Starting Afresh

Israel’s Police Commissioner just resigned and a new one has already been appointed...
The new IDF Chief of Staff, Gabi Ashkenazi, has just begun his termof office...
And Jacky Matza, Director of Israel’s Tax Authority, also resigned yesterday.

As I walked up the steps to my house,I stopped to admire the fresh pink blossom on the neighbor’s peach tree.
I walked a few more steps into my garden to observe the buds beginning to grow on our magnificent fig tree.

Spring is in the air in Israel.
It’s time for renewal.
Because that’s how the Universe works.
It’s embedded in Nature.

And it’s part of us too.

Today is the first of the Hebrew month of Adar, and the Jewish calendar and liturgy make special provisions for every new month. It reminds us that we can always renew ourselves. Every month. Every day if necessary.
We can decide to resign our old selves, our old habits or those annoying character traits...
We can decide to resign our jobs and follow that dream we’ve always wanted...
We can decide to fire our fears and take control of our lives...

And that’s wonderful!
If we realize that change and renewal is the way the world is supposed to work...
If we realize that changes in Governments and public positions are perfectly natural...
And we realize that we too can renew ourselves at any given moment...

We need never be depressed!

There’s always hope! There’s always a way out. After every resignation comes a new appointment, a new opportunity.
And the Jewish people know that better than most. It’s what’s kept us going for so long!
So whether it’s the Police, the IDF, the Tax Authority or ourselves, let us hope that all renewal is as sure and delicious as my peaches and figs!

The Solution to Evil

I was in England a couple of weeks ago.

Prime Minister Tony Blair was being questioned for his possible involvement in an honors scandal.
And nine Muslims were arrested in Birmingham for allegedly planning to kidnap and behead a Muslim soldier in the British army.
In Israel, the Prime Minister/President is always under police scrutiny.
And the IDF are arresting Hamas, Jihad and Fatah activists every day.

Would it be too simplistic to suggest that
a. Power corrupts
b. Fundamental Islam is a real threat to the civilized world?

Would it be even more simplistic to suggest the solution to these two problems is in our hands?
1. We should not actively be looking to attain positions of power.
If we are worthy in our deeds and actions we will have power bestowed upon us.
Take the example of Moses at the burning bush. He argued with God for a week,
claiming his unsuitability to be a leader.
(And if Bush had also taken Moses’ lead, maybe there would be a lot less burning in Iraq.)
Moses was such a good leader precisely because he didn’t want to be one.

2. The answer to evil is good.
No-one has ever solved the problem of irrational, insane, inhuman terror.
No threat, no punishment, no army and no government.
Just like in the movies, it’s good versus evil, cops versus robbers.
The world is finely balanced. It could go either way.
But the more good each of us does will counteract the evil they do.
They think they know what’s right.
We know what’s right (otherwise why make a fuss of Blair, Olmert, Katsav, John McCain or anybody else?)

So let’s just do the right thing. For the world’s sake.

The Only Comfort

I’ve just returned from a condolence
visit to England.

My grandparents – 96 and 94 – lost their eldest daughter in Israel after a long and gritty struggle against cancer.

There are no words. No comfort.

The Jewish custom allows friends and acquaintances to visit the bereaved for seven days after the funeral. So at least my grandparents were overwhelmed with warm and caring visitors from morning to night.

But there are no words. No comfort.

My grandfather was the British Army chaplain at the time the Allies liberated Bergen-Belsen in 1945. He’s seen his fair share of suffering.

And he said his own personal grief pales in the shadow of the suffering of the Jewish people.
But still... a child is a child.

And there are no words. No comfort.

We can never know why there’s suffering... Or why the Jewish people have had such a generous supply of it...

But now we have a Jewish State and a Jewish army. And we have a faith that has lasted since the first Jew in the world was asked to sacrifice his own son...

And that’s a comfort.

Taking Responsibility

So IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz resigned.

Is that good? Bad? Should he have done it sooner? Your opinions are welcome.
What is beyond argument though is that he took responsibility. And that is surely worthy of praise.

From the sixth day of Creation, humanity has had a problem taking personal
responsibility. Eve blames the snake - Adam blames Eve.

We are masters of excuses and explanations. We can always find a reason not to do something or blame someone else for our misdemeanors.
Remember! When you point a finger at someone or something else, three fingers remain pointing at you! (Try it)

As a wise man once said:

“You are the only problem you will ever have and you are the only solution. Change is inevitable. Personal growth is always a personal decision.”

