“Religion is at its best when it is prophetic and artistic, when it tells the truth and leads to the experience of beauty and goodness.”
– Rabbi Levi A. Olan. From “Life Should Be Beautiful,” broadcast March 19, 1967.
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A Troubler of the People
““Religion is not an opiate… It is a stimulant which awakens [us] to real living.” In this sermon of March 12, 1967, Rabbi Olan begins with the question, what do people want from religion? He …
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The One True Religion
In this sermon, delivered on March 5, 1967, Rabbi Olan makes pronouncements that were not popular in many quarters in his day, nor are they in ours.“Each religion has some truth, no religion has all …
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Who Shall Fight the War?
“We are in the midst of a frightful war of death and destruction. It is time for the dirge, not the joyous dance.” As Rabbi Olan noted in his radio sermon of February 26, 1967, …
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Civil Rights and Civil Disobedience
“The peace and welfare of any nation finally depends upon the translation of natural human rights into law. This was evident to the founding fathers of America as it must become evident to us now.” …
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A Religious Anti-Poverty Program
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 …
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Too Busy to Remember Our Fathers
“It was once said that history teaches us that history teaches us nothing.” On February 5, 1967 Rabbi Olan spoke in somber tones about a problem facing individuals, families, our nation, and even religious bodies. …
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The Majority Can Be Wrong
“We must choose the right first, and follow it even if it means just I alone. A minority of one and the right has always been the hope of the world.” In this sermon of …
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Who Are Our Great Men Today?
“If you want to know what the character of a people is, look at whom they choose to honor for greatness. We are a people who admire success, fame, and power. We are not too …
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The Beast In Each of Us
“If we are to arrive at a valid view of ourselves, we had better recognize that man is not only ‘a little lower than the angels,’ he is, in fact, just a step above the …
Rabbi Levi A. Olan: The Conscience of the City 