The Excellence Center Reviews

I found the Excellence Center on the internet and after reading the reviews of other students and volunteers, I chose to come here or two weeks for the Intensive Arabic in the Laventine/Shaami accent. I've been to Jerusalem before so I knew what to expect at the airport. After couple of hours of wait and a few questions, I was given 1 month Israeli visa (a separate piece of paper and not a passport stamp).

Getting from the airport to Hebron (via Damascus Gate) was easy and cheap in a shared taxi. When I arrived in the Excellence Center, I was greeted by Usama and Marwa who welcomed me and took me to my accommodation which was about 30 mins walk from the center. I had the option of getting taxi but I really enjoyed the daily walk to and from the center.

I was in a class with two other students who were at similar level - one from Spain and another from Italy. We had all studied Fusha before and were attempting to learn to speak in Aamiyah. The lessons were well structured and all teaching was in Aamiyah Arabic.

While it was difficult at first, our teacher really helped us slowly progress. We practiced speaking, writing, listening and writing. By the end of the first week, I started to get more comfortable with the accent and felt confident enough to try speaking with the local shopkeepers and kids around the Excellence Center.

I would highly recommend the Arabic program. There is only so much one can learn in 2 weeks and I wish I was able to stay longer.

Before I came to Hebron, everyone was concerned about my safety. Besides the Arabic, I visited Jerusalem, Bethlehem's apartheid wall, Bitteer Valley, Refugee camp, Dar Sara Monastery near the Dead sea, Old Hebron market and Ibrahimi Masjid (areas under Israeli control). At no point did I ever feel unsafe or uneasy. As long as I showed my passport and visa, I was able to go through various checkpoints without issue.

Everyone at the Excellence Center is extremely friendly and helpful. I cannot thank Usama enough for personally helping me with some charitable activities that I had requested privately. Marwa also randomly invited me to her house for tea and sometimes for dinner.

If you're looking for Arabic program you will not be disappointed with the teaching here.

I found the Excellence Center on the internet and after reading the reviews of other students and volunteers, I chose to come here or two weeks for the Intensive Arabic in the Laventine/Shaami accent. I've been to Jerusalem before so I knew what to expect at the airport. After couple of hours of wait and a few questions, I was given 1 month Israeli visa (a separate piece of paper and not a passport stamp).

Getting from the airport to Hebron (via Damascus Gate) was easy and cheap in a shared taxi. When I arrived in the Excellence Center, I was greeted by Usama and Marwa who welcomed me and took me to my accommodation which was about 30 mins walk from the center. I had the option of getting taxi but I really enjoyed the daily walk to and from the center.

I was in a class with two other students who were at similar level - one from Spain and another from Italy. We had all studied Fusha before and were attempting to learn to speak in Aamiyah. The lessons were well structured and all teaching was in Aamiyah Arabic.

While it was difficult at first, our teacher really helped us slowly progress. We practiced speaking, writing, listening and writing. By the end of the first week, I started to get more comfortable with the accent and felt confident enough to try speaking with the local shopkeepers and kids around the Excellence Center.

I would highly recommend the Arabic program. There is only so much one can learn in 2 weeks and I wish I was able to stay longer.

Before I came to Hebron, everyone was concerned about my safety. Besides the Arabic, I visited Jerusalem, Bethlehem's apartheid wall, Bitteer Valley, Refugee camp, Dar Sara Monastery near the Dead sea, Old Hebron market and Ibrahimi Masjid (areas under Israeli control). At no point did I ever feel unsafe or uneasy. As long as I showed my passport and visa, I was able to go through various checkpoints without issue.

Everyone at the Excellence Center is extremely friendly and helpful. I cannot thank Usama enough for personally helping me with some charitable activities that I had requested privately. Marwa also randomly invited me to her house for tea and sometimes for dinner.

If you're looking for Arabic program you will not be disappointed with the teaching here.

Hello, my name is Audria, and I am from the United States. I have two bachelor’s degrees in International Studies and Middle Eastern Languages & Cultures from Indiana University. During my time at the Excellence Center in Palestine, I participated in the Teach English & Study Arabic program. As an English teacher, I gave multiple private lessons and taught large classrooms with students of all ages and levels. In addition to preparing for lessons and teaching certain classes, I gave a presentation on the experience of teaching for other English teachers at the center.

