Content
Topics
- When Religion Heals, When Science Heals 18
- Morality 51
- Prayer 21
- Relationships 55
- Religion and Science 142
- Self 36
- Sinai and Synapses Fellowship 44
- Success 9
- Technology 87
- Theology 32
- Time 29
- Truth 33
- Memory 24
- Why Do People Do Bad (and Good) Things? 28
- Sacred Science 50
- Mathematics 14
- History 11
- Divrei Torah 26
- Health and Medicine 9
- Virtue 2
- AI 11
- Deepening Jewish Education in the Digital Age 1
- Belief in the Future 1
- Jewish Thought and Jewish Education for the Digital Future 4
- Ethics 61
- Are We Using Technology or is Technology Using Us? 17
- Astronomy 42
- Awe 41
- Behavior 80
- Belief 63
- Cognitive Science 48
- Compassion 29
- Consciousness 7
- Scientists in Synagogues 208
- Creativity 24
- Environment 47
- Are We More Than Our Genes? 16
- Fear 30
- Free Will 11
- Genetics 30
- God's Creation and Our Creation 27
- Gratitude 10
- Happiness 14
- Holidays 75
- Hope 14
- How Science Influences Religious Language 18
- Learning 57
Speakers
- Rabbi Justin Pines 1
- Andy German, PhD 1
- Ora Horn Prouser, PhD 1
- Rabbi Dr. Avi Greene 1
- DZ Kalman 4
- Rev. Dr. Jill Harman 1
- Rabbi Dan Medwin 1
- Drew Rick-Miller 1
- Rabbi David E. Levy 1
- Dr. DZ Kalman 1
- Edgardo Rosado 1
- Arvin Gouw, PhD 8
- John ZuHone, PhD 7
- Rabbi Rachel Gurevitz 7
- Olapeju Simoyan, MD, MPH 2
- Amanda Townley, PhD 3
- Brian Gallagher 13
- John Marc Sianghio, Jr., PhD 8
- Rabbi Joshua Ratner 2
- Jeremy England, PhD 2
- Rev. Dr. Kristel Clayville 4
- Tim Dixon 1
- Sara Gottlieb-Cohen, PhD 9
- Dr. Joel Wolfson, MD 2
- Joyce Ann Konigsburg, PhD 1
- Myriam Renaud, PhD 4
- Reverend Dr. Eric Elnes 2
- Rabbi Dr. Jason Weiner, BCC 1
- Rabbi Joshua Stanton 9
- Sarah Goss 2
- Jonathan Morgan, PhD 9
- Elizabeth Fernandez, PhD 6
- David Bosworth, PhD 7
- Rabbi Yaakov Jaffe 3
- Connor Wood, PhD 24
- Kendra Holt Moore 4
- Reverend John Van Sloten 8
- Rabbi David Wolpe 1
- Rabbi Gordon Tucker 1
- Rabbi Michael Mellen 1
- Ian Binns, PhD 6
- Briana Pobiner, PhD 3
- Dr. Rochelle Walensky 1
- Megan Powell Cuzzolino, EdD 12
- Kat Robison 10
- Rev. Dr. Ruth Shaver 14
- Rev. Gawain de Leeuw 4
- Arthur N. Popper, PhD 1
- Carolyn Hall 1
- Emily Gerdin 1
- Adam Reynolds 3
- Pekka Sinervo, PhD 4
- Rabbi Arielle Hanien 6
- Rabbi Michelle Fisher 3
- Coco Xu 1
- Muhammad Aurangzeb Ahmad, PhD 1
- Dr. Thomas Wassink 5
- Laura Donnelly 3
- Lisa Ortuno, PhD 6
- Rabbi Annie Tucker 6
- Rabbi Jordan Shaner 2
- Julian Coffin 1
- Timothy Maness, PhD 7
- Irene G. Plotzker, PhD 1
- Stefanie West Leacock, PhD 4
- Brian Greene, PhD 1
- Marta Segal Block 3
- Rev. Mark Goodman 4
- Isaac Alderman, PhD 4
- Abigail Pogrebin 1
- Dr. Adam Pryor 10
- Rabbi David Levy 2
- Roald Hoffmann, PhD 2
- Rabbi Brad Hirschfield 1
- Rev. Zachary Jackson 15
- Jacob Sturm, PhD 1
- Dr. Ashlynn S. Stillwell 4
- David Kaiser, PhD 1
- Rabbi Rachael Jackson 14