Dan Halutz has reminded us of one of life’s inevitabilities.

Whether we lead an army, a nation or just our own daily lives...
If we can’t take responsibility for our thoughts, words and actions, can we expect to grow?
Can we expect respect from others?
Can we respect ourselves?

So say it out loud today:

“Sorry. I was wrong.”

The Real Thing

Today’s headline in The Jerusalem Post:

“IDF delighted with new head of UNIFIL”

Condoleezza’s here again to discuss roadmaps.
And Ehud’s deliberately holding back on attacking Gaza because he wants to show the world we’re serious about peace.
Meanwhile...
Hezbollah are regrouping after the summer... Gilad Shalit, Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser
are still in captivity... And the Palestinians have fired over 100 Kassam
Rockets into Israel since the so-called ceasefire.

Israel is REAL!
I remember a Ministry of Tourism slogan some years back: Israel Is Real!

Yes, Israel is real.
But so are Hamas rockets, Hezbollah Katyushas and Ahmanijad.
When are we going to realize that we cannot rely on UNIFIL, Condoleezza or the world to get us out of this mess?

We have a strong army. We have a strong spirit.

But when are we going to get real? Before... or after it’s too late?

One Soldier. One Army

I gave Chaim a ride today. Chaim’s a 20-year old soldier.
And he’s getting married in two months time.
Until that wonderful day, he’ll still have to carry out his routine army duties with his elite unit in Shechem.
Chaim and thousands of other young Israeli soldiers are putting their lives on the line every day.

All we hear are the headlines:

“The IDF arrested 11 Hamas activists in Shechem
last night.”

“The IDF captured the leader of Islamic Jihad
in Jenin yesterday.”

“IDF bombs Ramallah”

But let us remember that our IDF is made up of lots of Chaims and Davids and Jonathans...
They have mothers and fathers and brothers and sisters like you and me...
And they’re not reading this on their computer in the comfort of their warm and cozy homes.
They’re risking their lives so the people of Israel can live a normal life and so you can come visit in perfect safety...
Remember the IDF in your prayers today, think of those brave young men...
And spare a thought for Chaim’s bride...

Thoughts for the New Year

January 1. Not the Jewish New Year but nevertheless a good opportunity for reflection, resolution and hopes for a better 2007.

So how have we started 2007 in Israel?

The Iranian threat... More Lebanon War fallout... Will the IDF be able to recover and implement the expected reforms?

When will Gilad Shalit, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev come home?

And we’ve just given another 2,000 guns to the Palestinians, who continue to fire Kassam rockets at Sderot and Ashkelon.

Oh, and we haven’t had nearly enough rain yet...

But what’s new?

How did we start 1997?

Iraq expelled members of the U.S. nuclear inspection team... The IDF redeployed in Hebron... “New wave of terrorism feared”... And PM Netanyahu said this after an Israeli soldier opened fire at Palestinians in Hebron on January 1, 1997:

“I again call on all Palestinians and Israelis, inside and outside of Hebron, to act and demonstrate responsibility and restraint. We have to live side by side with each other. This has been ordained by history and by geography. We have to do so in security and coexistence. The way of peace is the only way to assure that we achieve these aims, it is our only alternative.”

Plus la change, plus la meme chose.

Or as King Solomon said, “There is nothing new under the sun.”

On the other hand...

The number of new immigrants from the U.S. and U.K. reached a 20-year high in 2006... The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange rose 2% today... and Shachar Pe’er, our international tennis star (ranked 20^th in the world), began the year with a win!

But let’s face it. In 2007, as in 1997, and really since 1948, there are seemingly no convincing military or political solutions on the horizon.

The solution is evidently beyond the bounds of natural courses or causes... yes, as we have learnt throughout our turbulent history, the people of Israel would be wise to look heavenwards for salvation.

Happy New Year!

Shalom to all our Customers,

We would like to thank you all for your messages of comfort and support.

It was truly heartfelt to receive so many e-mails and condolence cards from so many people from around the world.

On behalf of the Hauerstock Family we would like to wish you long life.

Andrew Hauerstock was the founder and manager of Israel Military Products.
We hope to continue at IMP as he would have wanted it, celebrating all that
is great about Israel.

