: About Me

Judy Lash Balint is a Jerusalem-based journalist and writer and author of Jerusalem Diaries: In Tense Times. (Gefen) and Jerusalem Diaries II: What's Really Happening in Israel (Xulon Press 2007) She is a contributor to the 2006 and 2009 Fodor's Israel Guide as well as the Peace Fire anthology (Free Association Books) and The Expulsion from Gush Katif (Southern Hills Press).

She currently serves as communications coordinator for the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs (www.jcpa.org) headed by Dr. Dore Gold and  as the Jerusalem local expert for nileguide.com.

In 2003 Ms. Balint received the Mosaic Award for Excellence in Feature Writing about Israeli Peoplehood, Culture and Society and took second place in the Jerusalem Foundation's Excellence in Jerusalem Reporting contest.

Ms. Balint's work has appeared in the N.Y Post, Christian Science Monitor, Bookmarks Magazine, Jerusalem Post, Ha'aretz Magazine, The Forward, Seattle Times, Seattle P-I, Montreal Suburban, Moment Magazine, Jerusalem Report, World Jewish Digest, Whistleblower Magazine, Midstream, Bnai Brith International Jewish Monthly, London Jewish Chronicle, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Jewish Action, Emunah Magazine, Amit Magazine and numerous US Jewish weeklies.

Ms. Balint provides occasional commentary from Jerusalem for New Zealand Public Radio; the Dave Ross Show on Seattle's CBS affiliate, KIRO Radio, 710AM; KOMO NewsRadio, Seattle's ABC affiliate; the Lee Rodgers Show on KSFO/ABC Radio in San Francisco and ClareFM in Shannon, Ireland.

Ms. Balint earned an M.S.W and B.A from the University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Religion & Spirituality > Judaism Biblical festivals come to life in Jerusalem

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It’s 5:00 a.m on Shavuot morning and I’m having trouble finding an empty seat at any synagogue in Jerusalem’s Old City. Every synagogue is already packed as I make the mistake of lingering a few minutes too long at the Western Wall amongst the tens of thousands who have made their way there after a night of learning in honor of the holiday.  The atmosphere is light, almost light-headed you could say from lack of sleep, as young and old congratulate each other for making it through the night. Only the young yeshiva boys puffing away on cigarettes spoil the atmosphere....

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