How to Hang Pictures on Israeli Walls (Concrete, Cement & Cinder)

If you've made Aliyah - and own your own home (or if renting, fortunate to live in an apartment owned by a landlord who allows you to put pictures on his walls) you'll want to add some colour to your home some time soon! The walls in Israel are not necessarily like the walls from the place you've come from, so it's important to know the steps required to hang your pictures up. Using the wrong equipment or even the right equipment in the wrong way can cause devastation to your walls - requiring further fixing and costs!

If you're unsure what to do, we've posted a terrific video by Rafi Esptein showing just how easy it is to do. He's also captioned his video as he goes along - so you can know the correct terms to use when buying the equipment you'll need. Remember - if you haven't tried it before or are not sure what to do - rather get an expert - at least for the first time. You don't want to do it wrong and find a large expensive framed picture smashed on the floor!

Here's a summary for you to keep handy if the captions move to fast:

• Plastic Picture Hook: וו תלייה (Vav Teliyah). Did you know the sixth letter of the Hebrew alphabet is a Vav? "Vav" means hook - but what's so beautiful about it - is that the letter when written in print form actually looks like a hook! It is also the Hebrew word for "and" because the word "and" joins two parts of a sentence!
• Masonry Anchor: דיבל (Dibel)
• Screw: בורג (Boreg)
• Hammer: פטיש (Patish)
• Power / Hammer Drill: פטישון (Patishon) - Notice how it is related to the word for hammer. The letters "Vav" and "Nun" at the end turning the word "hammer" (the original word i.e. Patish) into the modern more powerful hammer, the "hammer drill." You'll notice this in other words too - how the Vav and Nun turn a word into a noun - or even a more powerful noun.
• Concrete Drill Bit: מקדח בטון (Mekadeach Biton)
• Screwdriver: מברג (Mavreg) - Notice how it is related to the word "screw". The Mem in front turns the word "screw" into the name of the thing used to do the action, the "screwdriver"
• Screw-Gun: מברגה (Mavregah). Notice the similarity in this word to the word "screw" and "screwdriver." Only that this word has the letter "Heh" added to the end changing the style of device used to do the action of screwing. The word "screwdriver" was already taken with the letter "Mem" in front - so when the grammar experts came to add a new word to the modern dictionary - they simply added the letter "Heh" to the end of the word!
• Millimeter: מילימטר (Pronounced - would you believe it - Millimeter.)

Enjoy the video!