transgender Case Manager

MAY 2009 – AUGUST 2013

• Provided supportive counseling, case management, medical advocacy, health and prevention education, and HIV testing/counseling to transgender patients, ages 18+.
• Provided cultural competency trainings on working with transgender people.
• Developed and created and facilitated the Transgender Patient Advocacy Board and annual Trans Out Loud community health education events.

The Attic Youth Center, Philadelphia, PA — Life Skills Specialist: Education & Employment Resources

DECEMBER 2007 – JANUARY 2009

• Provided supportive case management and employment/educational support to LGBT young adults ages 13-24.
• Facilitated support groups, including: Trans Group, Job-Seekers, and Spirituality Group.

TEACHINGS & TRAININGS

• Existential and Spiritual Distress in Palliative Care Patients
• Providing Spiritual Care to Transgender and Non-Binary People
• Musar/A Contemplative Approach to Everyday Jewish Ethics
• Movement Chaplaincy
• Making Meaning in Jewish Ritual and Practice
• Transgender Theology & Ritual
• Transgender Cultural Competency
• Lament in Jewish Practice

WRITINGS & PUBLICATIONS

Reynolds, M.Z., (2025). “But the sea is always open: Exploring trans-affirming mikveh when the mikvehs are closed.” CCAR Journal: The Reform Jewish Quarterly.

Meyerson, E.M., Reynolds, M.Z., Kestenbaum, A., Goldhirsch, S., Handzo, G. (2023). “What are the palliative care needs of LGBTQ+ people?” In N.E. Goldstein, C.D. Woodrell, and R.S. Morrison(Eds), Evidence-based practice of palliative medicine (2^nd Edition). Elsevier.

Bharani, A., Reynolds, M.Z., Javier, N.M. (2023). “What are the sources of spiritual and existential suffering for patients with advanced disease?” In N.E. Goldstein, C.D. Woodrell, and R.S. Morrison(Eds), Evidence-based practice of palliative medicine (2^nd Edition). Elsevier.

Reynolds, M.Z., (2021). “The heart-incited offering: Interdependence, economic redistribution, and community care, Parashat T’rumah.” In B.H. Block (Ed.), The Social Justice Torah Commentary. CCAR.

Hirschmann, J., Kozato, A. Sharma, V. Villagra, C, Wetmore, J. Jandorf, L. Pang, J.H., Reynolds, M.Z., Dodge, L. Mejia, S., Safer J.D., (2020). “An analysis of chaplains’ narrative chart notes: Describing spiritual care visits with gender affirmation surgical patients.” Transgender Health 7(1).

Reynolds, M.Z., (2020). “Ritual for separating from abusive parents.” In D.L. Eger (Ed.), Mishkan ga’avah: Where pride dwells. A celebration of LGBT Jewish life and ritual. CCAR.

Frazier, K.B., Hagens, G., and Reynolds, M.Z., (2018). shavuot4blacklives. Jews for Racial and Economic Justice. https://www.jfrej.org/assets/uploads/Shavuot-WHOLE_Final.pdf

Reynolds, M.Z., Ed. (2016). Mixed multitudes: Nobody’s free ‘til everybody’s free, a racial justice haggadah for pesach. Jews for Racial and Economic Justice. https://www.jfrej.org/assets/uploads/Mixed-Multitudes-Haggadah-for-Download.pdf

Reynolds, H.M. and Goldstein, Z. (2014). “Social transition.” InL. Erickson-Scroth (Ed.), Trans bodies, trans selves: A resource for the transgender community. Oxford University.

Bautista, D. and Mountain, Q., with Reynolds, H.M. (2014). “Religion & spirituality.” InL. Erickson-Scroth (Ed.), Trans bodies, trans selves: A resource for the transgender community. Oxford University.

Stirba, J.L., Gentili, C., and Goldstein, Z., with Reynolds, H.M., Hill-Meyer, T., and Scarborough, D. (2014). “Employment.” InL. Erickson-Scroth (Ed.), Trans bodies, trans selves: A resource for the transgender community. Oxford University.