Author of "WALK THE LAND"

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Judith Galblum Pex

Judith Galblum Pex was born in Washington, D.C., but has lived with her husband, John, in Eilat, Israel, since 1976. Twenty-six years ago John and Judith began The Shelter Hostel , a guest house for travelers from all over the world and a drop-in center for anyone searching for physical, emotional, or spiritual support. John, from Holland, is the pastor of the Eilat Congregation, a multi-cultural, non-denominational fellowship.
Judith and John are the parents of four grown children, two of whom are married. All the children live in Israel. In her free time Judith likes to read, hike and camp in the mountains around Eilat, and to snorkel in the Red Sea.

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author of
A People Tall and Smooth
Walk the Land: A Journey on Foot through Israel

Interview with Judy Pex:

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You have traveled much of the world. What are your favorite cities/places to visit?

Usually the latest place I've been becomes my favorite, though I prefer the more remote locations over large cities. The most moving experiences were visiting our two foster children whom we adopted through Compassion International - Jasmine (in Tamil Nadu, India) and Jule (in Rwanda). And another incredible experience was going with Galit, who is like an adopted daughter for us, back to the village in Gondar, Ethiopia where she was born. She had left there with her mother twenty years previously as a young girl and walked to Sudan from where they were air-lifted to Israel with Operation Moses.

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For people who have not yet read your book: What drew you to Israel?

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I was traveling around the world, searching for a purpose in life. After hitchhiking alone through Europe for a year, my goal was to reach India where I thought I would find a guru. I decided to stop in Israel on the way. I'm Jewish and have relatives here, so I thought it would be a comfortable place to rest before the big trip East. I never dreamed that Israel would become my home.

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How did you and John get started running a hostel?

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There are several reasons. Both of us had traveled a lot and felt that we understood what kind of place backpackers were looking for. At the time, no such hostel existed in Eilat. When we started the Shelter we had three children and couldn't travel as we used to, so a hostel enabled us to keep meeting people without leaving home. Furthermore, we have always opened up our home to guests and we really needed a hostel just to accomodate all the folks who were staying with us.

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Did you know you wanted to write a book about your journey on the Israel Trail before you hiked it, or was it a decision you made afterward?

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Before we walked the Israel Trail I had started a book about our experience in running the Shelter Hostel. So writing a book was on my mind. I thought that our journey on the Trail would be a good subject for a book, so I kept a diary of our walk for that purpose.

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What, besides walking, do you do for fun and relaxation?

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Sometimes we just go out to the desert, either the two of us, with our kids, or with friends, for a meal or to sleep out, without walking. For about six months of the year I go swimming nearly every day in the Red Sea. I love looking at the fish and the corals and it's my exercise.

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You find many parallels between your walk on the Shvil Israel (the Israel Trail) and your spiritual walk.

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I love maps and when I'm hiking I enjoy checking the map often. That way, even if I get off the path, I can't stray too far. I make sure I read my Bible every day also to keep me on the right path for my life. Another lesson I thought of is that sometimes on a hike we come to a crossroads and have to make a decision about which way to go. Once we've chosen a particular trail, I try to be satisfied and appreciate it. Even if it isn't what I'd thought, I can always enjoy and learn something from it.

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When you're not out hiking and camping, what is one of your favorite meals/foods?

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We eat simple, healthy food -- lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, and fish.

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Which languages do you speak?

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Besides English, I speak Hebrew and Dutch (John is from Holland), fluently, and some French, which I studied in school.

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Do you have a favorite Bible verse?

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I have many favorites, but there's one special chapter -- Isaiah 53. In verse 6 is the key: "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." It is amazing how clearly Isaiah speaks about the Messiah here, 700 years before Yeshua, Jesus, was born. Many Israelis, when they read this chapter for the first time, think they are reading a portion of the New Testament.

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What would people be surprised to know about you?

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When people meet me today they are often surprised to hear I was a hippy/traveler and that I lived for three years in Alaska in an Eskimo village above the Arctic Circle.

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What were the biggest challenges and rewards in raising four children in Israel?