As for my Arabic courses, I had one or two lessons per week with an Arabic instructor. These courses helped me learn more about the Palestinian dialect and Ammiya Arabic as a whole.

I visited a few sites with the Human Rights Program, including a trip to the Governor’s Office and the Hebron Municipality. Additionally, I went on a few trips with the entire Center, which included a site visit to a mountainous area where we ate dinner together.

The Excellence Center’s environment is very open, caring, and easy-going. The staff and faculty are always willing to answer your questions and take care of your concerns. The Center is quite lenient with your schedule and available to your suggestions and recommendations. Other volunteers are nice and tolerant, as most of them come to Palestine with a similar sense of curiosity, adventure, interest, and respect.

Throughout my time in Palestine, I visited several cities and places. I traveled to Ramallah, Jerusalem, Nablus, and Bethlehem. I visited more southern parts of Palestine with my host family. The host family I stayed with was lovely and very welcoming. Through living with a family from Hebron, in Hebron, I was given a full immersion to the culture and the language.

In regard to safety, I felt very safe in Hebron and Palestine at-large. Other than normal uncertainties and moments of hyper-awareness that are expected with any travel experience, my time in Palestine was safe and secure.

My favorite thing about Palestine is the people, the Palestinians. Of course, the food and the environments are delightful, but the people are what make Palestine great. My favorite stories are simply of the many laughs and moments I had with the friends I made through the fellow interns and volunteers at the Center.

Overall, my experience in Palestine and with the Excellence Center was beautiful and lovely. I thoroughly enjoyed my time. I highly recommend this experience to others, especially those that want to fully immerse themselves in the culture, language, and the environment.

My knowledge of Arabic was limited to the basics before I came to Hebron. I had taken language classes for two semesters in college and wanted to learn the spoken language. I decided to take the intensive course with 20 hours of classes per week. I learned a lot during the two weeks at the center. My teacher was great and taught me a lot of new things. She used creative teaching methods and sometimes in the afternoon instead of going to the classroom we went to a coffee shop or sat down at the soccer field close to the center.
Not only my teacher, but also the rest of the team at the center was great. The atmosphere there is very pleasant.
The center organized several excursions: we visited the old town, a weaving mill and went hiking near Bethlehem for a day.
During the two weeks I lived with a host family. I lived on one floor of the house with another student. We played with the children, talked with the adults and were able to improve our Arabic easily. The family also took us to visit relatives, showed us culinary highlights and the best places in the city. Their hospitality was amazing! We even got to spend the holidays with them and kept meeting new parts of the family.
Hebron is a bustling city. People are very welcoming. You often hear them shouting "Welcome to Palestine!" They are also incredibly helpful. We lived just outside the center and took the bus sometimes. The bus drivers always took the time to make sure we were on the right bus and got to our destination.
At no time did I feel unsafe. In the city, people want to talk to you from time to time. They are usually interested about where you are from and what you are doing in Hebron. I never felt uncomfortable at any time.
I enjoyed my stay very much and will definitely come back to Hebron!

My name is Elisha. I am from the United States and have a degree in English and Intercultural Studies. I participated in the Intensive Arabic program at the Excellence Center.

During my time at the center I was able to enjoy time with other participants and staff over breakfast, join a tour around the old city of Hebron, and go on a trip to explore a monastery and spring near Bethlehem with the Excellence Center community. My time in Arabic classes was very enjoyable and challenged me to use new vocabulary and communicate useful information about daily life and my experiences. My teacher went at a great pace throughout the lessons and had fun activities planned to help us learn and practice. The environment at the center was welcoming and warm. Everyone was willing to sit and chat and ask questions about each other as well as help with any questions about the program or life in Hebron.

Living with a host family was an amazing and unforgettable experience. There's nothing like learning and experiencing a culture and language with locals, and my host family was incredibly welcoming and generous, inviting us to join in their family life and activities and showing us around the city. The people in general were very welcoming and willing to help with directions and finding things around the city.

Although Palestinian food is delicious and the landscapes are beautiful, I think the part I enjoyed most about being in Palestine was the people. I enjoyed their openness and welcoming spirit and spending evenings chatting with the host family out on the balcony, grabbing a juice or tea at their favorite cafes, or playing games with the young children and grandchildren in the home. I am thankful to have experienced even a short time in Palestine and will remember the kindness and hospitality I received.

