Wendy appears to be open to thoughtful challenges. I know someone like Wendy. This woman, call her, Toni, is an oustanding secular intellectual. I am prepared to bet that both Wendy and Toni will find that some of the practices into which they enquire rather acceptable and indeed meaningful. But the enquiry must be as open as any secular enquiry they might make.
Dogmatic practice can after all disguise the intellectual beauty of much of Jewish life.
Everly Schlensky, who is the head of Social Action for UAHC, also made an interesting comment when she spoke at our congregation last Shabbat. But, she said, her understanding is the God does not want us to have a spiritual connection with every activities, but wants us to be a holy people. This holiness comes from performing these activities, with spirituality coming as a side-benefit. But it also relates to discarding practice, in that you can try the practice before discarding it. This message comes from David D. Knoll in Sydney, Australia.