---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It matters a great deal that I come from…"
description: "\"It matters a great deal that I come from a Jewish background.\" — Ruth Westheimer"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cb/ruth-westheimer-3544_background_it-matters-a-great-deal-that-i-come-from_712121.png"
---

#  It matters a great deal that I come from a Jewish…

![“It matters a great deal that I come from a Jewish background.” quote by Ruth Westheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cb/ruth-westheimer-3544_background_it-matters-a-great-deal-that-i-come-from_712121.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cb/ruth-westheimer-3544_background_it-matters-a-great-deal-that-i-come-from_712121.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cb/ruth-westheimer-3544_background_it-matters-a-great-deal-that-i-come-from_712121.png)

> “It matters a great deal that I come from a Jewish background.”

[Ruth Westheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-westheimer/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Acknowledging one's cultural background shapes identity and informs perspective.

**In simple terms:** Your background matters.

Key Takeaway

Embrace your heritage.

Themes

identity culture personal history self-awareness

Mood

reflective introspective

Type

personal philosophical

When to use this quote

- family gatherings
- therapy sessions
- public speaking

Key Concepts

cultural influence family legacy psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- How does your background influence your choices?
- Can you separate heritage from personal beliefs?

A Different Perspective

Counterpoint: Overemphasis on background can limit openness to other viewpoints.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Jewish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jewish/) [Judaism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judaism/)

## Related quotes

> [The Jewish background is not that far from the black groove. Blacks are downtrodden, Jews are downtrodden, therefore they have something in common in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-leiber/the-jewish-background-is-not-that-far-from-the-black-groove-blacks/)

[Jerry Leiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-leiber/)

> [I'm of Russian-Jewish background. Like many Soviet Jews, my parents were engineers. My family migrated from Ukraine to Israel when I was six. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-roiz/i-m-of-russian-jewish-background-like-many-soviet-jews-my-parents/)

[Sasha Roiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasha-roiz/)

> [Historically, I come from Jewish history. I had the classic upbringing in the Yeshiva, learning, learning, and more learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/historically-i-come-from-jewish-history-i-had-the-classic-upbringing/)

[Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/)

> [It's highly likely that what you're doing is indeed influenced by your Jewish background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-marmot/it-s-highly-likely-that-what-you-re-doing-is-indeed-influenced-by/)

[Michael Marmot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-marmot/)

> [It does not matter much whom we live with in this world, but it matters a great deal whom we dream of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/it-does-not-matter-much-whom-we-live-with-in-this-world-but-it/)

[Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/)

> [“What about you, Ian? Why don't you come too? Can't. I'm Jewish. You are not Jewish! You're Italian. I was thinking of converting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terri-blackstock/what-about-you-ian-why-don-t-you-come-too-can-t-i-m-jewish-you-are/)

[Terri Blackstock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terri-blackstock/)

> [ \[Jew\] didn't believe anything good could come out of a Jewish study. So, what has happened is anti-Semitism has cost the Jews their lives… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/jew-didn-t-believe-anything-good-could-come-out-of-a-jewish-study-so/)

[John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/)

> [Only he can judge of matters great and high whose soul is likewise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/only-he-can-judge-of-matters-great-and-high-whose-soul-is-likewise/)

[Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/)

> [Whatever is underneath all the drag, it actually doesn't really matter. It kind of just matters, are you a great entertainer? And are you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trixie-mattel/whatever-is-underneath-all-the-drag-it-actually-doesn-t-really-matter/)

[Trixie Mattel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trixie-mattel/)

> [Your conduct matters a great deal. What’s in your mind matters even more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jetsunma-ahkon-lhamo/your-conduct-matters-a-great-deal-what-s-in-your-mind-matters-even/)

[Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jetsunma-ahkon-lhamo/)

> [What matters is that you do great work, and you will definitely be remembered for that for years to come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armaan-malik/what-matters-is-that-you-do-great-work-and-you-will-definitely-be/)

[Armaan Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armaan-malik/)

> [You can only be funny if you have matters of great importance on your mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-can-only-be-funny-if-you-have-matters-of-great-importance-on-your/)

[Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/)