I would definitely recommend the Arabic program at the center because it was very helpful to be immersed in the language in class, around the city, and with the host family. Being able to learn about the history and culture of the people was also incredibly valuable, and wish I could have stayed longer.

I was on the "Teach English and Study Arabic " program at the Excellence Center in Hebron for 2 weeks in July 2022.
I had a really good, enriching experience. My Arabic teacher, Rana, was excellent, with a good pace to the lessons, a variety of materials, relevant topics, pitched at the right level, and fun.
I was in a class with one other student, who was a very similar level. I had previously studied "fusHaa" Arabic, and I had a few words of Maghrebi Arabic, but I was new to the Levantine dialect. The fact I had some knowledge of Arabic before I started meant I was able to make the most of being in an Arabic-speaking environment from the start.
The teaching side was not too demanding, and mainly consisted either of helping local teachers or team-teaching with other volunteers. The timetable was flexible, and on average I just taught a couple of hours a day.
There's a great community atmosphere at the Center (the "Merkaz") and I spent many enjoyable hours chatting and finding out not only about Palestine but also many other countries in the world.
There were lots of trips and activities, and the social side was great. The centre organised a day trip for everyone at the Excellence Center in a big coach to Mar Saba, Battir, the wall at Bethlehem (for a small 40 NIS charge), and a trip to old Hebron. One of the highlights of the whole trip was a supper organised in a garden near the Merkaz. There were also films, and presentations/ talks on various topics related to Palestine.
There was also free time available to do your own thing, and I visited Jerusalem for one weekend, which was amazing.
I stayed in a flat about half an hour walk away from the Center, with 3 other guys from the Excellence Center. The flat had hot water, fridge, cooking facilities, a washing machine and a nice balcony. The owner dropped by from time to time to check we were fine, as did the Merkaz managers. A couple of the other male Merkaz students dropped by to do laundry.
Palestinians in the street in Palestine make you feel welcome all the time, and always want to practise their English or help you out. There is tension around the Ibrahimi Mosque and the old city between the settlers and the Palestinians, but these are still definitely places to see.
I stayed for 2 weeks but some on the program are staying for months. There's a wide range of different levels of Arabic among students at the Center.
My main memories of my stay in Hebron will be of the friendly people, great Arabic classes, fun times, long chats and amazing trips, especially to Jerusalem.

My name is Shelley and I am a university student in the United States. During my stay in Palestine I was a part of the Healthcare and Medicine program at the Excellence Center. As a part of this program I met with many people who worked in the healthcare field in Palestine: I met with nurses, doctors, nutritionists, educators, and students of medicine. I also was able to tour a hospital and a women’s health clinic, as well as the medical school in Hebron. While learning more about the healthcare system in Hebron, I also was educated more on the political and cultural aspects of the city, and the history of Palestine. I was able to tour many parts of Palestine during my stay and meet with many people who worked and lived here in Palestine. Hearing their stories was very eye-opening. Arabic lessons were also provided, despite not being in an Arabic focused program. The Arabic lessons were very fun and useful, as they were taught in the local dialect. The instructors were very kind and energetic and made me feel very at home. All of the staff and volunteers at the center were very kind and I easily made friends and family while in Palestine.

While in Palestine I had plenty of time to explore different areas both on my own and with the center. I easily travelled to Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Ramallah, and small villages on the outskirts of major cities.

While in Palestine I stayed with a host family, and they really welcomed me into their home as if I was one of their own. My host family in particular were some of the nicest people I’ve met, and I learned a great deal from them. Living with a host family allows you to really be immersed in the culture within Hebron by being able to regularly speak with people, meet their families, hear their stories, and share their meals. The host family also makes you feel like you have a safe place to return to after a long day. Hebron itself is a pretty safe place. I will say that taxi-drivers will give you a hard time, and it is definitely a bit harder to navigate if you are a woman. That being said, it isn’t enough to consider not coming to Hebron. There are so many people who look out for you to ensure your safety and experiences in Hebron.

For me the best part about my stay in Palestine was the people that I met and the hospitality they provided. I have made so many friends here and met so many wonderful people who have shown exceptional kindness. The food is also very good, especially if you are able to try a home-cooked meal. Palestine is also a very beautiful country and the sunsets are some of the nicest I’ve ever seen.

