Philip M. Posner

Deepok Chopra is certainly correct:"...all great changes are preceded by chaos." In 1961, when the Freedom Rider mug shot of me at my arrest in Jackson was taken (click the photo of me at my table) the idea of my writing a book about ethics, food and famous people, let alone the realization that in four years I would sell 3000 plus books was about as distant from my thinking as the idea that I would welcome you to my table.

A congregational rabbi for nearly forty years, I have always been active in Social Action and Interfaith activities. In 1961 I joined the Freedom Rides, helping to integrate transportation facilities and served 39 days' time in Parchman Penitentiary in Mississippi. I have also enjoyed participating in social action missions to El Salvador and Ethiopia and am the cofounder, with my friend Jane Fellman of the Rabbinic Network for Ethiopian Jewry which successfully challenged my fellow rabbis to help Ethiopian Jews get to Israel.As you can see I enjoy baking and cooking.

I have a degree in history from UCLA, was ordained in 1968 and twenty five years later earned a Doctorate in Hebrew Letters in ethics from my seminary, The Hebrew Union College - JIR.