Cyrus Adler (September 13, 1863 – April 7, 1940) was an American educator, Jewish religious leader and scholar.
Early years
Adler was born to merchant and planter Samuel Adler and Sarah Sulzberger in Van Buren, Arkansas on September 13, 1863, but in the next year his parents removed to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and soon he attended the public schools there, and in 1879 he entered the University of Pennsylvania, from where he graduated in 1883. Afterwards, he pursued Oriental studies in Johns Hopkins University, where he was appointed university scholar in 1884, and fellow in Semitic languages from 1885 to 1887. and was appointed instructor in Semitic languages and promoted to associate professor in 1890. In 1895, after years of searching, he located the Jefferson Bible and purchased it for the Smithsonian Institution from the great-granddaughter of Thomas Jefferson.
He was made lecturer on biblical archaeology in the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York, president of the American Jewish Historical Society, U.S. delegate to a conference on an international catalogue of scientific literature in 1898, and honorary assistant curator of historic archaeology and custodian of historic religions in the U.S. national museum.
Last years
He was a founder of the Jewish Welfare Board.
He was president of Dropsie College for Hebrew and Cognate Learning from 1908 to 1940 and Chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America from 1915 to 1940. In addition, he was a founding member of the Oriental Club of Philadelphia. He was involved in the creation of various Jewish organizations including the Jewish Publication Society, the American Jewish Historical Society, the American Jewish Committee (also its president in 1929–1940), and the United Synagogue of America.
Adler married Racie Friedenwald of Baltimore in 1905, when he was 42. They had one child, a daughter named Sarah.
From 1911 until 1916, Adler was Parnas (president) of Congregation Mikveh Israel of Philadelphia.
He died in Philadelphia, and his papers are held by the Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at the University of Pennsylvania.
Adler's death was noted nationally. His passing was mourned by President Franklin Roosevelt and by Philadelphia Mayor Robert Lamberton In July, 1967 a street in Co-op City, Bronx was named in honor of Adler (Adler Place).
Works
Adler was an editor of the Jewish Encyclopedia and in collaboration with Allen Ramsay wrote Tales Told in a Coffee House (1898).