> [I am quite international. My background, born in Turkey. My family is a Jewish family from Iran, so I went from Turkey to Iran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nouriel-roubini/i-am-quite-international-my-background-born-in-turkey-my-family-is-a/)

[Nouriel Roubini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nouriel-roubini/)

> [I guess everything having to do with your background has some influence on how you tell stories but it's hard to parse how growing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-coen/i-guess-everything-having-to-do-with-your-background-has-some/)

[Joel Coen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-coen/)

> [You look at Superman, the story of an orphan coming to America, keeping his identity secret and even the names, Kal-El and Jor-El, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-robinson/you-look-at-superman-the-story-of-an-orphan-coming-to-america-keeping/)

[Jerry Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-robinson/)

## More by Ruth Westheimer

> [I am fortunate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-westheimer/i-am-fortunate/)

[Ruth Westheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-westheimer/)

> [Boredom is the biggest problem. The same position. Same day of the week. It becomes boring when you don't bring any added flowers home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-westheimer/boredom-is-the-biggest-problem-the-same-position-same-day-of-the-week/)

[Ruth Westheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-westheimer/)

> [For some people, 'ten feet tall' is just a metaphor. For me, it's more than twice my height!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-westheimer/for-some-people-ten-feet-tall-is-just-a-metaphor-for-me-it-s-more/)

[Ruth Westheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-westheimer/)

> [Never to forget the Holocaust was not only against Jews. It was mostly against Jews but it was also against homosexuals, gypsies and, let's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-westheimer/never-to-forget-the-holocaust-was-not-only-against-jews-it-was-mostly/)

[Ruth Westheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-westheimer/)

> [I read the horoscope, and when I like it I smile and when I don't like it, I say, 'Dr. Ruth Westheimer, what's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-westheimer/i-read-the-horoscope-and-when-i-like-it-i-smile-and-when-i-don-t-like/)

[Ruth Westheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-westheimer/)

> [It is a catastrophe, all of this virtual being together. I think there are people who get hooked on the internet. If they need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-westheimer/it-is-a-catastrophe-all-of-this-virtual-being-together-i-think-there/)

[Ruth Westheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-westheimer/)

> [I'm not a type of grandmother sitting in a rocking chair. I'm a lot in the theater. I'm a lot at concerts. I'm a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-westheimer/i-m-not-a-type-of-grandmother-sitting-in-a-rocking-chair-i-m-a-lot-in/)

[Ruth Westheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-westheimer/)

> [I don't want people to be lonely. I would like them to find partners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-westheimer/i-don-t-want-people-to-be-lonely-i-would-like-them-to-find-partners/)

[Ruth Westheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-westheimer/)

> [When the first armies were formed, combat took courage, which women share equally with men, and strength, which we do not. But though I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-westheimer/when-the-first-armies-were-formed-combat-took-courage-which-women/)

[Ruth Westheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-westheimer/)

> [If Congress wants to get involved in the business of morality by allowing a moment of silence in our schools, I support that. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-westheimer/if-congress-wants-to-get-involved-in-the-business-of-morality-by/)

[Ruth Westheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-westheimer/)

> [I think I was fortunate that even in the children's home I had a boyfriend. How important it was, as an orphan at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-westheimer/i-think-i-was-fortunate-that-even-in-the-children-s-home-i-had-a/)

[Ruth Westheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-westheimer/)

> [I lived, while 1 1/2 million Jewish children died. So I have an obligation to repair the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-westheimer/i-lived-while-1-1-2-million-jewish-children-died-so-i-have-an/)

[Ruth Westheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-westheimer/)

> [For some strange reason I can put five bullets into that red thing in the middle of the target.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-westheimer/for-some-strange-reason-i-can-put-five-bullets-into-that-red-thing-in/)

[Ruth Westheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-westheimer/)

> [I certainly believe in equal rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-westheimer/i-certainly-believe-in-equal-rights/)

[Ruth Westheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-westheimer/)

> [If someone has gone through a lot of emotional pain, including the loss of loved ones, that person may try to build a shell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-westheimer/if-someone-has-gone-through-a-lot-of-emotional-pain-including-the/)

