Life unapologetic: the memoirs of Merle Levin

 Having just released her memoirs, The World According to Merle, writer Merle Levin chats to the SA Jewish Report about being her true self. 

How would you describe yourself? 

At 76, I’m excited to be alive. I have been a writer all my life. I get up each day, and open a blank page. I love the process of “mining for words”, for honesty, for communion with the authentic, ageless part of me. I play many roles, some more eloquently than others. I’m a daughter, mom, granny, wife, friend, partner, an overweight, clumsy, inner-ballet dancer. I love to laugh, to pull my fridge apart into something nutritious and delicious. A groaning table with silent eaters smiling is my happy place. I am equal parts sane, mad, committed, and I take myself way too seriously. My ambition is to end my life honestly and authentically. No more asking for permission. 

What drew you to write this book? 

“Write funny” was the brief from the publisher. She liked the way I was able to fuse tragedy and comedy into my experience. She told me I was able to navigate that edge, and offered me a book contract on that basis. I had forgotten I could write funny. It took a deep dive to find the situations in my life that I could poke fun at. It took me two years to write. It’s the third book I’m publishing. 

How would you describe your life so far? 

I had a protected childhood in Vereeniging growing up in a strong Jewish community. I chose boarding school for my last years at school, where I excelled. In 1967, I interrupted my studies at the University of the Witwatersrand to volunteer in Israel, which changed the course of my life. 

I have led a blessed life, punctuated by challenges and a vigil on the “dark side of the moon” – a crisis of identity in my 40s, where I took myself off on a “silent retreat” for three months of wintering alone at my cottage in Northern Ontario. 

I have sat at the feet of many great teachers, and follow an eclectic path of prayer and meditation in my search for the understanding of the mystery of life. I see myself as a student who walks barefoot on the path of life, enjoying the soft feel of sand in one breath, kvetching about the stones and roughness in the next. 

Tell us a little about your “soggy bottoms” swimming group, and what you get up to. 

The “soggy bottoms” are a motley swim group of Stanford residents of all shapes and ages who swim year-round in all weather and water temperature. They are a fun group of people who welcomed us warmly to the village. 

How would you describe your marriage and your husband, Jeff? 

The short version: 56 years of hilarity and white-knuckled terror at what my darling husband is about to invent himself into. Jeff’s life direction is fuelled by trust; mine by fear. He is the eagle landing perfectly on my rock; I am the rock waiting with solid patience to the landing of his eagle. We enjoy being together, and also being separate. We have each forged our own path, and when by chance we meet, it’s beautiful. We walk a fine balance, giving each other space to grow and be pruned by our collective field. We are dedicated home-movers, explorers, and edge dissolvers. Our parenting skills were limited and have hopefully improved as we’ve developed grandparenting skills. At the core of our marriage is deep commitment to supporting our strengths; understanding our weaknesses; and not really having the first clue what the mystery of marriage is really about. 

To what do you ascribe your rollicking life to date? 

Probably the ability to throw the chips up into the air and see where they land. We seem to have a reckless gene that is open to what life has to offer, and be malleable and fluid enough to listen and act on strange impulse. It helps that we are mad together and that our children understand they have chosen crazy parents who love the road less travelled. When we sense a cycle has ended, we act on it, even if it means moving house, town, country, or continent. 

What made you come back to South Africa and settle in Stanford? 

We emigrated in 1977 to Canada and became Canadian citizens. As a family, we have all returned to live in South Africa, becoming full-fledged South African taxpayers since 2025. Although we had made a rich life for ourselves in Canada, we realised that this was home for us. We love being back here. 

We moved to Stanford after reading The Blue Zones by Dan Buettner and watching the series on Netflix. It highlights places where people grow old in a highly functional way. We have a sense that Stanford has many of the properties he outlines in his research. It has a vibrant community spirit and outreach into surrounding areas with the needs of a disadvantaged community. We realised that we wanted to live and contribute to life in a village, and Stanford seemed to fit the bill. 

Who do you believe this book will appeal to and why? 

From the feedback we have received, the book has wide appeal to people of all ages. It’s funny, has depth and insight, and is a story of an ordinary woman’s sometimes clumsy attempts at navigating the perils of the human journey. 

What does being Jewish mean to you? 

We aren’t shomer Shabbat, nor do we belong to a Jewish community shul, yet we celebrate our Jewishness in many ways. We love to gather as a family on Shabbat, light candles, and celebrate our Jewishness with family, traditional food, and loving generosity. We take care of each other. No-one in our extended family is without home or hearth. We support Jewish charities. Israel is our beloved homeland. Jeff and I met each other and studied in Israel, and we visit often and have many close friends and students. To me, Jewish means roots and history; and it means triumph over suffering with fellow members of the same tribe. It means goodness and charity and care for the underprivileged. It means living a life of mitzvot. It doesn’t mean separation. Our family includes many non-Jews, and we embrace their religious and cultural persuasions as our own. Being Jewish is a calling and a responsibility to live a life of goodness. 

What impact has being Jewish had on your life? 

As a child at a convent primary school, I experienced taunting about my Jewishness and was accused many times of “killing Christ”. I learned to smile through adversity, and not be ashamed. I’m proud to be Jewish and take the responsibility on fully. I don’t shout it out. I don’t seek to be friends with other Jews. It’s not an issue for me. 

Where can people get your book? 

It’s available at bookstores, via the Merle Levin website, and Amazon.