The Excellence Center

Why choose The Excellence Center?

The Excellence Center/Engage in Palestine, established in June 2011, provides intensive Arabic Levantine/Palestinian programs, online Arabic lessons, and educational, cultural, social, and community development services to international students, interns, and volunteers, as well as to Palestinian children, refugees, women, and youth in Hebron, West Bank, Palestine.

The center's ongoing success inspired expansion to Germany, specifically in Halle, where since 2018, it has offered educational and community development programs for both locals and internationals. Both Centers have significantly impacted refugees, children, migrants, and local communities, as well as the diverse internationals who participate.

The Excellence Center firmly believes in the vital role education and cultural exchange play in Palestinian and German communities. It remains dedicated to creating and enhancing volunteer, internship, and community development programs to further this mission.

Website

excellencenter.org

Founded

2011

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Community Photos

Group photo at the Hebron Chamber of Commerce

Great excursion as part of the internship was getting up to stuff everyday, awesome learning experience

Life long friends - planning our return reunion

One of my favorite nights group dinner the center makes you feel like part of the family!

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Impact 🌎

Ethical Impact

With all our Arabic courses and volunteer programs, we aim to make a long term difference for the Palestinian local community through the exchange of ideas and “walking in each other’s shoes”. Our programs and courses foster shared learning, for both our community and you. During your Arabic course, you will get to learn so much more than just the language. You will also get to learn a lot about Palestinian culture and customs and the political situation in Palestine. Additionally, you will have many opportunities while outside the classroom to practice your Arabic in a natural and authentic way while navigating your new life in Hebron. Your time with us in Hebron will also provide you with many opportunities of cultural exchange and mutual learning, both with local Palestinians as well as with our other international participants.

Reviews

The Excellence Center is, well, excellent! The atmosphere for students and for volunteers is laid-back and low stress, but you will still learn a lot of German or Arabic by the end of your program. Muaz is a great teaches with a conversational and friendly approach to teaching. Additionally, he teaches all of the lessons at the beginning of your session so you can use what you have learned throughout the rest of the trip. The students who come to the Center are very eager to learn. Most of them speak Arabic and German and want to practice conversational English, which also helps you with your language studies. The Center has the people in its local community, and it is great to be a part of that.

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?

I would stay longer

Pros

Making new friends
Understanding other cultures
Helping the local community.

Cons

Non that I can think of!

I was in Palestine for five weeks. It has been one of the most wonderful experiences of my lifetime. I have met some incredible people here and have learnt so much about the experiences in the West Bank.

I would thoroughly recommend the programme to anyone who wants to come here to see what it is like. It is incredibly safe here (provided you are sensible), even with everything that has been happening with Iran. It has been an absolute joy to teach English at Al Fawwar camp, the girls there are super special and so sweet. I would also recommend going to Masafer Yatta for a few nights and helping to do the night shifts at the villages (as well as give any donations possible).

A big big thank you to Marwa and Osama for being so hospitable and ensuring that we all had a wonderful experience. I cannot forget to thank my arabic teacher Duha. She truly is the best teacher on the planet. She makes it incredibly fun to come for my lessons.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?

If you come here, I would really recommend travelling as much as possible to the other cities in Palestine, but I would really suggest going with a Palestinian guide if you are going to Nablus or Jenin. Since 7th October, there have not been many tourists there so it is safer to be with someone who is known in the city.

I also warn that it can be uncomfortable getting in and out of Palestine but to just say you're visiting Israel and have evidence to prove it (i.e. book accommodation that you can cancel and get a refund)

Pros

Hospitality at the Center
The variety of activities
The opportunity to help people in a hard situation

Cons

May be upsetting to hear what people go through
Israeli immigration
Some kids in the streets may be annoying

I decided to travel to Palestine to become involved with community activities and learn about Palestinian culture first hand. It was an overwhelming experience to witness the struggle and beauty of the Palestinian people. Despite the occupation these people continue to stand strong in their spirt and heart. We visited many people who shared their story and how they continue to overcome the many obstacles that most people take for granted. Articulating this experience is extremely difficult. The Palestinian experience is an experience you will never forget. My life has been forever changed and I hope one day to return.

The Excellence Center provided me with a safe environment, advice, laughter and joy of which I will neve forget. I encourage anyone thinking of coming to Palestine to visit the Excellence Center where you will be welcomed like family. I have made many friends in Palestine, local and abroad who will remain in my heart forever.

Thank you to the Excellence Center for all your hard work and generosity and allowing me to experience Palestine in all its beauty. May god bless us all.

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?

I would not change a thing

I was only able to come for one week but everyone in the program made that one week very worth it. I studied in Halle, and between my host family, cafes, classes, etc. I was totally immersed in a different culture with many opportunities to practice my german. The city is beautiful with lots to do for a student, I watched a german movie in the theater and went to a few of the many museums. Everything is quite affordable. The people in Halle don’t default to English as fast as I’ve heard they do elsewhere. My teacher was patient and attentive and the excellence center provided a sweet and supportive community to return to in a foreign city. I highly recommend this program for anyone looking to learn spoken german (or arabic!) in a very caring and beautiful environment

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?

Stay longer than a week. Take advantage of the extensive train systems nearby—take day trips to Leipzig and weekend trips to Prague. Halle is beautiful but it’s still a small European town.

Pros

Community
Great teachers
Beautiful town

Cons

Small town

I had such a great time spending a month with the Excellence Center! Having just graduated from university, I came to volunteer for the Human Rights internship which has been really enriching. I have met so many people working in the field from Palestine, but also lawyers abroad. I got to work on small HR projects, visit refugee camps and have gotten very in touch with overall the situation in Palestine.

