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Those who are not religious know how to accommodate their religious clientele. Here are some examples:

I went to a store to buy a belt. I needed a very long one because of my tummy. The storekeeper explained how difficult it is to find leather the size that I needed. I explained that it shouldn't be so difficult. After all, Tefillin straps are very long.

The store owner was clearly far removed from religious life. Yet, he explained that my new belt is cut along the length of the cow, whereas the strap for the Tefillin is "wound" continuously around the cow, so that it can be much longer. That salesman was perfectly familiar with the procedure for making Tefillin straps � and his answer was absolutely correct.

Some Jews wear leather shoes on Tisha B�Av or Yom Kippur. Observant Jews wear shoes made of other materials. However, when you ask a non-observant clerk in a shoe store whether a particular pair of shoes can be worn on Yom Kippur, he will inevitably understand, without recourse to an additional explanation. The salesmen may point out which shoes are acceptable, or even explain that certain shoes in stock have hidden parts that are made of leather.

They know.

The produce salesman in the Machaneh Yehuda open-air market can match each confusing fruit piled on his stand with its appropriate Rosh Hashana blessing. He�ll happily tell you when the shmitta season begins or ends for each item of produce in your hand, and he will warn you about buying certain vegetables at his stand.

Yes, of course, you may argue that those salesman are not religious authorities, even though they know the answers. You're right.

However, that's not the point. Although not everybody chooses to observe the mitzvot, and some may not even be Jewish, they all know the aspects of Jewish law that apply to their own trade. The salesman does not have to be religious to be aware of and respect Jewish traditions.

Where do you want to go now?