Program Reviews

My name is Glen Sellers. I am from the United States. I have been studying at the Excellence Center for 11 weeks. It has been a fantastic experience for me. I was concerned that my age (70) may be a problem with fitting in with the other students. Now that I am at the end of my program, I can say that I have fully enjoyed everyday and every activity that the center has done.
Almost every week the center has arranged a special presentation or a visit to an educational site. I have learned so much about the life of Palestinians and the struggles they have with Israel. I did not understand how the land was divided into A, B, and C areas and all the restrictions on travel and work that exist.
I also have learned how safe it is in Hebron. Never have I felt unsafe. The people are so friendly. Even the children greet you and try and talk with you in English. People like to make you feel welcome in Hebron and will help you in amazing ways.
I had the same teacher all 11 weeks. She was always professional and her English was easy to understand. She has a lot of patience and is very skillful as she teaches Arabic. Because of her excellent English skills, she is able to explain the differences between the two languages and how the grammar works. I have met all the teacher here, and they are all well qualified.
The apartment that I lived in was new. The final touches were finished while I lived there. It is a 10-minute walk to the center. The facilities were very nice. There is a kitchen with a fridge and a cooking top. It does have limited cooking pans. The washing machine worked very well. There is a drying rack on the balcony.
I travelled every weekend to Bethlehem, Jerusalem and some other cities. I have always felt safe and found helpful people whenever I needed directions or help with transportation. It is easy to get city to city.
The center has had weekly dinners for the students. It has been a great way to get to know the other students and experience Palestinian food.
The trips to refugee camps, Bedouin camps, and visiting Palestinians in a settlement all were very educational. These are things that seeing them in person has taught me much more than I could possibly learn by just learn by reading or watching a documentary on the topic.
I highly recommend this program. You won't regret your time spent studying Arabic at the Excellence Center. You will definitely love Palestine!

My name is Eli Gottfried. I am from the United States. For thirty years I worked as a soil scientist. Currently I work as a paraprofessional working with children with learning disabilities.
I was here at the Center of Excellence during the summer of 2023 for a period of 8 weeks (about 2 months). I was involved in the program Intensive Amiyah. I studied formally 4 hours per day, as well as an additional 4 hours of individual studies. Within this program, I participated in 6 tours of Hebron and surrounding communities. These included tours of a glass-blowing factory, the Old City of Hebron, the Ibrahimi Mosque, Bedouin settlements, a refugee camp, and a nature hike.
Prior to coming to Hebron and the Center of Excellence, I had studied Fus’ha for 6 years. My goal in coming here was to immerse myself in the language, people, and culture of Palestine, and to learn Amiyah. I feel that the Center provided excellent opportunities for me to achieve my goals. The teachers were skilled and dedicated. And provided very useful exercises for perfecting the language. In addition, they were available any time after class. The tours provided key insights into the culture, people, and problems faced by Palestinians and Palestine
My experiences at the Center were very positive. The teachers were enthusiastic, friendly, helpful, and dedicated. And there was ample opportunity to interact with other students and with staff.
As someone who walks every morning, I also had the opportunity to meet and interact with people in the community. I routinely met and talked to people coming and going from prayer, cab drivers at their taxi stands, and people just sitting outside their homes. Very often I was invited in for tea, coffee, some fruit. I felt very welcome in Hebron.
My memories of Hebron will always include the kind people I met and with whom I shared meals and good talk.

I came with my brother to practise Arabic and see more of Hebron and the reality in Palestine. We had a very eye-opening week-long stay and we will certainly be returning to Palestine! My brother stayed in the centre apartment and I stayed with a wonderful host family that really made us feel welcome and included us in all of the family activities. The other volunteers have all been wonderful to work with and extremely friendly. We would reccomend this to absolutely everyone looking for an insightful and knowledge-filled expereince in West Bank.