- Heidi M. Ravven, PhD 2
- Jeremy Epstein 2
- Rebecca Epstein-Levy, PhD 1
- Devra Aarons 1
- David A. Strouse, MD 1
- Beverly Emanuel, PhD 1
- Rosalie Reszelbach, OD, PhD 1
- Rabbi David Starr, PhD 1
- Darren Orbach, MD, PhD 1
- Dr. Terri Clayman 1
- Don Postema, PhD 1
- Mike Freiberg 1
- Sheldon Berkowitz, MD 1
- George Szpiro 1
- Erik Dreff, PhD 2
- Ehud Isacoff, PhD 1
- Rena Dorph, PhD 2
- Rabbi Carol Caine 1
- David Zakariaie 1
- Robyn Cohen, MD 1
- Rabbi Braham David 2
- Jay Boisseau, PhD 1
- Dr. Michael Steinman 1
- Amitai Wahrhaftig 1
- Peter Stone, PhD 1
- David Gruenstein 1
- Howie Waldman 1
- Farnoush Safavi, MD 1
- Frederic Traylor 2
- Betsy Stone, PhD 2
- Rabbi Mois Navon 1
- Leonard Oppenheimer 1
- Jake Grossman, PhD 1
- Rabbi Shoshana Meira Friedman 1
- John Loike, PhD 1
- Taylor Thomas, PhD 1
- Rabbi Dr Jonathan Crane 1
- Natalie Rudolph PhD 2
- Claire Max PhD 1
- Jason Schenker 1
- Ernie Wolshin 1
- Rabbi Elan Babchuck 1
- Marc Swetlitz, PhD 1
- JD Stillwater 2
- Fred Ledley MD 2
- Randy Wedin, PhD 4
- Rabbi Linda Joseph 6
- Richard Madonna, PhD 1
- Howard Feldmesser 2
- Victoria Bond 1
- Dr. Gerard Saucier 1
- Rabbi Dean Shapiro 2
- Roy E. Plotnick, PhD 4
- Dr. Jennifer Wiseman 2
- Michael Zimmerman, PhD 2
- Randy Dimond, PhD 1
- Alfred Kaszniak, PhD 1
- Dr. Brian Patrick Green 1
- Larisa Heiphetz, PhD 1
- Rachel S. A. Pear, PhD 2
- Samuel Arbesman 1
- Telli Davoodi, PhD 3
- Rabbi Dr. Joel Levenson 1
- Judy Spencer 2
- Darla Strouse, PhD 5
- Baba Brinkman 1
- Dr. Jonathan Weinkle 1
- Michael Kaplan 2
- Rabbi Debra Landsberg 1
- Rabbi Ruhi Rubenstein 5
- Ryan Niemiec, PsyD 1
- 2019-2021 Sinai and Synapses Fellows 26
- Joe Baldelomar 1
- Mitchell Freedman, MD 1
- Rebecca Lunstroth, JD, MA 1
- Elyssa Pellish, MD 1
- Larry Lesser, PhD 4
- Nicholas Christakis, MD, PhD, MPH 1
- Seth Villegas 1
- David Zvi Kalman, PhD 4
- Keith Shafritz, PhD 1
- Sharon Brown 1
- Rev. Dr. Ray Pickett 1
- Jared Pincus 1
- Dr. Joseph Henrich 1
- Miriam Brosseau 1
- Rabbi Dr. Bradley Shavit Artson 3
- Rabbi Shai Held 1
- Sam McNerney 1
- Abby Olena, PhD 1
- Dr. Joshua Greene 1
- John Meitzen, PhD 1
- Molly Shoichet, PhD 1
- Rev. Dr. Gregory Simpson 1
- Amanda Lawrence 1
- Dr. Olga Kosheleva 1
- Laura Haynes 1
- Peter Hotez, MD, PhD 1
- Shamila N. Chaudhary 1
- Michael Dine, PhD 2
- Rabbi Dr. Karen Reiss Medwed 4
- Victoria Templer Rotkow, PhD 3
- Rabbi Neil F. Blumofe 6
- Rabbi Ben Goldstein 1
- Dana Bash 1
- Dr. Joshua Holo 1
- Nathaniel Daw 1
- Rabbi Geoffrey A. Mitelman 251
- Anebel Hernandez 1
- Dr. Kevin Tidgewell 1
- Jon Katz 1
- Amy Pollack 1
- Dr. Victor J. Katz 1
- Lisa Miller, PhD 1
- Rabbi Ben Zeidman 3
- Sigal Samuel 1
- Gale Sinatra, PhD 1
- Agustín Fuentes, PhD 1
- Bonnie J. Buratti, PhD 3
- Rabbi Michael Fel 6
- Rabbi Gilah Langner 7
- Sam Friedman, PhD 1
- Daniel Langton, PhD 1
- Joshua Weitz, PhD 1
- Pastor Ken Wilson 1
- Rachel Pincus 1