[Ruth Westheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-westheimer/)

[Explore all 128 Ruth Westheimer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-westheimer/)

## More Background quotes

> [When you see how fragile and delicate life can be, all else fades into the background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-morasca/when-you-see-how-fragile-and-delicate-life-can-be-all-else-fades-into/)

[Jenna Morasca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-morasca/)

> [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/)

[John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/)

> [I grew up with a religious background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-caruso/i-grew-up-with-a-religious-background/)

[Alex Caruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-caruso/)

> [Food as a hobby used to be an elite pastime, and it has become something that is totally ordinary for people of every background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/food-as-a-hobby-used-to-be-an-elite-pastime-and-it-has-become/)

[Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/)

> [The way I look at it is, cancer research is absolutely nonpartisan. Cancer is very democratic in the sense that it attacks people regardless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-koch/the-way-i-look-at-it-is-cancer-research-is-absolutely-nonpartisan/)

[David H. Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-koch/)

> [My first album, 'Get Lifted,' was a hip-hop soul album that had some of its roots in the church, as far as the sonic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/my-first-album-get-lifted-was-a-hip-hop-soul-album-that-had-some-of/)

[John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/)

> [Mark Zuckerberg is a rich white dude from a really privileged background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sunde/mark-zuckerberg-is-a-rich-white-dude-from-a-really-privileged/)

[Peter Sunde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sunde/)

> [Once you know the background of an individual, you can connect better with his or her music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/badshah/once-you-know-the-background-of-an-individual-you-can-connect-better/)

[Badshah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/badshah/)

> [Al Jazeera is a representation of, you know, diversity in the Arab world. In our newsroom, we have every single nationality, we have every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wadah-khanfar/al-jazeera-is-a-representation-of-you-know-diversity-in-the-arab/)

[Wadah Khanfar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wadah-khanfar/)

> [I have no filmi background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wamiqa-gabbi/i-have-no-filmi-background/)

[Wamiqa Gabbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wamiqa-gabbi/)

> [I have a crazy background in music, both as a performer and writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-itzler/i-have-a-crazy-background-in-music-both-as-a-performer-and-writer/)

[Jesse Itzler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-itzler/)

> [Maybe it's just my improv and sketch background, but I'm a lot more comfortable in a group. I like sharing focus and populating an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mantzoukas/maybe-it-s-just-my-improv-and-sketch-background-but-i-m-a-lot-more/)

[Jason Mantzoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mantzoukas/)

> [I started my cycling academy to try and get more people from a BAME background into cycling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kadeena-cox/i-started-my-cycling-academy-to-try-and-get-more-people-from-a-bame/)

[Kadeena Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kadeena-cox/)

> [A coach's role, effectively speaking, is to stay in the background and let the onus be on the players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-shastri/a-coach-s-role-effectively-speaking-is-to-stay-in-the-background-and/)

[Ravi Shastri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-shastri/)

> ['Billy Elliot' embodies the idea that anyone can achieve anything regardless of their socio-economic background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-fellner/billy-elliot-embodies-the-idea-that-anyone-can-achieve-anything/)

[Eric Fellner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-fellner/)

Browse all 698 Background quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "It matters a great deal that I come from a Jewish background.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Ruth Westheimer"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-westheimer/it-matters-a-great-deal-that-i-come-from-a-jewish-background/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Background"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-westheimer/it-matters-a-great-deal-that-i-come-from-a-jewish-background/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cb/ruth-westheimer-3544_background_it-matters-a-great-deal-that-i-come-from_712121.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cb/ruth-westheimer-3544_background_it-matters-a-great-deal-that-i-come-from_712121.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cb/ruth-westheimer-3544_background_it-matters-a-great-deal-that-i-come-from_712121.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It matters a great deal that I come from a Jewish background.” — Ruth Westheimer",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Ruth Westheimer",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-westheimer/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "It matters a great deal that...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-westheimer/it-matters-a-great-deal-that-i-come-from-a-jewish-background/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-westheimer/it-matters-a-great-deal-that-i-come-from-a-jewish-background/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