I arrived at the Excellence Center almost four weeks ago and the time has flown by. I’ve been very lucky to meet so many amazing people, both volunteers and students, and I have found my first teaching experience to be very rewarding. I’ve also thoroughly enjoyed living in Halle, which is a very nice size and is close to a number of other interesting cities.
I had a great introduction to the programme when I was met at the train station by Ali and then joined him and Lord for a meal on Rafat’s balcony. I then met some other volunteers that I would be living with for a few days (sleeping on the sofa) before moving to a different flat. It was a very comfortable and spacious sofa and the flat was well located, so I didn’t mind. The flat I then moved to was very comfortable and also in a great location, and Thomas was a very thoughtful and friendly host that I would recommend to anyone.
My day-to-day life at the centre was very pleasant, not least because all of my fellow volunteers were really lovely. The atmosphere around the centre was really fun and relaxed and I felt like I was a part of the group from the very beginning. Ali has his finger on the pulse in Halle and he often invited us to events or just to hang out at the park which I really appreciated! The other staff are also great – Lord, Rafat, Muaz and Radwan were always really helpful and easy to talk to. The shared breakfast was always a nice way to start the day and catch up with volunteers who you may not have been able to chat to during the busier days. The brunches and dinners were also a lot of fun and really solidified the sense of community at the centre as well as being a nice way to say goodbye to departing members of the team.
My programme included a total of twelve 45-minute German lessons. The lessons themselves were really good and quite varied, so I enjoyed them a great deal. Muaz is a great teacher and I enjoyed diving back into German after a year or so of not speaking any. All I would say is that for 300 euros per week a few more classes would have been nice, but of course I knew how many hours I was signing up for.
I was teaching 10 hours of classes per week, which was quite manageable. My students were all really nice and were a pleasure to teach and meet. I hope I can stay in touch with some of them when I go back to the UK. The “Teaching at the Excellence Center” PDFs provide some great ideas for activities, especially for bigger classes and so were a valuable resource. I have made some resources while I was here that I was quite pleased with, and I know many volunteers go to a lot of effort making teaching resources, so something that I think would be good would be a Google Drive (or physically printed resource) where volunteers can share their resources with each other and with future volunteers. Additionally, while I felt very comfortable teaching adults who are slightly more engaged and know what they want, I did feel slightly less well-equipped to teach children and some kind of quick training in this area might be good going forwards to prepare volunteers, although I appreciate arranging something like this isn’t easy. The freedom to organise my own timetable was really appreciated as it allowed me to make time for myself in the evenings or give myself a long weekend to get out of Halle and see the country. On the whole I found the teaching to be a very valuable experience for me and I hope that I was helpful for my students.
The past month has been a lot of fun for me and I’m really glad I made the decision to come to Halle. I expect that I will follow in the footsteps of some of my predecessors and find myself in town again in the future, in which case it’ll be nice to catch up with the staff here. I’d like to thank everyone at the centre for making my time in Halle so great! I’ll remember my time at the Excellence Center very fondly.

Rating: 9/10

Review:
I had the privilege of participating in "The Excellence Center in Europe" language learning program in Halle (Saale), Germany, during my summer break, and it turned out to be an incredibly enriching experience. The program provided a unique opportunity to teach English to refugees while immersing myself in the German language and culture.

One of the most rewarding and heartwarming aspects of the program was witnessing their progress and seeing how language learning empowered them to communicate effectively and confidently in their new environment. Engaging with my students, most of whom came from the Ukraine, allowed me to learn about their culture, creating meaningful connections that enriched the entire experience.I also had the chance to practice my German with the wonderful German teachers at the center. The mutual exchange of language fostered a supportive and inclusive environment, promoting understanding between different cultures. Additionally, the cultural immersion experiences provided by the Excellence Center made the entire program more profound and memorable. Regular interactions with native speakers outside the center also accelerated my language learning journey, helping me communicate more confidently and effectively with my students and the local community.

Through teaching English, I honed my adaptability and creativity in the classroom. Developing effective teaching methods to cater to diverse language levels and learning styles among my students was a fulfilling challenge. The program also encouraged community engagement, as I collaborated with fellow educators, volunteers, and local organizations to support refugees in Halle.

