This Yom Kippur, ChiTribe is excited to feature something truly different: Psychedelic Synagogue. Founded by Dashiell Bark-Huss, this community explores the intersection of Jewish ritual, altered states, and playful spirituality. Dash is a lucid dream and consciousness researcher collaborating with scientists from Northwestern University and co-founder of KD Labs, a remote lucid dream research lab. She creates spaces that balance playfulness with depth and explore practical tools for living a good life. Outside of consciousness research, Dash is also a tech entrepreneur and the best friend of her partner, Shlomo. Read all about her below!
This year’s Yom Kippur experience at the Chicago Botanic Gardens invites participants to step away from traditional services and engage in authentic connection, spiritual growth, and personal exploration. Not your zayde’s day of atonement… unless your zayde is Rick Strassman.
Psychedelic Synagogue combines my Jewish roots with the consciousness practices I’ve been exploring for the last 15 years.
Dashiell Bark-Huss, founder of Psychedelic Synagogue
Why did you find this to be a meaningful spiritual practice?
There’s probably a very wise Jewish reason why we sit in synagogue and recite the same passages over and over, but it just doesn’t fit me. I prefer something more experiential and participatory. Psychedelic Synagogue gives people like me a way to practice spirituality and self-growth through activities using a variety of modalities.
What will participants gain from this community experience?
Participants will step outside their routine, experiment with mind-expanding practices, connect with others in an authentic way, and leave with clearer intentions for the year ahead.
Why is this kind of consciousness and alternative programming interesting and new for the Jewish space?
Most Jewish programming focuses outward; community volunteering, political activism, or studying texts. Psychedelic Synagogue focuses inward, using Jewish ritual as a framework for direct personal exploration and growth. It’s a mash-up of disciplines, mixing tools from philosophy, science, and art to expand how we think and grow.
What do you usually do on Yom Kippur? How long has this been a part of your practice?
I usually go to the Botanic Gardens with friends and family and take turns leading small growth-driven workshops. I wanted to share that with more people, so now I’m including ChiTribe.
What else do you want the community to know?
People often ask if psychedelics are involved. Not at the upcoming Yom Kippur event. Psychedelic medicine is part of Psychedelic Synagogue’s broader explorations, but it’s not a requirement or the focus. Psychedelic means “mind-expanding,” and there are many ways to achieve that.
Looking ahead, the goal is for Psychedelic Synagogue to become a co-created space, where participants bring their own practices, tools, and ideas so we can learn from each other and expand together.
Who are you and tell us a little more about your Jewish background and what brought you to seek out alternative spiritual practices?
I’m a tech entrepreneur and amateur consciousness researcher. I run a small remote lucid dreaming research lab with Dr. Karen Konkoly, exploring how different states of consciousness can be accessed for growth and insight. I’ve also organized community events around consciousness exploration, including lucid dream meetups, dance improv and play, and self-quantification groups.
I grew up in Chicago’s Jewish community but never felt much personal growth from traditional practice. As a teen, I discovered the world of self-help books — titles like How to Win Friends and How to Be Brave — and realized I could seek tools for growth directly, rather than trying to decode them from Torah stories. From there I explored frameworks like lucid dreaming, stoicism, and discomfort challenges.
Psychedelic Synagogue combines my Jewish roots with the consciousness practices I’ve been exploring for the last 15 years.
When the Tribe Gathers… We do uncomfortable things and don’t take ourselves too seriously.
Don’t Miss This Alternative Yom Kippur 5786
Dashiell Bark-Huss is the founder of Psychedelic Synagogue, a community that blends Jewish ritual with playful and mind-expanding practices. She is a lucid dream and consciousness researcher, co-founder of KD Labs, and a tech entrepreneur who loves building spaces that help people grow. Her work reflects a deep curiosity about how ritual, science, and spirituality can intersect to create more meaningful Jewish experiences.
✨ Don’t miss this unique Yom Kippur experience at the Chicago Botanic Gardens