In this spirit, you will be glad to hear that we are back and that business is as usual here in the heart of Tel Aviv.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Be sure to check out our store for updates on NEW PRODUCTS and SPECIAL OFFERS.

My Meaningful Learning Experience by Gelfand Asya

“Asya- always try to put yourself in the customer’s position- and form their work backwards” was one of the many words of advice I received from my former boss and good friend Andrew (Andy) Hauerstock. “An Important Lesson I Learned in School” was neither one lesson, nor did it take place in a school building: instead, it was a period of time while working with Andy during the two years that I studied at Tel Aviv University. Upon recently finishing my job at Andy’s retail store, it began to dawn on me the magnitude and impact he had on my life - on several levels. Prior to being his employee, I had known Andy for a few years through my boyfriend; because of his friendship with my boyfriend I never felt comfortable with the idea of working for him as a sales manager in his store. Further, I always believed that I was too naïve to be a salesperson. However, Andy influenced and encouraged me both on professional and on personal level. Indeed, as I left Israel to study in San Francisco, he was one of the people that it was most hard for me to leave.

Andy owns a retail business in Israel and for a long time we have been debating should I work there or not. The business is directed mostly towards tourists and consists of a store and a web site that sell Israeli-oriented t-shirts and memorabilia. Andy’s store has been an icon for generations of tourists, since its opening in the late seventies. The business had gone through many changes, adapting to political and economical situation in Israel, yet retaining its patriotic core. When I started working there I had only a vague idea of what I was really getting into.

While working with Andy in his store, I encountered and serviced a variety of people that I could never imagine I would meet: people from different religions and cultures, tough customers as well as “too nice” ones. With Andy’s “hands-on” guidance I learned the basics of business not only through a loss and profit tables, but also by knowing how to approach each person in the best way. Andy taught me that not only price matters, but more importantly - attitude. Some customers like to be asked about themselves, others like to hear your own personal story, while some simply prefer to be left alone. Reading people and their characters is one of the most important features that a salesperson must posses and implement. Watching and learning from Andy- as to how he addressed and read customers, I began to gain the confidence to employ such sale tactics. Even more importantly, over time, I created my own style and found my own selling methods that resulted in an unexpected success. Andy had taught me the essence of sales and work better then any business school.

On a personal level Andy essentially became both a role model and symbol of hope as I saw him battling a fatal and rare form of cancer- while at the same time remaining a family man and dedicated business owner. Having lost my own mother to cancer a few years ago, I was not sure if I could deal with watching someone else for whom I deeply cared about also fall victim. But actually Andy’s approach towards his disease was unique- he refused at any cost to let the cancer beat him. When I met Andy, he was already more than 5 years with the disease and explained to me how he had done research on the internet, had gotten involved with support and medical communities and had essentially created his own roadmap for various experimental and cutting edge cures. Instead of letting other people- doctors included, to decide his own fate, Andy took his fate into his own hands. By all medical statistics, he has lived many years beyond what anyone would have predicted and continues to remain vibrant and healthy. Seeing such hope and determination has taught me an important lesson for life: to be less fatalist and pessimistic, never to give up and to enjoy life as much as you can.

As I now enter a new phase of my life here in America, there is no doubt that from a personal and professional level, Andy and his lesson are always over my shoulder. We remain in close contact and I still find myself confiding in him whether its regarding which courses to take, what type of job to look for, or simply adjusting to life in America. As Elie Weisel wrote, "Just as despair can come to one only from other human beings, hope, too, can be given to one only by other human beings", indeed, Andy is one of my primary sources source of hope, light, and confidence.

Thank You

Dear Valued Customer,

Israel Military products would like to extend its infinite appreciation and gratification for your support for Israel and the Israeli population over the past month. Although it was a difficult time for many of us here and stressful, we were very heart-warmed and grateful for the number of emails, letters, faxes, prayers, etc. expressing support and solidarity for us from those of you around the world. For us, there is nothing more powerful than knowing that beyond our immediate surroundings there are people who

care for us and hope for our well being.

As many you know already, the UN called for a cease-fire between Israel and Hizbollah on August 14^th. , thus ending a nearly 40 day conflict. Throughout the conflict Israel experienced a great deal of criticism from the rest of the world, condemning the army for conducting missions which endangered the lives of Lebanese civilians. Of course, for those of us here, we know these are preposterous claims. There was nothing more reassuring for us to receive a daily influx of positive feedback from our customers. At the moment, we hope for a durable and fair resolution to the problem with Hizbollah that will place the Israeli population out of harm’s way.

