“The Book of Job is one of the most majestic pieces of writing in all of literature.” In this sermon, Rabbi Olan walked his listeners through the ancient story told in the Book of Job. …
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The Honest Doubter
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A Gentle Cynic
“The gentle cynic of the Bible has no message for the oppressed and the beaten of life as do the Prophets.” In his sermon of January 27, 1963, Rabbi Olan starts from the view of …
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Pity the Poor Parent Today
“Our time is full of experts who write and lecture us on how to be proper and helpful parents. But we are not helped and we do not change because the fault lies at a …
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How Can We Believe In God In a World Like This?
“It is not easy to believe in God. There are times when it does not seem ‘good to give thanks unto the Lord and to sing praises to His name.’” In this sermon, Rabbi Olan gets …
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The Greatest Story Ever Told
“The story of Jacob is surely a leading candidate for the greatest story ever told. It is one of the most universal of all stories unfolding the struggle of a man against his fears and …
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Faith That Is Doing
"In the Prophetic view God is a law-giver, the author of both physical and moral law. The violation of either can prove fatal." As 1962 drew to a close, Rabbi Olan spoke challenging words to …
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America – The Dream and the Image
“We will be free when we worship the God who made us instead of the gods we make.” In his sermon of December 16, 1962, “AMERICA – The Dream and the Image,” Rabbi Olan begins …
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Levi and Sarita Olan in 1931
Levi Olan married Sarita Messer on June 9, 1931. This picture is of their honeymoon tour of Europe. The itinerary included stops in Paris, London, Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, and Venice. (#72)
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On Being Religious at Heart
“The institutions of religion merit critical indictment. They accept too easily the position of a vested business whose concern is the survival of the church or synagogue instead of the ideals of faith.” On December …
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Is Inter-marriage a Problem?
“The melting pot in America succeeded for the most part far better than its proponents a century ago ever dreamed. Many forces have been at work to break down barriers and throw people into a …
Rabbi Levi A. Olan: The Conscience of the City 