Only in Israel

The Jerusalem Shoe Store

Today, Sunday July 21 2024, I went to Jerusalem to buy shoes. The last time I went shopping for shoes was at least 7-10 years ago. I do not remember the date but I remember the store which had very good customer service and sold me very good and comfortable shoes.

As I bought new shoes (and house shoes), I mentioned to the owner that I was a repeat customer and I remembered the place from my last shopping. I asked him how old was the store? He smiled and said 70 years old. From 1954 till today, three generations have been running the store.
Wow! I wonder if my mother z"l, who was born and raised in Jerusalem, would have known the store.

When I was preparing to leave, the owner took out a photo and asked me if I can recognize it. I did not. It was a photo of the British army recruiting office from 1940. In the photo you can see recruitment posters and on the left of the storefront is a British flag.

In the same spot, 44 Jaffa Street, that today stands Khalifa Shoes, in 1940 there was a British army recruiting office.

This ranks pretty high on my Only in Israel shopping stories.