Guide for New and Visiting Faculty

8. All the information compiled in the housing list is copied from notices supplied by owners.
The University is not responsible for the contents of these notices. You are advised to check
the authenticity of all details by direct correspondence or through a colleague here.
Peculiarities of the Israeli Apartment
Apartments are let by the number of rooms they contain (excluding kitchen, bathroom, and toilet).
Most Jerusalem accommodations have at least one balcony, and many have two. By Western
standards, rooms are on the small side, with some serving dual purposes – living rooms convert to
bedrooms or double as a guest room, and, as separate dining rooms are rare, an area of the living room
usually houses the dining table and chairs; if there are a number of children in the family, they usually
have to double up in the bedrooms.
A standard kitchen generally has a porcelain sink and marble countertops, storage cupboards, and
sometimes there is enough space for a small table and chairs. In a furnished apartment, you will find a
refrigerator, but the age and size of this appliance depends on your landlord. Separate freezers or even
refrigerators with generous freezing space are rare.
Be prepared for differences in terminology. If your landlord quotes a "stove" he may mean a twoburner
gas range tabletop unit without oven or separate broiler. Any unit with burners for cooking is
called kirayim. An oven is called tanoor (the same word is used for heater). A washing machine
(mehonat kvisa) will generally have a capacity of about 9 lbs. (5kg.). Locally-made washing machines
or European models have their own heating element and are not dependent on a central hot water
supply system.
Newer buildings usually have elevators, but older buildings up to four stories often do not.
Heating. Some apartments have central heating (hasaka merkazit). If this is the case in your rented
apartment, then the heating may also be operated by the central system. You should know, though,
that the system usually operates only in the late afternoon and evening hours (usually 16:00-23:00, and
sometimes only briefly early in the morning. You would do well to check with the house committee
(va’ad habayit) regarding your particular building. Your water will always be connected to an
individually controlled electrical heating unit, so you can have hot water within an hour or so at any
time, in any weather. Most apartments are also equipped with solar water heaters (dood shemesh); by
noon on a sunny day – even in winter – the water is piping hot. For room heating, your landlord may
supply you with supplemental heaters which operate on electricity (some people still use kerosene
heaters). Be aware that electricity is relatively costly in Israel and that the power supply in your
apartment may not suffice for both electric water heater and electric room heater; if you turn them on
simultaneously, you may blow the fuses.
House Committee (va'ad habayit). In some apartment buildings, the costs of fuel for heating, the
cleaning and lighting of the common spaces, elevator maintenance, tar-sealing the roof periodically,
and upkeep of the garden are divided up among the residents. Each contributes a monthly maintenance
fee (which varies). Mention of this point is sometimes forgotten during the negotiation stage, and often
comes as a complete surprise to the visitor; ask your landlord about it. You will eventually need to
know who is in charge of the va'ad habayit (usually the task is rotated among the residents), both to
pay the monthly fee and in case water starts leaking into your apartment or some other problem occurs
which may involve common property or spaces.
Long-term, and in some cases even short-term, rentals do not usually include water, electricity,
telephone or heating services, as noted above. This, too, should be clarified with your landlord, as
these expenses can be quite considerable.
Cooking Gas. Many new apartment buildings have a centralized gas supply; each apartment draws
its supply from metered containers outside. Where there is no central gas, this commodity is supplied
in the form of butane cylinders (balonim) which are stored in pairs on the kitchen balcony, in the
garden, or some other location outside the apartment (a legal safety precaution). As soon as one
cylinder is empty, you reorder another from the gas company. The cylinders come in two sizes:
standard (usually lasts several months, if gas is used only for cooking) and large. When renting an
apartment, make sure you know the name of the gas supplier and the customer number (mispar