Cardinal Lustiger’s Jewish identity

“I never claimed to be at the same time a good Jew according to the requirements of the rabbis and a good Christian according to the requirements of the Church. But I am sure you understand that I cannot repudiate my Jewish condition without losing my own dignity and the respect I owe to my parents and to all those to whom I belong; that is true both in times of persecution and in times of peace. I claim to be a Jew not to hurt anyone, but because I respect the truth and what is due the truth… What I can say is that in becoming a Christian I did not intend to cease being the Jew I was then. I was not running away from the Jewish condition. I have that from my parents and can never lose it. I have it from God and He will never allow me to lose it.”