“Judaism has a great deal to offer even those who consider themselves secular”

Judaism has a great deal to offer even those who consider themselves secular. It emphasizes practice over belief. We are allowed to doubt even the existence of God and commanded to ask questions. Even a nonbeliever can find great value in weekly study of our Torah, which tells our founding stories and provides the basis of our ethics. It’s fascinating to read what different scholars and rabbis have to say about each portion and to discuss their relevance for today. During different periods of Jewish history, Jews have debated whether it is study or prayer that should be at the center of Jewish life. Frequently, the beit midrash, or house of study, was more important to the Jewish community than the beit tfilah, or house of prayer. There is no reason that a Jewish practice with study at its center can’t also be valid today.

Edgar M. Bronfman and Beth Zasloff, Hope, Not Fear: A Path to Jewish Renaissance (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2008), 72.