Emanuel Levinas: A Jewish Lithuanian Philosopher's Response to the Shoah

6:00 pm - 7:30 pm on 1, 15, 28 May

Emanuel Levinas developed a new kind of philosophy, which prioritized ethics and the infinite responsibility we bear towards others as the most primary and “first philosophy.” Born in 1906 in Lithuania, Levinas lived through the turmoil of  WWI and the Shoah, all of which profoundly influenced his focus on ethics and responsibility. His time as a prisoner of war in a Nazi labor camp exposed him to the dehumanization of individuals, reinforcing his emphasis on the ethical significance of encountering "the Other." Levinas' Jewish heritage, his study of Talmud and his vast knowledge of philosophy came together in his responses to a Post Holocaust Europe.  In my opinion Levinas demonstrated courage by speaking out (just after the war)  in forums on education and interfaith. His work tackles the “givens” of Western philosophy. Perhaps knowing his ethics, his knowledge and pride of Judaism and his courage we can be motivated and uplifted in these difficult times.

Wainer’s passion and project is to make Levinas’ thinking more accessible and inspiring by examining his life to gain insight into why he places such moral weight on relating rather than only “book knowledge” We all have face-to-face encounters and the obligation to recognize the Other’s humanity.


Week One
We will focus on Levinas’ biography as a portal into his thinking.

Week Two
Using text we will trace the influence of Talmud in Levinas’ philosophy.

Week Three
We will read from Difficult Freedom, Essays on Judaism (1990).

Presenter Bio

Dr. Devorah Wainer is an internationally recognized scholar specializing in the philosophy of Emmanuel Levinas, the renowned French Jewish thinker born in 1905 in Kaunas, Lithuania. She has authored three academic textbooks, and her latest paper, The Ethical Event: A Phenomenology of Chesed / חסד, is set to be published in June 2025. Driven by Levinas' philosophy, Wainer’s work is dedicated to making his complex ideas more accessible through storytelling. In July 2024, she was invited to Vilnius University in Lithuania to teach and deepen her understanding of this profound and inspiring philosopher. As she puts it, "I am at my happiest when ‘hanging out’ with Levinas." Dr. Wainer is currently an honorary associate in the School of Hebrew, Biblical, and Jewish Studies at the University of Sydney.