There are some who believe that using the same language as one's forebears for prayer is essential- hence many orthodox Jews pray only in Hebrew- or Aramaic- even though we know that at some stages and in some places bits of the vernacular were used- indeed, Aramaic is a case in point. My view is different.
I think we need to use Hebrew for some prayers because it gives us a connection both with our forebears and with other Jews around the world. But more important than that is that we should understand what we say when we pray.
The principle here is that you pray with 'kavvanah'- intention- you do what you are doing deliberately. If you do not understand, you cannot do that properly, so comprehension comes ahead of connectedness for me any day. Any child can learn what some of the prayers mean, and they should all learn some basic Hebrew. But if they just say it by rote, they'd be better saying it in English, French or Greek- it makes no odds as long as they understand.
However, other elements of tradition, provided they have real meaning, are somewhat different. To have flowers for Shavuot- Pentecost- because it is traditional, and it gives us a sense of the sweetness of Torah, is a tradition that connects us to our forebears AND has meaning for us- and gives pleasure. To continue to celebrate the Passover, as many secular Jews still do, shows that connectedness and tradition can trump belief, or lack of it.
That we do things to feel connected to our forebears, and because they did them, is heart warming and sometimes important, but we should not do them only for connectedness- we should do them because they still have meaning for us, or we can adapt them in such a way that we can make them have meaning for us.
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