Dr. Alexander Friedman earned his doctoral degree in brain physiology from Bar-llan University (BIU) in Israel and joined UTEP last year after completing his postdoctoral training and working as a research scientist at MIT for 10 years. He also authored three major publications in the Cell journal and two major publications in the PNAS journal.
Dr. Friedman moved to El Paso in August 2020 together with his wife Miriam and their children Raizy (5) and Itzik (3). A chassidic scholar and graduate of the prestigious Chabad Yeshiva in Kfar Chabad, Israel Dr. Friedman combines a unique passion for Torah and the exact sciences.
The following interview was published in the El Paso Chabad Times in honor of Shavuot.
Chabad Times: What led you to become a scientist?
Dr. Alexander Friedaman: I was born to a family of scientists in the former Soviet Union. My grandfather Dr. Olodovsky was a prestigious physicist and both my grandmothers were science professors. It was a profession many Jews preferred since it was possible to observe Shabbat with minimal hassle.
Providing a proper Jewish education in the USSR was very difficult but my parents did their best under the circumstances. I was always attracted to the sciences and after applying to several universities I was accepted to Machon Lev in Jerusalem which led me to make Aliyah to Israel.
Machon Lev combines a university education and a Yeshiva education and while earning my B.A. I caught up on my Judaic studies as well. I was introduced to Chassidic philosophy by Dr. Yaakov Friedman, a great scientist in his own right, and I decided to spend a gap year pursuing more intense Torah study at the main Chabad Yeshiva in Israel. After a year I wanted to continue full time, but Rabbi Zalman Gopin, the chief Chassidic mentor at the Yeshivah insisted that I earn my doctorate.
I enrolled in Bar-Ilan University which is a half hour drive away from the Yeshiva and divided my day between the Yeshiva and the university.
CT: Is it possible to balance these two seemingly opposite studies?
AF: I admit they were very long and grueling days, but they were stimulating and rewarding. Rabbi Gopin explained to me that although learning Torah full time is a privilege, with my background and education it was crucial for me to excel in science to discover and illustrate how it all blends beautifully with Torah teachings and observance. It’s not the typical route for a Yeshiva student, but everyone has their journey and purpose in life. Being simultaneously submerged in both worlds was a unique experience that shaped my life work ever since.
CT: Please explain how your scientific research enhances your appreciation of Judaism and vice versa.
AF: The definition of science is discovering the principles of the organization of the universe. When studying physics, chemistry and biology you discover how complex yet astoundingly exact nature really is. Obviously none of this could happen randomly and it was certainly created by a superpower.
My field of research is brain physiology and, let me tell you, even the brain of a mouse is extremely complex. The tremendous discoveries we make in their brains help us understand the human brain which is far more sophisticated. To date we understand precious little about the nerve center of our body, yet we take for granted that there are billions of these in the world. Multiply this by trillions of other organisms, minerals and particles and you have yourself an awesome universe created and maintained by an awesome creator.
5,781 years ago, when Adam the first human being was created on the day we celebrate Rosh Hashanah, he intuitively realized this and called out to creation to acknowledge G-d’s sovereignty. That’s why the High Holy Days liturgy is packed with these ideas and it’s the core of what Judaism is all about.
Soon we will celebrate Shavuot; 3,333 years since G-d gave the Torah to the Jewish nation at Mt. Sinai. Fascinatingly, this only happened after Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, who was also the greatest scientist and philosopher at the time recognized that G-d is the supreme power of the universe.
When the Jews stood at Sinai and heard the Ten Commandments from G-d, all humanity realized with brilliant clarity - albeit temporarily - that all of nature is truly a reflection of G-d. This was preceded by Jethro’s conversion to Judaism to illustrate how this clarity must come from within nature itself. The more we know about nature the more we know G-d.
Since then the world is progressing in its scientific knowledge and its appreciation for and knowledge of G-d so that the Sinai experience becomes a permanent reality. This is the definition of the Messianic Era; that every created being will recognize the creator. Not only Jews - everyone!
CT: Have you found this attitude in modern science as well?
AF: Certainly. Sir Isaac Newton defined scientific experiments as our way of asking G-d how to do things. In my opinion he continues to be the most important scientist of the modern era and I find it fascinating that the overwhelming majority of his works were translations of Torah scholarship. Ivan Pavlov, the father of brain physiology and the legendary chemist Dmitri Mendeleev were both deeply religious and their religious convictions impacted their scientific work.
Faith does not hamper scientific discovery. It enhances it, just like it enhances every detail of life.
CT: Do you feel this idea can be experienced by everyone?
AF: Look, such an attitude needs to be nurtured. I study Chassidic philosophy daily to keep this perspective fresh and relatable. You don’t need to be a neuroscientist to appreciate how complex and awesome our world is, but to experience life in a way that allows you to discover the divine element in everything and to introduce peace and serenity into every detail of life - it’s crucial to study Chassidic philosophy.
The good news is that there is so much available in multiple languages in so many formats and platforms and it’s very convenient to learn it nowadays. Clearly this is another sign of the imminence of the Messianic era when, as Maimonides writes, the knowledge of G-d will fill the entire world and there will be global peace and tranquility for all.