Yesterday, on my monthly errands day, where I, as a lone soldier, am entitled to a day each month to get my errands done, traveled to Tel Aviv and did some shopping there, also getting a chance to spend some time in the big city. I was looking to buy many things, and one of those being a flag.
In 2.5 weeks from now, I will be walking 50 kilometers up the hills into Jerusalem on my Masa Kumta, where I will end at ammunition hill in Jerusalem and receive the coveted red beret, the symbol one has finished training and is finally a serving paratrooper. As a part of the tradition, many soldiers hold a flag over themselves as they walk, and mainly through the final stage of the trek as they are entering Jerusalem. I, as this is that one opportunity, thought it would be good to do the same.
I looked up flag stores on the internet the day before heading to Tel Aviv, and I found this one shop called Weizman Nageris Flags, a three minute walk from Shuk Hacarmel. Every other store I found was a store that also selled flags, but this was a store that only sold flags.
*Outside picture of the store
After arriving in Tel Aviv, and completing some other shopping, I eventually made it to this store located on Brenner Street. I entered the small hole in the wall, and there I entered into this little store with shelves filled with folded flags from the floor to the ceiling. There were boxes of categories, where one can buy most any flag they could want.
I asked for an American and Israeli flag infusion, where the two blend into one another. He knew what I was talking about, but unfortunately that seemed to be the one flag he didn't have. So he then said "oh you are from America, I don't have that flag but I could sell you a Trump flag." When I said no he chuckled a little and said "I also have a Biden flag, I have it all."
But he knew what the Masa Kumta was, and understood that a US presidential campaign flag wasn't suiting for the event. He told me that many people carry their units flag, as he seemed like someone who has sold a flag or two to soldiers before their masa kumta, and so he took out his army box. He found me a very nice Tzanhanim (paratroopers) flag, and I knew that was the one.
*Tzanhanim flag I bought
I decided on the flag, and after seeing I was a soldier and "a nice person," he took the price down from 60 shekels to 50. For all I know it could have been 50 beforehand, but I took the offer.
We continued talking, and myself being fascinated with this little hole in the wall in the center of Tel Aviv, only selling flags, asked about the history. They told me that the wife's parents were the original owners and founders of this store, opening up shop in 1948! 1948 I thought, wow that's crazy!! This little flag shop, selling nothing but flags, with the sweetest two owners, has withstood the test of time, surviving as long as this country has been alive.
If any store deserves a shoutout, it's this little mom and pop shop that deserves to live on forever. As long as Am Yisrael Chai (the nation of Israel lives), so will this store. And with that I'll catch y'all at my final ceremony.
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