Adult Studies as a Leisure Activity: From Exigency and Choice

Abstract

The research literature on adult leisure devotes very little attention to studying as a leisure activity, although studying has become one of the most common and popular leisure activities. With the passage of time, adult studies have undergone a transformation from a compulsory activity to extra-curricular classes, clubs of interest groups, as a legitimate leisure activity, one that is beyond the classical school-based time and place and that constitutes a voluntary and pleasurable activity. The current research refers to Torah study in its wide meaning, including all traditional Jewish texts that are constitutive texts of the Jewish culture. The research literature on leisure indicates that the forms of leisure activity utilized depend on the learners’ sociodemographic background and hence also on the life patterns to which they have become habituated, according to the continuity theory and the serious leisure perspective. The first research purpose was to examine sociodemographic differences in gender, age, religiosity, marital status, level of education, and socio-economic status, among 234 respondents with a diverse sociodemographic background, between 106 Torah learners as a leisure activity and 128 respondents who chose to study other enrichment courses as part of their leisure activity. Another purpose was to compare the perception of learners in both groups regarding the efforts invested in their studies and their significance, and regarding the benefits of studies: satisfaction and contribution to the learners. The research findings show that the respondents who chose Torah study as a leisure activity were mainly men, religious, and married. In contrast, the respondents who chose non-Torah enrichment studies as a leisure activity (the control group) were mainly women, non-religious, and included many more individuals. Participants in both study groups have in common being highly educated, with a good socio economic status and approaching or after retirement from work. In addition, among the Torah students the degree of efforts invested and the perceived significance of studies on one hand and the benefits attributed to studies on the other (satisfaction and contribution of studies) were higher than among those who engaged in enrichment courses. Namely, Torah students both invested more efforts but also reaped more benefits from their leisure activity than those engaged in enrichment studies. This is a pioneer study of Torah study as a leisure activity that has undergone an essential transformation from its perception as an obligation, to an activity involving choice and willingness, yet one that is not perceived as leisure by young people who see studies as mandatory. This research can lead to further studies that will examine the change in the perception of studies as a leisure activity, irrespective of the contents studied, in a society where studying continues throughout life in all ages and degrees of religiosity. Studying in general has the potential to offer equal opportunities, irrespective of one’s socioeconomic status. The study sought to explore the world of older adults who choose to study and to illuminate aspects that have not received much attention in the professional literature. The current research findings might have applied implications capable of contributing significantly to society as a whole.