Max Samuel Levitas (1 June 1915 – 2 November 2018) was an Ireland-born British communist activist and councillor, prominent in the East End of London for many years.

Levitas was born in the Portobello area of Dublin, where he attended St Peters' School, a son of two Yiddish-speaking Jews fleeing pogroms in Imperial Russia: Lithuanian-born Harry and Latvian-born Leah.

[1][2] In the East End, Levitas devoted much of his time to anti-fascism; in 1934, he was arrested for writing "all out against fascism" on three sides of Nelson's Column, having later returned to the scene to admire his work, while still carrying the paintbrush.

[4] In 1936, he was involved in the Battle of Cable Street, where Jewish people and socialists prevented a march of fascists through the East End.

He remained active in the CPGB, eventually joining its Communist Party of Britain (CPB) split, and also in local tenants' and pensioners' groups, and anti-racism campaigns.

In 2013, he addressed a rally opposing the English Defence League,[2] and when he was 99, he led a campaign against high repair bills at his flats on Sidney Street.

[8] Levitas died in November 2018, aged 103, with tributes paid by Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the British Labour Party,[2] and Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland.