Gal Zahavi is not just another collector. He is a one-man universe of nostalgia, humor and emotional honesty. And when he picks up a Lego brick, something in him clicks into place. The world quiets down, the noise fades and the hyperactive child inside him finally sits still.
Zahavi is one of Israel’s most passionate Lego collectors, though he refuses to call himself “hardcore.” When asked how many sets he owns, he shrugs: “More than a hundred for sure.” And then, with perfect comic timing, he drops the line every true collector knows: “If you can count how many sets you have, you’re not a real collector.”
His journey began at age four. His mother worked in the toy industry, so Lego sets arrived at home long before they hit Israeli stores. Pirates, castles, motors and early Technic models filled his childhood room. Then came adolescence, adulthood and a long pause from the bricks.
Years later, during a difficult personal and professional period, Zahavi walked into a Lego store in Dizengoff Center and asked for the Porsche set he remembered. It was sold out. So instead, he bought the Volkswagen Transporter.
He went home, opened the box and built for six straight hours. “No alcohol, no drugs, not even binge eating,” he said. “Lego was the escape I didn’t know I needed.” One set became two, then ten, then dozens.
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A Lego model of a white Porsche sports car is displayed alongside other Lego builds and decorative pieces in the home of collector Gal Zahavi
(Photo: Bar Gindy)
Behind the humor sits something deeper: Lego wasn’t a purchase. It was self-therapy. Nearly 70% of Lego purchases today are made by adults. Zahavi is not surprised. Lego taps into nostalgia, creativity and achievement in ways few hobbies can.
Still, he rejects the hoarding culture. “I don’t collect for investment. Lego is meant to be built, not stored like gold bars.” High-end minifigures worth thousands of dollars make him laugh. He hides his inside the sets.
Zahavi is experimenting with Lego content online. His “Bought It but Didn’t Build It” format hit over 120,000 views. Collection tours performed even better. But he admits it is difficult to understand what viewers want: “People love haul videos. Builds are less sexy.”
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A detailed Lego model of a blue Vespa scooter, illuminated with custom lights, sits on a display shelf in the home of Lego collector Gal Zahavi
(Photo: Bar Gindy)
He credits two major figures: Ilan Stark, a brilliant technical builder, and Maor, the man behind “Legotherapy,” who buys and distributes Lego to sick children, trauma survivors and families in need
Zahavi believes Maor’s story deserves global exposure.
Living with Lego: the good, the bad and the dusty
Lego in adulthood has challenges: cleaning is nearly impossible, moving to a new place is a nightmare and dating requires boundaries. “I need a startup that specializes in Lego safe cleaning,” he jokes.
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A framed Lego mosaic resembling the Mona Lisa hangs on a wall beside shelves filled with Lego figures and models at the home of collector Gal Zahavi
(Photo: Bar Gindy)
Start with small sets under 100 shekels. Treat Lego like a hobby, not a competition. Focus on emotional connection, not price. And above all, build what you love.
“Moderation is everything,” he says. “Lego can be therapy, but it can also become unhealthy hoarding. Know the difference.”
Zahavi is many things: entertainer, creator, impulsive buyer, nostalgic kid and someone who found peace in bricks. Lego didn’t just come back to him. It grounded him.
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Bar Gindy, host of the People & Collectors podcast, left, poses for a photo with Lego collector Gal Zahavi at Zahavi’s home, where shelves of Lego models and plants line the wall
(Photo: Courtesy)
For more stories from Gal and other collectors, check out the People and Collectors podcast. The full interview is available with English subtitles and 50 other languages.