Discussion Questions
- Review: Who gave this sermon? When? Where?
- How do you think the way it was communicated might have influenced the message?
- Who was the intended audience? How do you think that might have influenced the message?
- Rabbi Grafman repeats several times that he is sick at heart. What do you think he means by this exactly? What seems to have caused him to feel this way?
- In what ways has Rabbi Grafman supported the Civil Rights Movement? In what ways has he not? What does he suggest he has always been mindful of in making his decisions about whether or not to act?
- What is Rabbi Grafman calling on his congregants to do? Why does he think they need to do this?
- How does Rabbi Grafman think change will come about in Birmingham? How do you think this differs from how civil rights activists want to bring about change?
- How do you think Rabbi Grafman's and his congregation's relationship to the Civil Rights Movement is complicated by the fact that they live in the South?
- What do you think Rabbi Grafman believes is his appropriate role in the Civil Rights Movement? What evidence do you have for this? Do you agree or disagree with this view of the role of a rabbi?
- Are there any current political/social issues on which you think rabbis today should take a stand? What kind of role would you want to see them take?
