Walk the Land: A Journey on Foot through Israel

by Judith Galblum Pex

'I wholeheartedly recommend Walk the Land for its glimpses of the people, history, and beauty of the land, and for the author's spiritual insights,' said Jeremiah Greenberg in The Messianic Times.
After years of running a hostel in Eilat, Israel, the author and her husband, feeling a need for renewal, decided to hike the 600-mile Israel National Trail. Judith describes their 42-day trek through spectacular scenery, Arab towns and villages, past Jewish, Muslim, Druze, and Christian holy sites. They encounter sights seldom seen by tourists, physical challenges and spiritual tests, cultural encounters and historical insights. They learn lessons about peace, faith, and endurance. This book is for readers interested in the geography and people of Israel and the Middle East, hiking trails of the world, and stories of middle-aged people taking risks and pursuing adventures. Included are 16 pages of color photos of scenes from the Trail.

Genres: Travel, Memoir, Adventure

258 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2007

About the author

Judith Pex was born in Washington, D.C. and lived there until she was 18 years old. She lived 3 years in Alaska and then spent a year backpacking through Europe before landing in Israel in 1973. Judith fell in love with Israel, the Bible, and John from Holland (in that order).

After marrying and living with John for a year in the U.S., they immigrated to Israel in 1976 and have made it their home since then. They have 4 grown children and 7 grandchildren.

Judith and John have been running a hostel/guest house/ drop-in center for nearly 30 years called the Shelter Hostel. Nine years ago they felt they needed a break, and combining their love of the land of Israel with their passion for hiking, they walked the 1000 km (600 mile) Israel Trail. This became the inspiration for Judith's first book, "Walk the Land - A Journey on Foot through Israel."

More than a regular hostel, The Shelter welcomes people from all backgrounds and to serve their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. When Sudanese refugees fleeing from the civil war in their country arrived in Eilat, Judith and John welcomed them in the hostel and became very involved with them, which led to Judith's second book, "A People Tall and Smooth - Stories of Escape from Sudan to Israel."

Her third book, the story of the Shelter Hostel is due to be published in December.

Reviews

[Rich · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the privilege of meeting John and Judy Pex when I along with some friends stayed at their Eilat-based hostel, The Shelter, in the early 1990s. This delightful travelogue follows the Pexes — Judy is a Messianic Jew (Jewish person who believes Jesus is the Messiah), John a non-Jewish Dutch-born Christian — as they decide to walk the "Israel Trail," a 600-mile long marked hiking route that covers the length of the country. They attempted and completed the trail in their late fifties, no easy feat. The book describes both the ever-changing terrain and the wide variety of people they encounter along the way, from fellow trekkers to Bedouins and Druze to official trail guides and young schoolchildren. Historical vignettes and spiritual parallels to the hiking life are interspersed. I came away nearly challenged to get in shape and walk the trail, called in Hebrew the Shvil, for myself. Readers interested in the geography of Israel or hiking will enjoy the lively volume, accompanied by an assortment of full-color photographs.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting account of a couple's trek on the Israel Trail. Besides describing the physical challenges, the author also writes about her journey of faith, her relationship with her husband, and includes historical details about the sites situated along the trail.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Walk the Land" describes the travels of a middle aged couple as they hike the Israel Trail from the south of Israel to the north. It's not a hiking guide--the author didn't directly talk about what to bring or give hiking tips, though some of that information can be gleaned from the narrative. And while you can pick up information about what the land looks like and what hiking it is like, the narrative really focused on relationships.

She talked about how the lessons she learned on the trail were related to her walk with Christ. She talked about the various people they met on the trail and what they talked with them about (which was mainly about the upcoming trail and the fact that the author and her husband believe in Jesus as the Jewish Messiah). And she talked about the challenges of hiking with her husband--since they have very different personalities--and how it strengthened their relationship.

Overall, I found the book interesting and worth reading, though I'd been hoping for a more detailed description of the land. I'd recommend this book to those interested in the culture, the places, and the people of Israel.


I received this book as a review copy from the publisher.

[Efraim Goldstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just got back from 5 days on the Israel Trail. I could not have done it without the help of this book. Even more important both Judy and John helped me organize the trip, acoompanied me and got others to join with me. They dont just write about the "Shvil" , they live it!

[Malsam - ملسم · Rating 4 out of 5]

كتاب مُميز ومُثير .. فيه تروي لنا الكاتبة حكاية رحلة في الطبيعة .. في مسار البلاد (فلسطين المحتلة) من أم الرشراش وحتى جبل الشيخ .. فنتعرف من خلاله على معالم بلادنا الجغرافية ... وبالمقابل تطلعناعلى رحلة مع النفس ... تجربة روحانية
تمثل علاقتها بالله ... ورحلة أخرى تمثل علاقتها بشريك الحياة

أعجبتني جدًا المقابلة بين الرحلات المختلفة.. فهي تأكد على ارتباطنا بالأرض والطبيعة ... فندرك معانٍ أعمق للوطن وللتأمل والتقرب من الله وإلى فهم الحياة !

قراءة الكتاب كان مُمتعة جدًا ... والأجمل كان يوم مشيًا جزءًا صغيرًا من المسار، لنعيش التجربة على أرض الواقع !


* ملاحظة - قراءتي للكتاب كانت باللغة العبرية

[Alison]

kindle - travel stories

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not incredible writing, but the experiences and geography are well told. An enjoyable read.