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Our oldest son was born our first year in this country, and I had no family and no fellowship of believers in Eilat. I think that raising children in a different culture than the one you grew up in is always a challenge. But, on the other hand, raising children anywhere isn't easy. All four of our children served in the Israeli Defense Forces which also presented challenges. I am thankful to have raised them in an international, multi-cultural environment. They feel very Israeli, but have three passports and are citizens of the world. The best part is seeing them develop into independent adults whom I enjoy being with.

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This page last updated 3-19-2011

	*Interview with Judy Pex*: -------------
	You have traveled much of the world. What are your favorite cities/places to visit?
	Usually the latest place I've been becomes my favorite, though I prefer the more remote locations over large cities. The most moving experiences were visiting our two foster children whom we adopted through Compassion International - Jasmine (in Tamil Nadu, India) and Jule (in Rwanda). And another incredible experience was going with Galit, who is like an adopted daughter for us, back to the village in Gondar, Ethiopia where she was born. She had left there with her mother twenty years previously as a young girl and walked to Sudan from where they were air-lifted to Israel with Operation Moses. -----------
	For people who have not yet read your book: What drew you to Israel? -------
	I was traveling around the world, searching for a purpose in life. After hitchhiking alone through Europe for a year, my goal was to reach India where I thought I would find a guru. I decided to stop in Israel on the way. I'm Jewish and have relatives here, so I thought it would be a comfortable place to rest before the big trip East. I never dreamed that Israel would become my home. -------
	How did you and John get started running a hostel? -------
	There are several reasons. Both of us had traveled a lot and felt that we understood what kind of place backpackers were looking for. At the time, no such hostel existed in Eilat. When we started the Shelter we had three children and couldn't travel as we used to, so a hostel enabled us to keep meeting people without leaving home. Furthermore, we have always opened up our home to guests and we really needed a hostel just to accomodate all the folks who were staying with us. -------
	Did you know you wanted to write a book about your journey on the Israel Trail before you hiked it, or was it a decision you made afterward? -------
	Before we walked the Israel Trail I had started a book about our experience in running the Shelter Hostel. So writing a book was on my mind. I thought that our journey on the Trail would be a good subject for a book, so I kept a diary of our walk for that purpose. -------
	What, besides walking, do you do for fun and relaxation? -------
	Sometimes we just go out to the desert, either the two of us, with our kids, or with friends, for a meal or to sleep out, without walking. For about six months of the year I go swimming nearly every day in the Red Sea. I love looking at the fish and the corals and it's my exercise. -------
	You find many parallels between your walk on the Shvil Israel (the Israel Trail) and your spiritual walk. -------
	I love maps and when I'm hiking I enjoy checking the map often. That way, even if I get off the path, I can't stray too far. I make sure I read my Bible every day also to keep me on the right path for my life. Another lesson I thought of is that sometimes on a hike we come to a crossroads and have to make a decision about which way to go. Once we've chosen a particular trail, I try to be satisfied and appreciate it. Even if it isn't what I'd thought, I can always enjoy and learn something from it. -------
	When you're not out hiking and camping, what is one of your favorite meals/foods? -------
	We eat simple, healthy food -- lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, and fish. -------
	Which languages do you speak? -------
	Besides English, I speak Hebrew and Dutch (John is from Holland), fluently, and some French, which I studied in school. -------
	Do you have a favorite Bible verse? -------
	I have many favorites, but there's one special chapter -- Isaiah 53. In verse 6 is the key: "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." It is amazing how clearly Isaiah speaks about the Messiah here, 700 years before Yeshua, Jesus, was born. Many Israelis, when they read this chapter for the first time, think they are reading a portion of the New Testament. -------
	What would people be surprised to know about you? -------
	When people meet me today they are often surprised to hear I was a hippy/traveler and that I lived for three years in Alaska in an Eskimo village above the Arctic Circle. -------
	What were the biggest challenges and rewards in raising four children in Israel? -------
	Our oldest son was born our first year in this country, and I had no family and no fellowship of believers in Eilat. I think that raising children in a different culture than the one you grew up in is always a challenge. But, on the other hand, raising children anywhere isn't easy. All four of our children served in the Israeli Defense Forces which also presented challenges. I am thankful to have raised them in an international, multi-cultural environment. They feel very Israeli, but have three passports and are citizens of the world. The best part is seeing them develop into independent adults whom I enjoy being with.