Rabbi Levi A. Olan: The Conscience of the City

An ancient teacher

“An ancient teacher [Hillel] counselled: ‘If I am not for myself, who will be for me?’ He was not advocating selfishness as a way of life. If you cannot love yourself, you will never be able to love anyone else.”

– Rabbi Levi A. Olan. From “Some Things Are Not For Sale,” broadcast October 17, 1967.

Like this:
Like Loading...
May 6, 2022May 5, 2022
Rabbi Olan in the 1950s (?)

Posted by conscienceofthecity on May 6, 2022May 3, 2022

If he is trying to look stern in this official portrait, Rabbi Olan does not succeed completely. Arms folded, he does not smile. Still, there is something pleasant and perhaps whimsical in his visage. Image …

Images
The business of living

“The business of living is to master our weaknesses and advance our virtues. It is hard to do it alone- there is a God ever present who will help.”

– Rabbi Levi A. Olan. From “You Can Do Better,” broadcast October 4, 1964.

Like this:
Like Loading...
May 5, 2022May 5, 2022
Levi Olan as a young man

Posted by conscienceofthecity on May 5, 2022May 3, 2022

Rabbi Olan in his twenties (?)- quite a dashing figure! Image courtesy of Frances M. Olan and Lionel S. Joseph. Commentary by Tim Binkley.

Images
Walls that divide

“Men will tear down the walls that divide them only when they come to the grand realization that as there is but one God in heaven, there is but one human-kind on earth.”
– Rabbi Levi A. Olan. From “Walls That Divide,” broadcast March 25, 1962.

*** This is our 275th blog post! ***

Like this:
Like Loading...
May 4, 2022May 7, 2022
Levi and Elizabeth

Posted by conscienceofthecity on May 4, 2022May 2, 2022

Levi Olan and daughter, Elizabeth. Image courtesy of Joshua Hirsch.

Images
How easy it is

“How easy it is to recite reverently and piously God’s command, ‘Thou shalt love they neighbor as thyself.’ But to obey God is very hard.”

– Rabbi Levi A. Olan. From “On These Foundations,” broadcast January 9, 1966.

Like this:
Like Loading...
May 3, 2022May 5, 2022
Three Generations

Posted by conscienceofthecity on May 3, 2022May 7, 2022

Three generations of Olans (l-r): Levi; his daugher, Elizabeth; and his father, Max. Image courtesy of Joshua Hirsch.

Images
Bigotry is an insult

“Bigotry is an insult to a creature made in the image of God.”

– Rabbi Levi A. Olan. From “Religion – Opiate or Stimulant,” broadcast March 17, 1968.

Like this:
Like Loading...
May 2, 2022May 5, 2022
Beginning Our Fifth Year!

Posted by conscienceofthecity on May 2, 2022May 7, 2022

The “Rabbi Levi A. Olan: Conscience of the City” blog began in April 2018. To celebrate the completion of four years of weekly (and sometimes more often) blogging and our upcoming 275th post, the writing …

Sermons

1 2 3 4 5 … 30

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this: