Mitch Albom
Mitch is the narrator of the book, and is more of a conduit for the two main characters' stories rather than a character in the novel in himself. We do not find out that much about Mitch that we didn't already know - he's a sportswriter, he was raised Jewish - but we do find out something regarding his view of religion; Mitch, a Jew, has "lapsed" since his childhood and it seems that even as a child he was a reluctant participant and made to attend religious school by his parents, not by his own spiritual need. When the Rabbi asks Mitch to write his eulogy, he dreads it, and feels ill equipped to be the giver of such an important speech about a man who made a difference in the lives of so many.
However, in the course of undertaking this task, which turns out to be an eight year friendship and exploration of his faith, Mitch realizes that the very things that he has rejected in his faith, and in the community of those with whom he was raised, are the things in life that actually matter and that by being the "citizen of the world" that he always aspired to be, he has done a lot, seen a lot and met a large number of people, but has no real connections to anywhere, or a community that is like an extended family. Mitch is a man with questions, which is probably what makes him a good journalist, but he is also a man looking to find the answers that will lead him back to his faith. Ultimately this journey leads him not only to give a fitting eulogy, but also to set up a charity that helps homeless outreaches and churches server the homeless population of Detroit, the city of which he is a proud resident.
Rabbi Albert Lewis (The Reb)
The Rabbi is an incredible man who has touched the lives of thousands of people. He appreciates the importance of human contact and reaches out to everyone he has ever met, taught or seen in his synagogue. He sends cards and letters, calls to check on people and makes a concerted effort to stay in the lives of people who are generally too busy to realize that he is doing it. The Rabbi is a man who loves paperwork, books, and anything that can be filed. His study is filled with papers and looks overwhelming but he seems to know where everything is. He was raised in New York, and actually failed in his first attempt at becoming a Rabbi, going into the field of education instead, but was inspired to try again after helping a shy and quiet young boy discover himself at a summer camp. He then headed to Michigan where he was one of a smattering of Jews, and not always well-received by his Catholic neighbors, but it was always the Rabbi who held out the olive branch and found a way for the religious leaders to work together in promoting love and tolerance for all among their flock. He always admitted that he did not know everything and so gave great credence and respect to the beliefs of others.
The Rabbi had a love of music and was always singing. In fact, he was singing when he had his last, and massive, stroke, dropping his head mid-song and going into a deep but peaceful coma. He would put his own words into classic Broadway songs, usually answering the question "how are you?" with the song "the old gray rabbi, he ain't what he used to be." His other passions included bargain shopping in the grocery store (he loved getting the heavily reduced two day old bakery items) and books. He was a flamboyant dresser who loved vests with pockets which he paired with sandals and socks, Hawaiian shirts and Bermuda shorts. His sermons were famous, and drew people to the services at the weekends, inspiring and entertaining all at once so that nobody ever wanted to miss a word. He was absolutely beloved among his community.
Henry Covington
Henry is a pastor at the I Am My Brother's Keeper Ministry, which he started in Detroit. HIs mother always knew that he would become a preacher, and his preaching was as charismatic as the Rabbi's in its own way, so much so that he was invited to speak at other churches in larger parishes. He always had a strong religious conviction but after the death of his father, his role model, he became angry at the world and decided to punish it, straying down the wrong path, stealing, and dealing drugs. At one time in his life, he was such a successful drug dealer that he was turning over half a million dollars a year. He was then brought in for questioning on a manslaughter charge, and came up with a plan to get out of trouble, as he genuinely had not participated in the crime. He thought he would pretend to be a witness. The police did not believe his story and he was jailed for manslaughter. Being jailed for a crime he did not commit made him even angrier at the world, but later, after he had reached such rock bottom that he held up former drug suppliers at gunpoint, he begged God to protect him and his family and promised to turn his life over to Jesus. He began his ministry and homeless outreach, inviting homeless people in need to live in his home, and continuing to preach even when the heat was turned off and there was a hole in the roof of the church.
Anthony "Cass" Castelow
Cass is a one-legged man whom Mitch meets at the My Brother's Keeper ministry, and who now helps Henry with the running of the homeless outreach program. He knows first hand the good this does. When he was at his lowest, Henry invited him to live with him and his family until he was on his feet, never having met Cass before, and Cass makes sure that Mitch is made aware of this when he realizes that Mitch has doubts about Henry's motives.
Teela Singh
Teela is the Rabbi's assistant and carer, and she is a Hindu. She plays Hindu music in the car when they drive around town. On starting to work with the Rabbi, she apologizes for her belief in reincarnation which is one of the central tenets of her religion, but the Rabbi merely apologizes for not knowing more about Hinduism, and in this way they teach each other about their own religious paths.
