--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Who is a Jew? A person whose integrity…" description: "\"“Who is a Jew? A person whose integrity decays when unmoved by the knowledge of wrong done to other people.”\" — Abraham Joshua Heschel" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fe/abraham-joshua-heschel-1851_altruism_who-is-a-jew-a-person-whose-integrity-de_152850.png" --- # Who is a Jew? A person whose integrity decays when unmoved… ![“Who is a Jew? A person whose integrity decays when unmoved by the knowledge of wrong done to other people.” quote by Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fe/abraham-joshua-heschel-1851_altruism_who-is-a-jew-a-person-whose-integrity-de_152850.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fe/abraham-joshua-heschel-1851_altruism_who-is-a-jew-a-person-whose-integrity-de_152850.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fe/abraham-joshua-heschel-1851_altruism_who-is-a-jew-a-person-whose-integrity-de_152850.png) > ““Who is a Jew? A person whose integrity decays when unmoved by the knowledge of wrong done to other people.”” [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A Jew is defined by moral integrity, not by passive knowledge of injustice. **In simple terms:** Integrity defines identity. Key Takeaway Uphold moral standards. Themes ethics identity integrity Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical religious When to use this quote - social activism - community leadership - personal decision making Key Concepts theology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How do you act on moral convictions? - What defines your ethical identity? A Different Perspective Integrity alone may not prevent harm without action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Altruism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/altruism/) [Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) [Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Jew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jew/) [Judaism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judaism/) [Moral responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-responsibility/) ## Related quotes > [“Because of the "city upon a hill" sound bite, " A Model of Christian Charity " is one of the formative documents outlining the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-vowell/because-of-the-city-upon-a-hill-sound-bite-a-model-of-christian/) [Sarah Vowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-vowell/) > [“Folks from the backwoods were certain about two things: that every human soul needed to be free and that the responsibility of being free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/folks-from-the-backwoods-were-certain-about-two-things-that-every/) [bell hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [There is much to be done, there is much that can be done... one person of integrity can make a difference, a difference of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/there-is-much-to-be-done-there-is-much-that-can-be-done-one-person-of/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Choices may be unbelievably hard but they're never impossible. To say you have no choice is to release yourself from responsibility and that's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/choices-may-be-unbelievably-hard-but-they-re-never-impossible-to-say/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [Storytelling is based on the word, being an honorable person of integrity is based on your word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-williams/storytelling-is-based-on-the-word-being-an-honorable-person-of/) [Jesse Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-williams/) > [Integrity means being whole, unbroken, undivided. It describes a person who has united the different parts of his or her personality, so there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-s-kushner/integrity-means-being-whole-unbroken-undivided-it-describes-a-person/) [Harold S. Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-s-kushner/) > [Transparency makes one a person of integrity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/transparency-makes-one-a-person-of-integrity/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [“Everyone makes mistakes, but only a person with integrity owns up to them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-guillaume/everyone-makes-mistakes-but-only-a-person-with-integrity-owns-up-to/) Nicole Guillaume > [I've never met a person who has more integrity than my husband. I respect that. There's his humor and intelligence, too, and he's really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-pfeiffer/i-ve-never-met-a-person-who-has-more-integrity-than-my-husband-i/) [Michelle Pfeiffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-pfeiffer/) > [Choosing your thoughts and actions on value rather than personal gain makes you a person of integrity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-anil-kr-sinha/choosing-your-thoughts-and-actions-on-value-rather-than-personal-gain/) [Dr Anil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-anil-kr-sinha/) > [A quality person is someone with integrity. To be worthy of the highest trust is a noble attribute and compliment. You will need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/a-quality-person-is-someone-with-integrity-to-be-worthy-of-the/) [Marvin J. Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [“So how do you know whether a person has integrity? After all, like the foundation of a house, it may not be visible at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-moody/so-how-do-you-know-whether-a-person-has-integrity-after-all-like-the/) [Van Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-moody/) > [What puts my mind at rest is knowing I'm a person of integrity. I really do stand for what I say I stand for.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-grand/what-puts-my-mind-at-rest-is-knowing-i-m-a-person-of-integrity-i/) [Steve Grand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-grand/) > [One person of integrity can make a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/one-person-of-integrity-can-make-a-difference/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [A person with integrity can be trusted because he or she never compromise their inner values, Honest dealings,well-controlled emotions, and an absence of harsh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/a-person-with-integrity-can-be-trusted-because-he-or-she-never/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) ## More by Abraham Joshua Heschel > [“The primitive mind finds it hard to realize an idea without the aid of imagination, and it is the realm of space where imagination…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/the-primitive-mind-finds-it-hard-to-realize-an-idea-without-the-aid/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [To serve does not mean to surrender but to share.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/to-serve-does-not-mean-to-surrender-but-to-share/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [“There is a passion and drive for cruel deeds which only the awe and fear of God can soothe; there is a suffocating selfishness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/there-is-a-passion-and-drive-for-cruel-deeds-which-only-the-awe-and/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [People of our time are losing the power of celebration. 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It survives on the level of activities rather than in the stillness of commitment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/religion-has-become-an-impersonal-affair-an-institutional-loyalty-it/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [“What seems to be a stone is a drama.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/what-seems-to-be-a-stone-is-a-drama/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [Prayer begins where our power ends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/prayer-begins-where-our-power-ends/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [The awe of God is wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/the-awe-of-god-is-wisdom/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [The problem to be faced is: how to combine loyalty to one's own tradition with reverence for different traditions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/the-problem-to-be-faced-is-how-to-combine-loyalty-to-one-s-own/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [The degree to which one is sensitive to other people's suffering, to other (people's) humanity, is the index of one's own humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/the-degree-to-which-one-is-sensitive-to-other-people-s-suffering-to/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [Acceptance is appreciation, and the high value of appreciation is such that to appreciate appreciation seems to be the fundamental prerequisite for survival. Mankind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/acceptance-is-appreciation-and-the-high-value-of-appreciation-is-such/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) [Explore all 203 Abraham Joshua Heschel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) ## More Altruism quotes > [“It takes a female to have a baby, It takes a woman to raise a child, It takes a mother to raise them correctly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/it-takes-a-female-to-have-a-baby-it-takes-a-woman-to-raise-a-child-it/) [Shannon L. 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They never test…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janvier-chouteu-chando/true-classical-dropouts-in-society-are-those-who-avoid-difficult/) [Janvier Chouteu-Chando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janvier-chouteu-chando/) > [“Take a stand that reflects the widest horizons of your soul if you don’t want to be a slave to external powers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janvier-chouteu-chando/take-a-stand-that-reflects-the-widest-horizons-of-your-soul-if-you/) [Janvier Chouteu-Chando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janvier-chouteu-chando/) > [One of the great issues in biology is the origin of altruism - of why you would do something for someone else that could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-rossellini/one-of-the-great-issues-in-biology-is-the-origin-of-altruism-of-why/) [Isabella Rossellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-rossellini/) > [How selfish soever man may be supposed, there are evidently some principles in his nature, which interest him in the fortune of others, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/how-selfish-soever-man-may-be-supposed-there-are-evidently-some/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [Restoration ecology is experimental science, a science of love and altruism. In its attempts to reverse the processes of ecosystem degradation it runs exactly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-mills/restoration-ecology-is-experimental-science-a-science-of-love-and/) [Stephanie Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-mills/) > [“...of all the nonsense that twists the world, the concept of 'altruism' is the worst. People do what they want to do, every time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/of-all-the-nonsense-that-twists-the-world-the-concept-of-altruism-is/) [Robert A. 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