David Halpern is a resident in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at The Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Prior to attending medical school at Sidney Kimmel Medical College, David spent two years studying Jewish texts and philosophy at Yeshivat Hakotel in the Old City of Jerusalem, Israel. He then returned to New York to earn a B.A. in Psychology at Yeshiva University, where his graduating thesis focused on the intersection of the philosophy of free will as interpreted by Jewish and Christian Theology. David received Rabbinic Ordination in March 2014 from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University. There he created a capstone project exploring the intersection of medical practice with Jewish medical ethics and law. Additionally, David completed rabbinic internships at the Puah Institute, helping Jewish couples navigate infertility, as well as the Organization for the Resolution of Agunot, assisting women in obtaining a Jewish writ of divorce and preventing domestic abuse.
As a medical student at Jefferson, David was particularly interested in the intersection of Judaism and medicine, as well as Jewish medical ethics. As the President of the Jefferson Jewish Student Association, David coordinated and gave monthly talks on Jewish-themed topics, including: Jewish Holidays, the Jewish Patient, and Judaism and Genetics. Most relevant to this book, David worked with Dr. Andrew Newberg, M.D. at the Marcus Institute of Integrative Health at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital on a theoretical research project exploring topics related to Jewish Neurotheology. While currently he has less time to devote to active study and research in Jewish topics, David remains actively involved in Torah study and Jewish communal leadership in the suburbs of Philadelphia, giving shiurim, lectures, and studying together with others whenever possible.
David is married and lives with his wife and their two children in suburban Philadelphia.
