Rabbi Israel Salanter (1810-1883) was a prominent Jewish thinker and the founder of the Mussar movement, which emphasizes ethical and moral development in Jewish life. Born in Zarose, Lithuania, he sought to address the spiritual and ethical challenges faced by Jews in the modern world, advocating for a balance between religious observance and personal character improvement. Salanter's teachings focused on self-reflection, humility, and the importance of developing good character traits. He believed that true religious practice should be accompanied by a commitment to ethical behavior, influencing many Jewish communities and scholars, including later figures in Orthodox Judaism.