to his writings? My students have
characteristically found Primo Levi’s
works one of their foundational intel-
lectual and moral experiences. The
class was voted, at one point, the best
in the university. That is a credit to
Primo Levi and to my students.
You have said that you regretted
never having had the opportunity
to meet Primo Levi. Is there one
question you might have asked him?
I would have wished to have him
explore, yet further, the moral chal-
lenges of remembering bottomless
horror and communicating about it,
without being absorbed into its dark-
ness. His works stay in the light, even
given his matchles s memory and his
fierce moral commitment. And, I
would wish to have said thanks, pure
thanks.
Do people need to be familiar
with Levi’s works to appreciate the
class? The class will not presume any
knowledge of Primo Levi or detailed
knowledge of the Shoah. Levi speaks
as a human to humans; he faced a cir-
cumstance unique in some ways, but
features of which surround us yet and
are within us and our culture.
Is there one book you would
recommend as an introduction to
Levi’s writing? There is yet to be
written the book that I would recom-
mend in this circumstance: There
are important, large books on his life
and works, but they are not aimed at
being introductions of the sort you
might wish. I hope to write such a
book.
You have written that the work
of Primo Levi “arguably constitutes
one of the major moral and stylistic
voices of this century.” How is his
work relevant today? And, what is
the role of memory in forming our
social experience? Our identity as
individuals and as peoples is formed
out of our memories. We are our
memories. It is essential that we
retain the memory of the Shoah as
part of our self-understanding as
humans and keep that memory in
discussion as we try to form a better,
fuller, more human future.

*

The three-part lecture series “Primo Levi and the
Memory of the Offense” with Professor Ralph
Williams begins at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 21,
at the Max M. Fisher Federation Building, 6735
Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township. Cost of
the course is $50. Scholarships are available
upon request. This series is offered through
Federation’s Adult Jewish Learning Department,
FedEd, and co-sponsored by University of
Michigan Hillel; the JCC’s SAJE (Seminars for
Adult Jewish Enrichment); and the Holocaust
Memorial Center, Zekelman Family Campus. To
register, call (248) 205-2557.

Prepare to be amazed!

Sunday
September 18, 2016
at 7:00pm
at

Can he truly read your mind? How does he know so much about your past…
things even you have forgotten? Is this real or is it magic? You don’t want
to miss witnessing Oz Pearlman, the mentalist, in action!

Oz’s performance will beneﬁ t the
B’nai B’rith College Scholarship Program.

Our evening will be hosted by the hilarious “Big Al” Muskovitz
and will also feature local singer/guitarist Alex Weberman.

Sunday, September 18th at 7:00pm

To order tickets, visit the Berman Box Oﬃ ce,
call 248-661-1900, or go online at www.theberman.org
For VIP tickets that include a special “Meet & Greet” afterglow,
call David Lubin at 248-252-2606,
Rick Sherline at 248-613-5400 or the B’nai B’rith at 248-646-3100.

For information on the College Scholarship Program and sponsorship opportunities, please contact B’nai B’rith Great Lakes Region at (248) 646-3100 or at greatlakes@bnaibrith.org.

sponsored by

6735 TelegrBQI3PBEtSuitFtBloomﬁeld Hills, MI 48302

(248) 646-3100

2122920

September 8 • 2016

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