The aim of this paper is to analyse the disparity between the time adolescents devote to various leisure activities and the significance they attribute to them. The gap between amount and significance mirrors the way that adolescents in Israel perceive the concept of leisure and the content with which they fill it. Leisure is a phenomenon that is enforced on modern humanity. The results of this research show that in the context of leisure research it is paradoxically the capitalist aspect of personal gain that ultimately imbues significance, and transforms quantity into quality. The research shows that without adult guidance, young people tend not to seek out and engage in worthwhile leisure activities. Qualitative research shows that while leisure is context-dependent and culture-dependent, it is also contingent on adults who educate and guide young people to consume leisure effectively.