About IMP

Welcome to our newly-relaunched website, our on-line catalog of original Israeli army surplus, army surplus, T-Shirts and IDF equipment and memorabilia. Our experts have selected the finest products available for the IDF, all original and of the highest quality. Many of these items have been battle-tested in the volatile Middle-East and are exclusively available through our website, or from our store Crazy Richard in Dizengof Center, Tel Aviv.

Our History – IMP, The Original Online IDF Surplus Store

Crazy Richard was started in 1978 by Andy Hauerstock, a new immigrant (Oleh Hadash) to Israel from Montreal, Canada. Originally situated in Kikar Atarim Tel Aviv, a few years later Andy moved the store to its present location in Dizengof Center, the first and largest shopping center in downtown Tel Aviv, where it has become a landmark to locals and tourists alike over the years.

At the start of the internet revolution Andy, ever the visionary, moved his inventory online and in 1997 he launched the first version of www.IsraelMilitary.com, the original online IDF Surplus Store (also known as IMP).

Since then, IsraelMilitary.com has evolved and undergone several upgrades, and now at the end of 2009 we have launched our latest version. This new version of our website offers our many customers worldwide the very best in eCommerce shopping features, online security and additional enhancements, and we are proud to continue our tradition of excellence in customer service.

We are also proud to boast many thousands of customers from every corner of the world, who return time and time again to both Crazy Richard in Dizengof Center, and to our online store www.IsraelMilitary.com (IMP).

Sadly, Andy passed away in 2006 after a long illness, but the family legacy continues, with his wife Bat-Sheva and children Yonatan and Anushka continuing both Crazy Richard and IsraelMilitary.com in his name.

As always, your questions, comments or special requests are always welcome, and we would love to hear your feedback on our new website!

About The Team

From our humble beginnings in 1978 until today, many dedicated individuals have given their invaluable contribution to our stores. In particular, we would like to mention:

• Sgt. (Res) David Goodman, a volunteer to the IDF from New York, who served in the Golani Brigade. David holds degrees in Political Science and is now an expert in counter terrorism research and policy.
• Sgt. (Res) Tamir Sinai, who served in the paratroopers and who holds a Masters Degree from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Tamir currently lectures all over the world about counter terrorism.
• Mary, a beautiful Scottish girl who met and married an Israeli, and who worked with Andy for many years in the Kikar Atarim and Dizengof stores.

Today, Crazy Richard and IsraelMilitary.com are both still owned and run by the Hauerstock family. To answer your questions, dispatch your orders and help you with any special requests, we are personally on hand to assist you with whatever you need:

• Bat-Sheva – Andy's wife has been involved in the business from day one, and is well known to hundreds of our customers.
• Yonatan – Andy's son. Yonatan served in the IDF Spokespersons Unit and international liaison during his 3 years of Israeli army service. He holds a BA degree in cinema from Tel Aviv University.
• Anushka – Andy's daughter. Anushka served in the Israeli Air Force in Public Relations. Anushka completed her BA in Philosophy and Journalism from Tel Aviv University.

We continue to add many new items and products, and continue to provide you with the best service and keep the connection between you, the IDF and Israel.

About Andy

Andy always had a great love and patriotism for Israel, and combined with his vision, sociability and dynamic approach to life, he was a much-loved and well-known figure who is remembered by the many people whose lives he touched.

Andy was born in Budapest in 1946. His parents, survivors of Raul Wallenberg during WW2, escaped the Communist revolution and arrived in Montreal, Canada in 1956. He attended McGill University in Montreal, earning a number of degrees including an MBA in mathematics, physics, economics and Business Administration. Andy immigrated to Israel in 1977 where he served in the IDF as an artillery and anti-aircraft sergeant. He was in charge of identifying incoming aircraft and had a detailed knowledge of all types of aircraft… a passion which he passed on to his son Yonatan.

The IDF always remained close to Andy's heart, and as well as opening the first and original IDF military surplus store, over the years Andy also adopted many "Chayelim Bodedim" – lone soldiers who have immigrated to Israel without their families, volunteering in the IDF.

Andy was well-read with many diverse interests, and had many friends from all over the world. He was fluent in French, English, Hungarian, Yiddish, Hebrew and German, and was often described by his friends as a "walking encyclopedia." Passionate, creative and forward-thinking, he designed many of our original T-shirt designs, some of which are still best-sellers 20 years later. Some of Andy's T-shirts have attained iconic status and versions and copies can be found all over the world – e.g. "Uzi Does It", "America, Don't Worry Israel Is Behind You", " My job is so secret -I don't even know what I'm doing ", etc. In fact in the industry, Andy was known as "King of the T-shirts."

Andy sponsored one of the very first Israeli baseball teams, and the Crazy Richard baseball team still operates to this day.

Sadly, after a long battle with cancer, Andy passed away in 2006. He is still very much missed. Andy's wife, two children and his loyal staff have continued in his footsteps and Crazy Richard and IsraelMilitary.com are still owned and run by the Hauerstock family.