If they are truly secular, as in not-believing that G-d gave us the Torah with the Mitzvot, then why commemorate the day at all? Or are they really closet believers who need something to assuage their unease? BTW - Tefilla Zaka is not just about universal forgiveness. It is mostly about declaring that we have abused the our bodies and senses by running after earthly pleasures instead of following G-d's dictates, and how we are unworthy to even ask for forgiveness from Him. I'm not sure what a true 'secular' would do with such a Tefilla.

Iam tottaly secular jew and do not belive in the Torah or the Mitzvot, however.If I watch DVDs and i went to a Yom Kippur dinner party then in the day time walked to the beach. However i respect the fact that i have neighbors who this day is meaningfull and i do not drive my car, play loud music or cook on my barbeQ or do anything to offend them. I think from the Green point of view its marvelous that there are no cars on the road thus reducing the pollution levels and Israels carbon foot print. Its also a day off from work which is also welcome. So feelings on Unease ? No none what so ever thank you.

Avi, next Yom Kippur if you are really that totally secular at your dinner party, for your starter have some shrimp or Lobster, then get a nice fat Pork chop for main course. If you don't I'll think there is still at least a part of you that believes in Hakodesh Baruch Hu. I love you man.

I object to calling those who are making an effort to keep what they feel are the bare basics of Halakhah חילונים/secular חילונים derives ultimately from חל (khol; profane, common, ordinary). Torah requires that we do our utmost to live according to Torah and Halakhah, which is not always identical to the rabbis' often illogical excesses and micro-domineering rule. Those who rightly reject such rabbinic excesses and are trying to revert to the bare basics while continuing to revere ha-Sheim, who is to judge that they aren't doing their utmost to keep Torah/ (logical) Halakhah? The same is true of many datlashim. Only those who abandon Halakhah (like Avi, #2) should properly be termed חילונים/secular. Even goyim shouldn't be regarded as disparaging. We were once goyim in Egypt and the Bible describes us still as a goy among the goyim. It's simply a fact that the b'rit distinguishes Israel from the OTHER goyim. Those who reject the b'rit of Torah/Halakhah, by their own choice, reject the only difference between Israel and the חילונים/secular/goyim. (Those who think there are other differences--genetic/DNA/bloodline--are racists.) The great majority of Israeli Jews seem to be defined within this back-to-basics, pro-Torah/Halakhah group, which neither the media nor even the scholars have so far distinguished separately... nor even grant them their own identity with as a named group. Yet, I think these unnamed are the majority and future of Israel; a quiet and undetected revolution in the making. The big question is when will these moderate Jews refuse to be pushed around by both extremes, anti-religious left or ultra-religious right, and assert themselves to take power? Perhaps the ancient phrase, "Yirei ha-Sheim," is once again appropriate? Some description is needed that acknowledges this group's continued membership in Qehilat Torah / Yisraeil. Perhaps, too, this group should include goyim who abandon other religions to live according to Torah & Halakhah--but whom Orthodox rabbis refuse to convert or recognize. There should be no distinction between one who lives according to Torah & Halakhah and one who lives according to Torah & Halakhah based solely on racism. Paqid Yirmeyahu Paqid 16, The Netzarim, Ra'anana, Israel Israeli Torah-reverer (& Orthodox Jew) Advocate for Logic as Halakhic Authority Welcoming All Torah-reverers (Jewish & Goyim) www.netzarim.co.il

maybe without lobster , but certainly with pork .

A large number of folks were raised in secular environment, some (the ones from communist controlled nations) basically had little choice in that matter. So what ever way they decide to approach the return to their roots is better than just dropping the whole idea all together. Please don't alienate these people.

Last tsunami was within three days of Christmas. This year a two earthquakes and a tsunami within three days of Yom Kippur. A strange coincidence or Is God offering an opinion? Why do we afflict ourselves for the unrepented wicked? "We" slihot?!

um, what's this "we"? you're a gentile convert (conveniently omitted from your "signature block") with a questionable conversion and you have the audacity to include your goy self in the hebrew exile in egypt?? hutzpah!

the tsunamis and earthquakes are more than enough catastrophical , no need for stupidities from a yeshu believer .

RAJB ! There are worst things than eating pork and shrimp in Yom Kippur,for instance,when the Allmighty stood by and did nothing while the Germans killed Jewish children, with their mothers in the gas chambers in yom Kippur,care to respond ?.