Sarejevo, January 2024.

Hello! I’m Abby Seitz (she/her), and I’m an American writer/editor based in Jerusalem.

I’m passionate about press freedom, news literacy, citizen journalism and the power of cross-border OSINT investigations.

I have reported on Israel/Palestine and Jewish identity for The Washington Post, Teen Vogue, Refinery29, Jewish Currents, Radio New Zealand and others. I was the associate editor at My Jewish Learning for three years, where I made ancient knowledge more accessible by combining best practices in digital storytelling and audience engagement.

view the PDF version of my resume by clicking here

education

BA, Multimedia Journalism
Columbia College Chicago
Chicago, IL, USA | Aug. 2014 - May 2017
Concentration: Sports Reporting
Minor: Public Relations

Semester at Sea
ISE / accredited by Colorado State University
MV World Odyssey | Fall 2016
» Traveled to 12 countries in Europe, Africa and the Americas by ship while completing experiential coursework in comparative global studies, mass communication, science journalism and international relations
» Selected as Global Journalism & Integrated Communications Fellow

languages

  • American English: Native

  • British English: Working knowledge

  • Hebrew: Intermediate + actively improving

memberships

  • National Writer’s Union
    2025 - present

  • n-ost
    2025 - present

  • ACES: The Society for Editing
    2024 - present

  • Study Hall XYZ
    2018 - present

  • Binders
    2016 - present

  • Association for Women in Sports Media
    2010 - 2015

experience

Associate Editor 70 Faces Media
Remote, Jerusalem | Oct. 2021 - Oct. 2024
» Researched and wrote encyclopedic articles related to Jewish history, religion and culture for My Jewish Learning
» Grew main subscription list to 210k from 144k
» Doubled Instagram following; also managed MJL Facebook, Threads and Twitter/X presence
» Commissioned and edited freelance articles
» Uploaded articles and multimedia content to CMS; ensured evergreen content was regularly updated and optimized for search

Freelance Writer/Editor Self-Employed
Jerusalem | Jan. 2020 - Oct. 2021
» gigs included reporting for international news media; proofreading manuscripts; content writing and SEO research for an online retailer

Copy Editor, Print Edition The Jerusalem Post
Jerusalem | Sept. 2019 - Jan. 2020

Jewish Studies Fellow Conservative Yeshiva
Jerusalem | Sept. 2018 - June 2019

Staff Writer JUF News
Chicago, IL, USA | April 2017 - Aug. 2018

Opinion Editor The Columbia Chronicle
Chicago, IL, USA | Oct. 2014 - Dec. 2015
» previously Sports & Health Reporter and Contributing Writer

Contributing Sportswriter The Fauquier Times
Warrenton, VA, USA | Nov. 2008 - Aug. 2013
» Successfully secured first freelance reporting gig as a seventh grader by cold-calling the sports editor and asking for the chance to write
» Covered high school games, human interest features and local events for sports section from ages 12 to 17

technical skills

  • Editing: AP Style, Chicago Style, creating and maintaining house style guide, headline writing, caption writing, English localization

  • Fact-checking: authenticating sources; verifying multimedia using InVid, WeVerify and similar OSINT tools; geolocation, digital backgrounding

  • Multimedia design: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, Canva, CapCut, Final Cut Pro

  • Social media management: Buffer, Later, Meta Business Suite, Hootsuite, Sprout Social, TweetDeck, YouTube Studio, Zoom live-streaming

  • CMS + digital production: HTML, Wordpress, Shorthand, Squarespace, Wix, Maropost, Mailchimp, building automated journeys, A/B testing, shooting/editing video for social media, voiceover narration, captioning, transcription

  • SEO and audience engagement: Google Analytics, Parse.ly, CrowdTangle, Semrush, keyword research, building relationships with influencers, social media strategy

ongoing education

  • How Any Journalist Can Earn Trust
    Poytner - March 2025

  • OSINT + Digital Investigative Techniques to Supercharge Your Reporting
    Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas - Feb. 2025

  • Digital Investigative Techniques - Basics
    AFP - Oct. 2024

  • Journalism and Trauma
    Poynter - Oct. 2024

  • Master-level coursework in history, anthropology and politics of Israel-Palestine
    Hebrew University of Jerusalem - Oct. 2020-21, 36 credit hours

 

Street art in the Nachlaot neighborhood of West Jerusalem, 2018.

The 2023 Dyke March in Tel Aviv.

As a journalist, I chronicle the intersection of identity, religion and culture in Israel-Palestine and the Jewish diaspora.

A Palestinian farmer harvesting olives in Turmus Ayya, Oct. 2022.

Dubrovnik, Feb. 2024: A monument to Pavo Urban, a photojournalist killed while covering the 1991 shelling.

A solo trip to Sofia, Bulgaria in Jan. 2024.

I’m also interested in backpacking, veganism, public history, collective memory and global cultures.

I’ve written feature articles about the secret vegan aisle at grocery stores, Jewish pilgrimage sites, and maritime equator-crossing traditions. On social media, I’ve guided audiences through synagogues in Sofia and Sarajevo, museums in Brussels and Istanbul, and 7-Eleven’s short-lived run in Tel Aviv.

I have traveled to 46 countries across Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, West Africa and the Americas. I have spent significant time in Ireland, the Balkans and Israel-Palestine exploring narrative formation, collective memory and citizen journalism in societies affected by ethnic conflict. You can track some of my travels here and through the photos below.

work exchange / volunteer

Co-Founder & Gabbai, Boneh Yerushalyim Chavurah
Jerusalem | May 2021 - present

Juror, Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
Remote | 2025

Volunteer, MLHR Farm Animal Sanctuary
Clonard, Ireland | Nov. 2024 - Dec. 2024

Member, Imbala cooperative vegan cafe
Jerusalem | Aug. 2019 - Jan. 2024
» Managed all aspects of cafe’s trilingual Instagram and Facebook presence, including designing graphics, shooting photos/videos, strategizing audience and customer engagement, and replying to online inquiries
» Designed and led trainings for English-speaking human rights activists and citizen journalists on documentation and safety best practices in Jerusalem and the West Bank
» Worked 1-2 barista shifts per month

Winter Caretaker, Sadeh Jewish Farm
London, UK | Dec. 2023 - Jan. 2024
» Cared for rescue chickens and assisted with operational tasks (mail, cleaning, etc.)

Volunteer English Editor, Maki Jerusalem
Jerusalem | 2021 - 2023
» Proofread and localized press releases and statements translated from Hebrew to English

Pomegranate Farmhand, Eitan’s Orchard
Beer Milka, Israel | Oct. 2020 - Dec. 2020

awards & honors

  • John T. Fischetti Award Columbia College Chicago, 2017

  • Achievement Award Columbia College Chicago, 2014

  • Trustee’s Award Columbia College Chicago, 2014

  • Silver Medal Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, 2013