In addition, we would like to inform our customers that we know personally that Israeli soldiers have expressed their utmost appreciation for the overwhelming support they have received in terms of prayers and concerns for their well-being. World-wide support contributed greatly to boosting their morale through the complicated and emotional times over the past month. For us here at Israel Military products we understand the value and importance of every individual that contributes to the military effort and we made sure to tell the Israeli soldiers, who are also our customers, of all the support we have been receiving from our customers. Their reaction was something beyond words.

Once again, we would like to thank our customers the world over for your continued support for those us here in Israel and we hope to continue to help you with you shopping needs in the near future.

KEITZ CHAM-HOT SUMMER SUMMER ’06

Once again the temperature is rising in Israel and with pleasant, sunny days come the waves of enthusiastic tourists to drink coffee at one of Sheinken’s cafes, to see a new exhibit at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, or just plainly to relax and rest on one of Tel Aviv’s gorgeous beaches.

Israeli life is more active with hustling and bustling than ever before. Whether
tourist or a Sabra, there’s something going on and there’s not a thing to be missed. The summer sun has taken hold and is bringing people out of their winter hibernation in unimaginable numbers and believe me they are enjoying themselves. Word on the street is that the beach is the place to be. New bathing suits. Non-stop paddle ball. Wind surfing. Tanning. You name it and people are doing it. The list of summer fun activities is endless. If you can, why not book your El Al place ticket right now! And if not, you can always hop on over to our website and check up on the latest in Israel Military Product’s newest gear. There is no better way to share in the summer fun than with a cool new IDF shirt. Take a look through the site and you will find we still have a great selection of IDF shirts including the elite Golani unit, the highly reputable Paratroopers, the formidable Air Force, and the much beloved and mysterious Mossad. Speaking of our fine new Mossad t-shirts, starting July 15th and continuing until July 19th is a very special IMP SALE. Every purchase you make over $10, you will receive a Mossad t-shirt for no additional charge. Here at Israeli Military Products we don’t want the summer fun to ever end. Now, don’t be afraid to express the bareness of your arms in any of our high quality, high in demand t-shirts. Just be ready to pass on the word when your friends eagerly ask where you got your awesome new t-shirt.

In other news, immigration of North American Jewry is at an all time high. This past month nearly 300 immigrants who made Aliyah through the Nefesh B’Nefesh program arrived in Israel. For us in Israel, we are always elated when our fellow Jews decide to make the big move to Israel. We look forward to their participation and contribution to greater good of Israeli society. It is a shame that someone of them missed the opportunity to serve in the IDF, a foundational Israeli experience, but here at IMP we will have no problem helping them find authentic army products to satisfy their appetite for the army experience.


On a less sunny note, but no less heat-ridden, Israeli politics are flaring wide. Newspaper headlines with the latest in Israeli news are rolling hot off the presses. You may or may not know, but Israel is currently embroiled in the midst of another confrontation with its Palestinian neighbors. Two weeks ago, an Israeli soldier was kidnapped by a Palestinian terrorist organization. A tragic occurrence at a time when Israel is doing more than ever to usher in peace and stop terrorist attacks against its people. Here’s one of the recent headlines from the Jerusalem Post: Mashaal: Shalit will be kept alive and be treated as POW. We are deeply concerned about his condition and we hope for his quick return home and to his family. Fortunately for Shalit, the IDF is doing everything in its power to rescue its soldier.

In response to continued Qassam rocket firings against Israeli towns such as Sderot and Ashkelon as well as the kidnapping of Cpl. Gilad Shalit, the IDF has been conducting military operations in Gaza to thwart terrorist organizations from having the opportunity to continue their attacks against Israel. Additionally, the IDF is strategically attacking key points in the Gaza Strip in order to hinder the movement of Shalit outside of Gaza. Thus far, the Israeli government as well as the IDF are generating a tremendous effort to retrieve Galit without causing any Palestinian casualties and without the intention of re-occupying the Gaza Strip.

At such strenuous times, it is always important to create a solidarity among those living in Israel and those living outside of the country. If you wish to express connection to Israel and those who are fighting for its security and well-being on a daily basis, please feel free to look at the variety