Secular Israelis face many attitudinal barriers when it comes to the idea of studying anything Jewish. [See my previous article "Then and Now" for more information on this]. This population, generally speaking, has a profoundly negative opinion of religious Jews. And in Israel, religious Jews are seen as the official definers of Judaism. This makes the idea of studying anything Jewish extremely distasteful. The religious, on the other hand, see the lack of religious knowledge among secular people as synonymous with them lacking a value system. Their motivation for secular people learning more about Judaism is often kiruv [bringing the secular person closer to their version of Judaism] - a goal which leaves secular people feeling devalued, defensive and cynical. The knowledge level of secular Jews presents another barrier. They have a tremendous amount of cultural and folk knowledge, as well as knowledge of Hebrew, all of which are significant compared to most Jews who live abroad. However, their knowledge of text, the rationale behind the ritual, a sense of the deeper layers of Judaism, Jewish law, and an understanding of religious Judaism, is weak at best. Facing this ignorance and being willing to tackle it, particularly with a religious person, is a daunting challenge. Therefore, the willingness to consider Jewish study as an option means overcoming some major barriers. In some ways I believe all religions are going through similar situations. The new generation wants something more interesting, enthusiastic, and are tired of the older rituals.
Tyler Andor wrote:
> Why do you suppose so many Jews today are more secular than religious?