Document Study: Jewish Clergy in the Civil Rights Movement
- Divide your class into four groups. [Note to teacher: If you have a small class, you may want to choose just a few of the documents included with the lesson rather than using them all.]
- Provide each group with a different Document Study from the following list:
- Have each group read about the rabbi(s) they've been assigned and discuss the questions on their study guide. You may want to walk around the classroom, checking in with each group to make sure they understand terms and to see how they are progressing.
- When each group is done studying its document, explain to your class that during the Civil Rights Movement individuals and groups often carried banners that identified them and/or stated their goals. Since each group today has studied a different document representing different rabbis, each group is going to design a banner that will represent their rabbi(s), the rabbi(s)' role in the Civil Rights Movement, and their reasons for getting involved. The groups may want to include drawings, quotes or slogans, and/or symbolic representations to help get their messages across. When the banners are done, each group will be asked to bring their banner to the front of the classroom and give a brief explanation.
- Distribute mural paper and art supplies to each group. Allow the groups enough time to create their banners.
- When the groups have completed their banners, invite one group at a time to come to the front of the classroom and display its banner. (You can encourage groups to walk behind their banner as they come up to the front of the room, for extra effect.) Have a few members of the group share with the class the name of the rabbi(s) they studied and explain what they put in their banner. You may want to fill-in or expand upon any important points for the class to know.
- If there is time, and you have arranged for it ahead of time, you may want to have your students march to another classroom (possibly that of a younger grade) with their banners and have them teach the students a little of what they have learned.