I was originally a bit nervous about coming here considering the current tensions but have had such an amazing experience. Everyone in town is so welcoming and the city of Hebron is wonderful and extremely safe. Marwa and Osama have also been so great at making me feel welcome and at home. I've had such a interesting and comfortable time, I truly recommend it!

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?

I found it extremely interesting to see the effects of the current occupation on the livelihood of the people living here. Despite constant aggressions everyone is extremely positive, optimistic and so kind.

Pros

Hospitality of the Palestinian people
The variety of activities
The opportunity to help people in a hard situation

Cons

Wasn't prepared cold weather (my fault)
Israeli immigration

5.00 •5 reviews

The Intensive German Programs in 2025 at the Excellence Center in...

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Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Why did you choose this program?

When I saw the situation in Palestine I knew I needed to do something to help. The volunteer organizations in the US weren't really for me, but I had the time and the means to go help in person. I looked up volunteer opportunities and the Excellence Center had the best reputation. I found out its reputation is well-deserved!

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

The Excellence Center helped me with everything I needed. They gave me a flat, free breakfast, volunteer work, Arabic lessons, and guidance for anything else I asked about, including finding more work with other organizations.

All I organized on my own was getting other meals and traveling around Palestine independently.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

If you're coming to Palestine you need to be aware of the political situation. It sounds obvious, but one would-be volunteer had her visa denied because of her radicalism on social media. Don't do that. You're here to help - maybe by teaching kids English, or advocating for women's rights, or volunteering at a hospital. Don't get carried away.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

Your daily activities change as you spend more time in the program, but for a beginner: Eat breakfast with other volunteers at 10 AM, and study Arabic from 11 to 12 or 1. Then, go on a trip to somewhere in or near Hebron to learn about life in Palestine and experience the culture, do volunteer activities, and spend the evening studying and hanging out with other volunteers.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

My biggest fear when I came to Palestine was that I'd be a victim of the current situation - hurt or worse, by one side or the other. Talking to the other volunteers before I came eased my anxiety. After spending time here I feel my fears were unfounded. It's clear what places and situations are dangerous and as foreigners, we're free to avoid them.

You can volunteer in Palestine without having specific views about the situation. You don't have to have an opinion about Zionism, or the Nakba, or the war in Gaza, or anything else. If you see people suffering and you want to help then you'll be welcomed here. You'll be making the world a better place while experiencing a unique culture and learning a complicated, tragic history first-hand.

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Nicholas Lecchi

Rosalind Dyveke Dale

2019 Alum

Dana Visalli

Ellen Munk Ebbesen

2016 Alum

Jim Chandler

2015 Alum

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Many people who come to the Excellence Center with the goal of volunteering to teach English are curious about the teachers.

We thought it would be a good idea to sit down with one of the English teachers at the Excellence Center and ask him a little bit about himself, in order to give those thinking about studying at the Excellence Center a chance to learn a little bit more about the teachers they will encounter and work with in Hebron.

Meet Ibrahim Zahda, who started teaching at the Excellence Center as an English teacher 3 years ago.

What’s your daily routine like?

I split my time between the Excellence Center and a local public school. I’m an English teacher at both locations. Once I finish at the public school, then I head over to the Excellence Center.

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How do you like working with Palestinian students?

I really like working with them. These kids have something to tell the world. I want to give them the tools they need to deliver our message to the world. That message is simply that we are here and we believe in nonviolent resistance to the Israeli occupation.

How about foreign volunteers?

They help me a lot as teaching assistants. The help they provide basically falls under several levels. First, they empower the idea of volunteering to the students. Second, they help the students with their pronunciation and expose them to the way English is spoken by native speakers.

The cultural aspect of their presence is also important. Volunteers come from all over the world and bring new ideas and concepts to us. It helps the students learn about the ways other people think about problems and give them new perspectives with which to face their challenges. It’s not just the students, teachers also learn in this way from the volunteers.

What’s it like working with Marwa, Khitam, and the other staff members?

The working relationships at the Excellence Center are really great, everyone is kind and everyone is eager to help each other out. The people I work with feel more like family than coworkers.

What do you like to do when you’re not working?

You'll mostly find me playing football and computer games, I’m actually addicted to computer games (laughter).

What do you wish foreign volunteers knew before coming to Hebron?

I think the administration has provided a lot of good information for future and potential volunteers on their website. I would urge them (the volunteers) to learn about the center and its mission.

Most of the volunteers I’ve worked with have had a good idea of that part. Learning about the Palestinian culture beforehand would also be helpful.

What do you think are the biggest challenges for Palestinians trying to learn English?

There is this stereotype that English is an impossible language to learn. That really puts the students at a disadvantage so I try to break that stereotype and tell them that English is just like any other language. It is fun and can be learned.

Another challenge is that public schools in Palestine tend to focus on traditional teaching methods. In fact, newer methods which teach English in a practical way are needed. This is what the center is for, it emphasizes the students' speaking and listening abilities so that they can use English in the real world.

Website

Founded

Connect with us

Community Awards

Alumni Interviews

Simon Greenwood

Why did you choose this program?

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

Staff Interviews

Ibrahim Zahda

What’s your daily routine like?

How do you like working with Palestinian students?

How about foreign volunteers?

What’s it like working with Marwa, Khitam, and the other staff members?

What do you like to do when you’re not working?

What do you wish foreign volunteers knew before coming to Hebron?

What do you think are the biggest challenges for Palestinians trying to learn English?