Philip E. Karmel
Phil Karmel grew up in Hastings on Hudson and is a proud graduate of its public schools. 
​After receiving his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and an M. Phil. in Economics from Cambridge University, he earned his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School. He then moved to Philadelphia for a one-year clerkship with Circuit Judge Edward R. Becker, z”l – a most fortuitous circumstance, because there he met his beshert Barbara Landress, then clerking for Judge Norma Shapiro, z”l, in the same federal courthouse. After their year in Philadelphia, Phil and Barbara (although not yet a couple) moved to Washington, D.C. to serve as trial attorneys at the U.S. Department of Justice. After much wooing, Barbara eventually consented to their marriage. Soon thereafter, the newlyweds took a seven-month honeymoon in Israel after which they returned to Hastings on Hudson in 1995. Phil and Barbara are blessed to be parents of their wonderful children, Jacob and Anna.
​After receiving his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and an M. Phil. in Economics from Cambridge University, he earned his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School. He then moved to Philadelphia for a one-year clerkship with Circuit Judge Edward R. Becker, z”l – a most fortuitous circumstance, because there he met his beshert Barbara Landress, then clerking for Judge Norma Shapiro, z”l, in the same federal courthouse. After their year in Philadelphia, Phil and Barbara (although not yet a couple) moved to Washington, D.C. to serve as trial attorneys at the U.S. Department of Justice. After much wooing, Barbara eventually consented to their marriage. Soon thereafter, the newlyweds took a seven-month honeymoon in Israel after which they returned to Hastings on Hudson in 1995. Phil and Barbara are blessed to be parents of their wonderful children, Jacob and Anna.
Phil and Barbara have been members of Greenburgh Hebrew Center for 22 years. At GHC, Phil attends our morning minyan, Shabbat and festival services and is a frequent Torah leiner. He has served as a Trustee, Vice President for Religious Affairs, Vice President for Management, Executive Vice President and President. He also served as Chairman of the Rabbi Search Committee for Rabbi Jay Stein. For many years, Phil and Barbara have been our in-house caterers for the Kiddush luncheons after our Sukkot and Passover services.
Phil is a partner at the Manhattan office of the law firm Bryan Cave LLP, where he specializes in environmental and land use litigation and counseling. In addition to his passion for Torah, Judaism and the Jewish people, his interests include music, art, history, politics, travel, hiking and napping.
Phil is the son of his beloved parents Paul (z”l) and Roberta Karmel and lucky son-in-law of Robert and Dorothy Landress. He would like to thank the extraordinary community at Greenburgh Hebrew Center and his teachers, particularly Rabbi Edward Schecter, Rabbi Barry Kenter and Rabbi Jay Stein. He is profoundly grateful to Barbara, Jacob, Anna and the rest of his family for their love and support.