Leaving the Excellence Center and leaving Palestine, I know that I will come back. I have truly met some wonderful people and thoroughly enjoyed my time here. I have made friends for a lifetime in just one month, and felt very welcomed. My lasting impression is that despite living under occupation and enduring many hardships, Palestinian people are filled with generosity and a fierce human spirit. I have learned so much about core life values and what really matters in life. I would absolutely recommend traveling to Palestine to anyone interested.

I am a university student from the US and I loved volunteering at the Excellence Center. Unfortunately, I could only stay for a week, but I wish I could stay longer, and I hope I can come back in the future to volunteer for a longer period of time. I found Hebron to be a fun and social city and enjoyed meeting many Palestinians and internationals through my time at the Center. I also felt very safe and welcomed by locals who were excited to see foreigners visiting and working in the city. Everywhere I went people would say hello and welcome me to Hebron.

I also loved my host family. I stayed with family members of people who work at the center about a 5 minute drive away. Each morning me and my 2 roommates would take a taxi to the center for breakfast with local Palestinians and volunteers from all over the world. During my time at the center, there were volunteers from North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.

Each day at the center is different. On some days I would take "field trips" to human rights sites like the UNRWA building or Hebron government buildings and community centers. Other days I would teach English at the center or travel to nearby towns/villages to teach children there. You can definitely mold your own experience at the center and do the things you are most interested in.

Overall, I had a great experience, and hope to come back one day soon. If you have any questions about the program, the staff is so helpful and want to make sure you have a positive experience.

Hello! My name is Sude, and I'm from the United States. I recently graduated from college with a Bachelor's degree in sociology. I've been at the Excellence Center in Hebron and participating in the Human Rights Program for what has shaped up to be a very short month.
Though you may be intimidated at first by how busy the center seems, most days are actually pretty predictable. During my stay, I went on trips everyday with locals to various organizations to learn more about daily life in Hebron. I had the opportunity to visit Hebron University to learn about educational opportunities in the city, Fawwar Camp to hear from residents and to understand how they organized amongst one another to provide services that the UN could not, in addition to Tel Rumeida and Shuhada Street to observe how apartheid manifests in the heart of this city. Though you may be going on these trips with large groups, I'd encourage you to take the time to speak to activists and locals one on one. This will both enrich your experience in the city and allow you a better understanding of life in Palestine. You may even find that they connect you to other organizations with whom you can volunteer.
Besides the various site visits, I was given two Arabic lessons per week to learn the Palestinian dialect. Especially if this is the first time you're learning Arabic, I'd advise that you take plenty of time outside of class to study vocabulary and grammar, in addition to trying to speak with your host family or other Hebronites who don't know English. Though the teachers at the center are great, classes are not sufficient in and of itself to learn any language. During my time here, I've also traveled to various other cities, such as Jenin and Nablus. These make for easy and exciting weekend trips. Make sure to ask the staff at the center for travel advice!
During the day-to-day operations at the Center, I loved hanging out on the steps or on the benches right outside the main entrance with the staff, students, and volunteers. All of them were incredibly hospitable and eager to have a conversation. In fact, I think I've made some of my best friends on those steps.
Initially, I'd planned to split my time in Palestine between Hebron and Jerusalem. However, after staying with my wonderful host family, I decided to scrap that idea all together. Though you may be unaccustomed to certain traditions or expectations, know that your host family will take care of you as if you were their own. I've loved spending time with them and their relatives, doing my best to speak Arabic, sipping no less than four cups of coffee during the day, and playing with the children.
Generally speaking, Hebron is a very safe and welcoming city. People are open to helping you should you need it, but you'd benefit from knowing a few essential phrases in Arabic. Most of the volunteers here spend their time outside of the center exploring the wide array of cafes on the main street. There's even one right next to a riding stable, should you want to take lessons while you're here! Now, while you're here, you best learn the art of haggling as you may be overcharged for just about any item you wish to buy. Personally, meandering through its streets with my camera in hand is when I felt most connected to this new city. Walking up towards the Old City, I often came across people who pulled me aside, asked where I was from, and without hesitation, bid me to come into their homes for tea. Once, an old man who had stopped me in my path went out of his way to walk me down another road, pointing out buildings which had seemed mundane to my untrained eye, but which were actually host to a complex history.
Palestine is an inarticulable experience. There is no doubt in my mind that you'll love your time here and leave wishing that it had lasted just a little bit longer. Just make sure that when you do leave, you take with you not only the memories of a summer abroad, but also the resounding, collective message of the people here: Free, Free Palestine

I'm a German social worker in her thirties and I spent 3 months at the Excellence Center in Hebron as a volunteer in the Women's Rights program.

