Raanana is lucky to have several top quality second hand book shops each with a knowledgeable English speaking staff and a wide selection of English and Hebrew books and magazines.

The Owl Book Shop – (Hebrew – Yanshoof)

Address: 2 Hankin Street, near the corner of Ahuza Street.

Open Hours: Sunday – Thursday 10:00-20:00 and 09:00-15:00 on Friday

Tel: 077 5600434

Website: (Hebrew) http://www.yanshuf-books.co.il/

The Owl is the most recent addition to the Raanana second hand book shops, it is also perhaps the smallest although none other beats it for atmosphere. There is a down stairs section where you can order coffee and lounge around perusing the books. The Yanshoof bookstore holds book signings, lectures and other casual get togethers in their "martef" room down stairs. Don't expect organized shelves with books neatly lined up as the Owl store has piles of books all over the place, but rest assured the staff know where everything is.

About half of the Owl's books are in English, and you will notice strange figurines, action figures and owl statues and carvings adorning the shelves. The Owl second hand book shop in Raanana has the biggest selection of travel guide books that I have seen at any of the Raanana second hand book shops. The Owl bookshop in Raanana also has a very cheap bargain section with English novels at approximately 10 shekels each. The Owl second hand book shop in Raanana also sells computer games, Dungeons and Dragons products and accessories, Star Wars products and action figures, T-shirts, posters and other products for science fiction enthusiasts. This is the store to head to if you are a SiFi- Fantasy aficionado like the owner. It is possible to sell your books to the Owl second hand book store in exchange for credit; you can also buy books from their website.

The Owl second hand book shop in Raanana has for the most part high quality stock, and so on some books their prices are slightly higher than other second hand book stores in Raanana.

Book Shop Dina

Address: 8 Rambam Street (next to the municipal building just off Ahuza)

Open Hours: Sunday - Thursday 08:30-17:30, Friday 08:30-14:00

Tel: 09-7415620

Website:( Hebrew) http://www.bookshopdina.co.il/

Book Shop Dina is perhaps the oldest and best established second hand book store in Raanana, it is situated conveniently next to the municipal building just off Ahuza Street. What sets Book Shop Dina apart from the other second hand book stores is that it also sells new books, writing materials (pens, pencils, paper, diaries etc) and school books both new and used.

School books which are available at several book stores in Raanana are often unavailable or all sold out, so keep Book Shop Dina in mind if you can't find one of your kid's school books. Second hand school books (not workbooks) are bought at 25% of the original cost and sold at 45% of the original cost.

Book Shop Dina has English and Hebrew books as well as a smaller selection of Russian, Spanish and French there are also some collectors items and first additions. The children's section in Book Shop Dina appeals to me and there are always interesting coffee table books on display. You will find bargain bins with English books outside on the sidewalk.

Book Shop Dina is also perhaps the largest of the second hand book shops in Raanana, with shelves winding in and out, and yet it is very organized and the staff know where everything is. Book Shop Dina also buys books, as well as second hand school books (which they sell as well). You can buy books on the Book Shop Dina website and read about the latest events and evening lectures and readings being held. There is also an on line catalogue of stock on their website. You may even be served by Dina herself, a well known and respected Raanana resident. Book Shop Dina in Raanana is next door to the Salsa restaurant which is a perfect place to nurse a cup of coffee while paging through your new second hand books.

The Raanana ESRA Book Shop

Address: Beit Fisher, 5 Klausner Street

Open Hours: Sunday – Friday 09:30-13:00

Tel: 09 7482957

Website: ( English, this is the ESRA site not specifically for the book store) http://www.esra.org.il/esra-book-shop-raanana

The ESRA book Store has inconvenient open hours but makes up for it with it's low prices and the fact that all the proceeds go to charity, and all the staff are volunteers. ESRA book store is run by the English Speakers Residents Association an independent non-profit organization. If you are English speaking in Raanana and haven't heard of ESRA then you will be pleasantly surprised by all the activities and services they offer.

The ESRA book store books are predominantly English and all priced between 5 and 10 shekels. You will have to brows around and find what you are looking for yourself, but the staff are willing to help if they can. This Raanana book store does not buy books but gladly accepts donations of second hand books.

Raanana also has plenty of new book stores but you will be surprised how often you can find the book you are looking for a fraction of the new price in Raanana second hand book stores. Look here for other locations of second hand book stores in Israel.