Felix Adler

Born in Alzey, Germany, in 1851, he moved to the United States as a child when his father, a rabbi, took a post in New York. He studied at Columbia College and later in Germany before emerging as a gifted lecturer and teacher.

He is best known as the founder of the Ethical Culture movement, launched in New York in the 1870s. The movement encouraged people to build an ethical life through service, social responsibility, and respect for others rather than through fixed religious doctrine alone.

Alongside his speaking and writing, he was active in reform efforts connected with education and social welfare. Remembered as both a philosopher and an organizer, he helped shape a practical, humane tradition of ethics that continued well beyond his lifetime.