For the majority of my stay I was the only one in this program, so I shared most of the activities with the volunteers from the Human Rights Program. Therefore, I not only met with specialised organisations and activistis for women's rights and empowerment of women, but also got a broad overview of the human rights situation in general thorugh meeting human rights acivists and advocates in general.

In the beginning the program manager and me planned for me to first meet a variety of representatives of the Hebronite society and have visits to different parts of the city and the nearby villages and rural areas, so as to learn about the problems and needs of women and get a better unterstanding of the societies here in general. We also planned for me to join workshops visits of women's rights organisations and subsequently offer workshops on my own, based on the women's needs and priorities.
Unfortunately it turned out to be very complicated to join other organisations in their activities, but based on the meetings and conversations I joined at the center (English club, French class, visits to the refugee camp, my Arabic lessons and informal converstations with Palestinians in general) I felt comfortable enough to offer workshops for girls and women, starting around the halfway point of my stay.

In the workshops we focused on deepening the understanding about women's rights by exchanging ideas and experineces, as well as empowerment to advocate for what they believe in and the change they want to see in their society.
I learned a lot from the women and girls and their perspectives on their rights, equality, feminism and protection from violence. I hope that I could give back a little by providing these platforms for discussing and analysing these issues and listening and respecting their viewpoints.

Part of the volunteers program were also 3 hours of Arabic lessons per week. I had some experience prior to this stay with the Egyptian and the Libanese dialect, so my goal was to learn more about the Palestinian dialect.
The lessons were mostly one-on-one, only in the last three weeks I shared the lessons with someone on a similar level due to big number of internationals coming for the summer to the center. I enjoyed the lessons throughout my whole stay because my teacher listened to what I wanted to focus on (speaking and listening). The lessons helped me a lot to improve my speaking skills in everyday situations as well as providing me with the specific vocabulary taylored to the women's rights program. After three months I feel comfortable to express my needs and navigate everyday situations as well as more complex converstaions sorrunding women's rights issues.

When I arrived at the center the groups' size was roughly a third of what it was in the last month, so I got the chance of getting to know the center's staff really well and spend a lot of time with them in and outside the center. I also formed friendships with the international students, by hanging out together in cafés and going on weekend trips together in the Westbank. The more international people came to the center and local students joined the classes, the more chaotic became the organisation of the center's activities. Personally I appreciated the flexibility in the planning and organisation, because it allowed them to adapt to my personal situation and energy level (I had to go home for a month in between and I got sick while being here), but it can be frustrating for people who want to have a steady schedule and know exactly what to expect from their program.
I advice anyone who comes to the center to clearly and respectfully communicate your needs and expectations as well as your boundaries to the center's staff, in my experience they will do everything in their power to meet your expectations and respect your boundaries.

Like most women in the program I got the chance to live with a host family and I couldn't have been happier with the placement. They welcomed me very openly in their lives and I really appreciated how they accepted me as a new family member while at the same time respecting my need for independance. I loved spending time with them, laughing and joking with them as well as having important discussions about politics and social issues, and above all I enjoyed the amazing food they cooked!

Overall the first thing that comes to my mind when reflecting on my stay here is how incredibly kind and welcoming the Palestinian society is and the amazing connections I got to form here in a relatively short period of time. I also really enjoyed the homecooked food and the beautiful nature, but in the end it is the people I got to meet here in the center, during our visits and trips and of course my host family, that made my stay here one of the most satisfying and rewarding experience of my life. As I am about to leave I'm already planning my return here because there is much more to do here than I got the chance to in these past months.

Before coming here for the first time I was lucky enough to have friends who have been to Palestine before and could tell me about their exeriences. They could therefore explain to me that the situation is really safe here for foreigners and that I don't need to worry about my safety if I just listen to the locals on what is safe and what isn't.
Overall I feel sad and frustrated about the current situation under the Israeli occupation. The many human rights violations which occur almost daily, and I almost never here about back home in Germany, were sometimes unbearably painful to observe, but I never felt worried for my own safety.

While the occupation is the strict framework of the life here in Hebron, there is so much more here to learn, to explore and to enjoy, so people should not be deterred to come here because of the occupation. The Palestinians will make the trouble of coming here worth it, that I can promise!