Isaiah: “‘What mean ye that ye crush My people and grind the faces of the poor?’ saith the Lord.”

In this sermon of February 12, 1967, Rabbi Olan preached openly about politics.  “The national War on Poverty is worthy of our applause and even cheers.”  Not surprisingly, this sunny mood lasts no more than three sentences.

“To be sure, it comes none too soon.  The financial pages of our daily papers report dynamic economic expansion.  The emphasis seems to be on luxury.  In such a climate of wealth it is shocking to learn that millions of Americans are struggling in poverty.”

How sunny would Rabbi Olan have been about the government’s latest anti-poverty measures when the US has a higher poverty rate than all but one of the 41 member nations of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development?  (data.oecd.org/inequality/poverty-rate.htm) 

*Written by Joshua F. Hirsch*