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| By: Israel Insider staff |
| Published: August 21, 2007 |
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A recent study found that adults who attend synagogue regularly outlive their counterparts who do not go to synagogue, Haaretz reported. Professor Howard Litwin of the university's Israel Gerontological Data Center (IGDC) conducted the research, which was published in The European Journal of Aging.
The aim of the study was to examine the correlation between social ties and longevity. According to Professor Litwin, "everyone says that the people around you determine how long you will live. The study that we conducted tried to look at this in greater depth and to see whether the interpersonal environment really does contribute to survival."
"These findings are not surprising, but we did find two other unique variables that influence survival: the frequency of communication with friends and the frequency of synagogue attendance. Those who attended synagogue regularly clearly had the highest rate of survival," Litwin said.
"One explanation is spiritual - that is, the individual faith factor. A series of studies that have been conducted in recent years, especially in the United States, argue that faith helps people deal with psychological pressure. People who believe and pray apparently survive longer."
Litwin underscored the importance of socializing. "It's important to remember that according to the findings, social ties carry the same weight as attending synagogue," he stressed. "This means that in order to live long, there is no need to be particularly righteous, but it is important to be sociable."
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