- Sara Huston Katsanis 2
- William Kraus, MD 1
- Pastor Zach Fleming 1
- Rev. Paul Raushenbush 1
- Annie Murphy Paul 1
- Dr. Vladik Kreinovich 1
- Lorenzo Cecutti 1
- Rabbi Daniel Swartz 2
- Snezana Lawrence, PhD 1
- Barbara Hofer, PhD 1
- Rabbi Dan Geffen 7
- Zachary Epstein, PhD 1
- Joselin Linder 1
- Betsy Von Holle, PhD 1
- Daniel Wolf Savin, PhD 2
- Dave Schmelzer 2
- Mark Bloom, PhD 3
- Rev. Adey Wassink 1
- Carly-Anne Gannon 1
- Elaine Howard Ecklund, PhD 2
- Paul Root Wolpe, PhD 2
- Azi Grysman, PhD 2
- Lori Yanowitz 1
- Rabbi Emily Cohen 2
- Steven Pinker, PhD 2
- Rabbi Amy Hertz 1
- Stephen Rosen, PhD 5
- Rachel Petroff Kessler, RJE 2
- Rabbi Binyomin Davis 1
- Rabbi Michael Satz 1
- Rabbi Linda Shriner-Cahn 2
- 2013-2015 Sinai and Synapses Fellows 57
- David Borger Germann 1
- Dr. Michael Summers 1
- Judy Libman 1
- Rev. Brian Sauder 1
- Seth Patterson 1
- Carmen Del Toro 1
- Elliot Berkman, PhD 2
- Judith Donath, PhD 1
- Rabbi Adam Bellows 1
- Brian Nosek, PhD 1
- Emily Oster, PhD 2
- Luisa Cortesi, PhD 1
- Rabbi Etan Mintz 2
- Stuart Firestein, PhD 4
- Rabbi Andrew Paley 1
- Judy Klinghoffer 2
- David A. Greenberg, PhD 1
- Rabbi Janine Jankovitz 3
- 2015-2017 Sinai and Synapses Fellows 53
- Dr. Nicole M. Gerardo 1
- Julian de Freitas 1
- Professor Noah Efron 1
- Rabbi Lawrence Troster 1
- Rev. Casey Ben-Aimé 1
- Shira Leibowitz Schmidt 1
- CJ Baldelomar 1
- Grace Wolf-Chase, PhD 2
- Karl Giberson, PhD 1
- Rabbi Ari Kaiman 1
- Reverend Rose Ann Vita 1
- Ethan Siegel, PhD 1
- Rabbi Ilana Schwartzman 2
- Tania Lombrozo, PhD 1
- Rabbi Rachel Safman 4
- Greg Cotsoona, PhD 1
- David Keleti, PhD 4
- Alan Leshner PhD 2
- 2016-2017 Scientists in Synagogues Selected Congregations 31
- David DiSalvo 1
- Dr. Paul Slovic 2
- Rabbi Adam Cutler 1
- Rabbi Lynne Goldsmith 1
- Rev. Doug Hammack 1
- Steven Goldman 1
- Hank Davis, PhD 1
- Rabbi Daniel Nevins 2
- Rex Jung, PhD 1
- Cailin O'Connor, PhD 1
- Helen de Cruz, PhD 1
- Michelle Lani Shiota, PhD 1
- Rabbi Jonathan K. Crane, PhD 5
- Wayne Appelbaum, PhD 1
- Jerrold Davis, PhD 2
- Gary Heiligman, PhD 1
- Rabbi Jon Spira-Savett 5
- Marni Hall, PhD 1
- Michael Jawer 1
- 2017-2019 Sinai and Synapses Fellows 70
- Dr. Peter R. Saulson 6
- Kate Stockly 2
- Rabbi Melanie Aron 3
- Rev. Dr. Kara Slade 1
- Ted Peters, PhD 2
- Daniel Wilkenfeld, PhD 1
- Laura Trouille, PhD 1
- Rabbi Dov Linzer 1
- Sara Seager, PhD 2
- Helmut Brückner, PhD 1
- Rabbi Joshua Fixler 2
- Yair Lior, PhD 1
- Daniel H. Pink 1
- Rabbi John Carrier 1
- John Slattery, PhD 1
- Diane Sharon, PhD 1
- Dr. Rebecca Newberger Goldstein 1
- Thomas Williams 1
- David DeSteno, PhD 8
- Ian Hutchinson, PhD 1
- Lindsey Myers 1
- Rabbi Dr. David Novak 1
- Sarah Chauncey, PhD 1
- Christian B. Miller, PhD 2
- Joelle Novey 1
- Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz 1
- Amy Herman 1
- Rebecca Saxe, PhD 1
- Thomas F. Rosenbaum, PhD 1
