Rabbi Levi A. Olan: The Conscience of the City

“The television camera brings into my home a close-up of a boy blown apart, bleeding, his face twisted in agony. Television has brought that boy into my home, he sits at my table, he stands …

“Maybe we should add an eleventh commandment—‘love thyself.’” In this sermon delivered on December 17, 1967, Rabbi Olan is concerned with the effects of mass market consumer culture on personal integrity.  According to Rabbi Olan, …

“Neither shalt thou make marriage with them… so will the anger of thy Lord be kindled against you, and He will destroy thee quickly.” Deuteronomy 7:3-4 Thus the Book of Deuteronomy answers the question of …

“A generation goes and a generation comes.” Rabbi Olan starts this sermon, delivered November 26, 1967, with the observation that “the world… is in constant evolution.  Nothing stands still.”  That makes youthful rebellion expectable, even …

“It is not too difficult to sympathize with God as He looks upon men* acting selfishly, deceitfully, in pride, with cruelty, and always with indifference. That He should conclude to wipe out the experiment and …

“Happy is the man who… does not sit in the seat of the scornful.”  Psalms 1.1 In this sermon of November 5, 1967, Rabbi Olan contrasts the stance of scoffing at all morality and faith …

“If the world is just a machine which is bereft of purpose and meaning, then what can there be except terror, hopelessness, and defeat?” In this sermon of October 29, 1967, Rabbi Olan returns to …

“Except the Lord build a house, they labor in vain who build it.” In this sermon, delivered on October 15, 1967, Rabbi Olan directly addresses the question, what difference does it make whether or not …