Spirituality and Religiosity in the Sources of Meaning in Life and Meaningfulness Among Athletes in Israel: An Exploratory Study

The data on meaningfulness and the sources of meaning among athletes are limited. This exploratory study aims to describe the primary sources of meaning among Israeli athletes and to examine whether there are differences in perceived meaningfulness between groups characterized by different forms of faith. The primary research tool used in this study is the Sources of Meaning and Meaning in Life Questionnaire (SoMe), with a few additional questions added on sociodemographic characteristics and religious affiliation. Primary data gathering was conducted with the assistance of the Levinsky-Wingate Academic College in Israel. Results from four groups (Jews, Muslims, Atheists, and Agnostics) are compared in this study, which indicates that the highest values of sources of meaning and overall meaningfulness were reported by participants identifying as believers. Of approximately 3000 invited Wingate students, 32 individuals participated, indicating a response rate of about 1.07%. Despite the substantial limitations due to the smaller scale of this exploratory study, the conclusions imply that there may be a connection between religious and spiritual beliefs and a sense of a more meaningful life among Israeli athletes.