- Judy Callahan 3
- Rabbi Marcia Plumb 1
- Rabbi Ian Pear 1
- Deena Gottlieb 1
- Rabbi Avi Orlow 1
- Rabbi Michal Loving 1
- David Haymer, PhD 2
- Lisa Sowle Cahill, PhD 1
- Rabbi Dr. Jack Shlachter 2
- Dan Rothstein 1
- Julien Musolino, PhD 1
- Naomi Oreskes, PhD 1
- Razel Solow, PhD 1
- David Novick, PhD 1
- Cantor Elizabeth Sternlieb 1
- Rabbi Mitchell Berkowitz 5
- John Zaia, MD 1
- Rabbi Elaine Zecher 1
- Braden Molhoek, PhD 1
- Alan Lightman, PhD 2
- Derek Nelson 1
- Elad Nehorai 1
- Lisa Miller 1
- Rabbi Baruch Frydman-Kohl 3
- Val Snekvik 1
- David Mogul, PhD 1
- Matthew I. Banks, PhD 2
- Rabbi Fred Hyman 1
- Tiffany Shlain 2
- David B. Yaden, PhD 1
- Kent Harber, PhD 2
- Steven Pastor 1
- Robert Pollack, PhD 2
- Ross Ellenhorn, PhD 1
- Julie Reynolds, PhD 3
- Rabbi Nathan Roller 1
- Rabbi Elliot Dorff 2
- Stephanie Meyers, MS, RD, LDN 1
- Rabbi Dan Slipakoff 1
- Albert Hayden 1
- Rabbi Bradley Hirschfield 2
- Rabbi Oren Hayon 2
- Venkat Venkatasubramanian, PhD 1
- Debbi Dunn Solomon 1
- Dennis Gilbride, PhD 1
- Michael Gottlieb, PhD 1
- Zander Harpel 1
- David Rosmarin, PhD 2
- Kevin Ladd, PhD 1
- David H. Zald, PhD 1
- Robin Coyne 1
- Rabbi Robert Scheinberg 4
- Rabbi Margaret Frisch Klein 1
- David Snyder, MD 1
- Ian Brown 1
- Nora Renthal, MD, PhD 1
- Cantor Olivia Brodsky 1
- Marnie Gelbart, PhD 1
- Rabbi Dan Ain 1
- William D. Richards 1
- Dr. Carey Murphy 1
- Itzik Nir 1
- Michael James, PhD 1
- Rabbi Leah Citrin 1
- Zane Fernandez 1
- Diana Butler Bass 1
- Kim Regnier Jongerius, PhD 1
- Robert Shalwitz, MD 1
- Robyn Fivush, PhD 1
- Razel Solow, PhD 1
- Ciara Reyes-Ton, PhD 2
- Ellen Knell, PhD 1
- Marshall Kohen 1
- Rabbi Jason Rubenstein 1
- Ariel Anbar, PhD 2
- Dr. Christopher Cotter 1
- Imam Abdullah Antepli 1
- Rabbi Rachel Ain 2
- Dr. Greg Samsa 2
- Janet McDaniel 1
- Michael Shermer, PhD 3
- Rabbi Noah Fabricant 1
- Adam Lyon, PhD 1
- Dr. Andrea Ciaranello 1
- Kristine Henriksen Garroway, PhD 2
- Rabbi Alex Braver 1
- Roger Price 1
- Dominic Packer, PhD 1
- Rabbi Benjamin Spratt 1
- Julia Stoyanovich, PhD 1
- Howard A. Smith, PhD 1
- Josh Gruenstein 1
- Morris Levine 1
- Rabbanit Sara Wolkenfeld 4
Months
- November 2026 1
- October 2026 5
- September 2026 5
- August 2026 4
- July 2026 4
- June 2026 3
- May 2026 2
- April 2026 2
- March 2026 3
- February 2026 4
- January 2026 3
- December 2025 3

Content by David B. Yaden, PhD

Dr. David B. Yaden is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Johns Hopkins Medicine who studies the subjective qualities, behavioral effects, and therapeutic potential of psychedelic substances.

Apr 15, 2021

The Varieties of Transcendent Experience: A Conversation With David B. Yaden, PhD

David B. Yaden, PhD

David B. Yaden, PhD researches two topics in psychology that may be more (or less?) religious than they seem: professional callings and transcendent experiences.