Photos by Stuart Miller

The ESRA Nearly New Charity Shop in Raanana opened at its current location around thirteen years ago. It was proposed to sell second hand or nearly new clothes and other items to raise money for ESRA's community projects.

The shop was the brain child of the late Mottie Wiener whose layout was in the manner of a warehouse with shelves and boxes, full of the donated goods, spread around the shop for people to rummage through and choose the goods they wanted to buy. He surely would have been thrilled to see how much success the shop has achieved since he passed away and it is a fitting memorial to his efforts since the beginning. 

ON GOOD Deeds Day, students from Rimon School in Raanana visited ESRA’s nearly new shopc

Seven years after opening, the personnel in the shop changed. With new people come new ideas and the layout immediately became more like a retail outlet. Shelves were put up around the interior of the shop to house ladies blouses, jumpers, children's and baby items. Another part of the shop had rails for men's shirts and jeans, as well as coats. The center part of the shop was used to display housewares and bric-a-brac.

Turnover doubled virtually overnight as people were able to see more products on display. Soon word got around about the shop and more visitors came along. There was a real buzz to the daily movements within the shop. The volunteers, who had been working there for years, continued to come in to help maintain the stock and make sure everything was kept tidy. It was not that easy with buyers rummaging around. 

Need jeans or shoes? You’ll find them in the ESRA nearly new shop

Then, more changes were made. Shelves became rails to hang ladies blouses, t-shirts, jumpers, coats, skirts and jeans. Shoes were better displayed. The same was applied to the men's part of the shop and rails were added for men's t- shirts, shorts, suits, jumpers, jackets, coats and other items. 

Shop rails and tables groaning with items to buy

The biggest change has been the introduction of a bed linen and soft furnishings section. Although the shop had always sold bed linen items, the creation of a special, displayed organized section was something completely new.

There is a book section, large toy and games area, CDs and DVDs, all well presented. Much work is done each day to ensure the stock is kept tidy.

In the ladies area, there is a large wooden box which is filled each morning, ready for the women buyers who still prefer to rummage. 

Behind the scenes, staff and volunteers check through the huge donations of goods received, and put the best out for sale. Badly soiled or damaged goods are packed in plastic bags and sold by weight to a recycling company. All electrical items are checked for working order before being accepted.

The Raanana ESRA shop team, superbly led by Giora Fried and his long serving staff and volunteers, work closely together and this is a major part of the great success that has been achieved to date. The camaraderie and the buzz is sensational.

Giora introduced longer open hours, including on Tuesdays from 12:30 – 16:00.

Today, the shop looks like a Nearly New Boutique or an Aladdin's Cave as many people are saying.

The shop needs continued donations of Ladies, Gents, Children's clothing, Household goods, Bed linen and Soft Furnishings, Toys, Games and other items to further increase the shop's improvement.

ESRA Nearly New Shop

100 Ahuza Street, Raanana

Tel: 09 741 2631 / 050 535 4884

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, 09:00 – 18:00

Tuesday 09:00 – 16:00

Friday 09:00 -12:30