“In very early times, men sacrificed the first born of animals and of man to the Gods in order that they may keep all the others. The God Moloch became the deity to whom men sacrificed their children. Have we advanced at all since Moloch? Our War God has a larger appetite and he consumes greater quantities of our children.”

February 8, 1970

This is one of Rabbi Olan’s most radical sermons.  He not only proposes that, instead of being sent to war or taught that acquisitiveness is the highest value, they be taught that serving the public good is the highest value and be sent to perform community service.  He not only proposes a reorientation of our national budget.  “The budget must be cut, we are told, or we will go bankrupt.  So, where do we cut?  From the social programs, from our minimum efforts to relieve poverty and deprivation.”  (How timely.)

He also proposes that in order to make these changes, “it is becoming clear that what these times call for is a radical change in values by which we actually live.”

*Written by Joshua F. Hirsch*