Philip J. Caplan

Philip J. Caplan (1927- ), is an American writer and physicist.

Background

Caplan was raised in Detroit, Michigan, where his family was influential in the thriving Jewish community of the Detroit area. He is the nephew of a renowned Detroit judge, Harry B. Keidan. Caplan attended college at Yeshiva University. He married his wife Iola in 1952, and the couple moved to the Jersey Shore soon afterwards. At Fort Monmouth, Caplan worked as a physicist and published some of his work.

Writing

In the years that followed, he shifted his attention primarily to several older Jewish texts passed down to him by his father, Abraham. Caplan developed an interest in the Zohar Harokea, a little-known Hebrew Jewish book published decades ago, which enumerates the biblical commandments and offers commentary. His studies on this topic led to the publishing of his book, "The Puzzle of the 613 Commandments - And Why Bother?" (ISBN 1-56821-893-1).