Israeli Initiative Rescues Furniture From Demolished Buildings to Promote Circular Economy
Eight years ago, interior designer Esti Achimeir witnessed the demolition of a building in Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, which sparked her concern over the destruction of valuable furniture and household items. Motivated by this experience and her ecological approach, Achimeir began exploring ways to salvage and repurpose furniture discarded during urban renewal projects, particularly under the TAMA 38 framework.
In 2022, together with Yael Steinberg, a psychology doctoral graduate and former Israeli Democracy Institute researcher, Achimeir co-founded Just a Second, a social-environmental enterprise dedicated to rescuing, restoring, and reselling secondhand furniture and home accessories. The initiative operates from a 400-square-meter space in a historic Tel Aviv building, formerly the first international bank, featuring a large secondhand store, workshop, café, and event space. The project also employs reservists and volunteers, providing therapeutic work restoring furniture, with profits donated to "For Tomorrow," an organization supporting soldiers with PTSD.
The founders secured access to buildings slated for demolition, such as those on Basel Street and the Great Synagogue on Allenby Street, where they salvaged hundreds of items including synagogue benches sold to communities in need. Their method involves efficient selective dismantling coordinated with residents and developers, using custom software to map and manage collections without delaying demolitions.
Just a Second collaborates with real estate developers and municipal authorities to integrate furniture salvage into urban renewal processes, helping developers earn ESG credits and enhance corporate responsibility. The founders aim to expand the model nationwide, advocating for systemic changes in waste management and promoting a circular economy in Israel.
Achimeir and Steinberg emphasize the growing public interest in vintage and restored items, countering the trend of discarding quality furniture for new purchases. They envision multiple centers across major Israeli cities where people can buy, repair, and create using salvaged materials, fostering sustainability and community engagement.