The relationships formed during the program extended beyond the classroom. The bonds with my students, fellow teachers, and community members became cherished connections that I will carry with me. The experience nurtured personal growth, enhancing my communication, leadership, and intercultural competencies, which are invaluable skills for the future. As the program concluded, I couldn't help but reflect on the positive impact it had on both my students’ lives and mine. The memories and experiences shared during "The Excellence Center in Europe" program in Halle (Saale), Germany, have left a lasting legacy, shaping my worldview and instilling a sense of responsibility to contribute to a more inclusive and interconnected world.

"The Excellence Center in Europe" language learning program in Halle (Saale), Germany, was a transformative experience that combined language learning with meaningful engagement in the local community. Teaching English to refugees while learning German provided an exceptional opportunity for personal growth, cultural exchange, and leaving a positive impact on the lives of others. I am immensely grateful for this unforgettable experience and highly recommend this program to anyone seeking a deeply enriching and rewarding language learning journey.

Pros of the program:

Studying and teaching at the same time

Meet new, AWESOME people

Cons of the program:

My name is Alice and I’m from Switzerland. I participated in the Human Rights Internship
for six weeks. Before I travelled to Palestine, my family and I were concerned about security and safety on the ground. When I arrived here, I immediately realised how different the situation is from what is reported in the media. The only people I could be afraid of would be Israeli soldiers patrolling and demonstrating their power. Palestinians on the other hand, are the most welcoming people I have ever met. The Center provided useful information, for example how to travel from one place to another. I was travelling every weekend to different places all over the Westbank such as Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Ramallah, Jericho, the Dead Sea, Nablus and even Jordan. The proximity of all the cities in the Westbank and the ease of public transport makes travelling very easy. I usually travelled with some friends I met at the Center, but because Palestinians are so helpful, you can easily travel on your own.
Being a tourist in Palestine is different from volunteering at the Center. As a volunteer, you
can not only travel, but also experience everyday life in Palestine, meet people, get to know the culture, and participate in events. You will be able to live with a host family, and thus participate in their daily routine and you will eventually be invited to weddings or other events. You will experience mainly cultural differences but if you meet them with openness, you will enjoy your stay. The Center was like a second home where I spent a lot of time during the day. The environment at the Center is very welcoming, nice and pleasant. During the day it can become very busy, especially during summer. The staff and teachers are caring and helpful and you will engage with students from different backgrounds. In the morning the Center prepares breakfast and, depending on your program, your schedule for the day is either very regular or rather spontaneous. The Excellence Center also organises some events independent from your program such as hikes, dinners, or concerts. In my first week, I attended intensive Arabic classes which taught me the basics and were very helpful for daily life in Hebron. For the rest of my stay, I took part in the Human Rights Program which included visits in the city of Hebron and the surrounding area on the topic of human rights, but also cultural tours. I went to refugee camps where we were able to talk to social workers and camp residents and spend some time with children. You will experience first-hand what life is like in a refugee camp and the difficulties they face. A resident of a refugee camp in Hebron told us about his two-year-old daughter who was injured and could not be rescued because medical care in the camp was inadequate and Israeli Defense Forces prevented the ambulance from entering and then leaving the camp. Her father feels he cannot protect his family, and he is one of many Palestinians who share a similar story of loss. Everywhere I went, all people I met, there was a story waiting to be told. The Human Rights program included a visit to an art exhibition related to the importance of history, the appropriation of historical sites by Israel and the justification of Israel’s colonization through
history. During tours in the old city of Hebron I learned about the exceptional case of Hebron. I learnt about the impact of Israeli settlements inside the city and the complexity of the division between H1 and H2 in addition to the zones A, B and C. I visited Palestinian families living in H2 area (Israeli controlled). I was at the Polytechnic University in Hebron as well as at the Ministry of Education, and a Blind School. This allowed me to look at the issue from different angles and to hear from different people with different perspectives. The Center organized a lecture held by a university professor, lawyer, and advocate for Palestinian rights as well as history lessons by a teacher working at the Center. I went to the keffiyeh factory, learning about the culture and the handicraft. I was also able to go to the largest settlement in the Westbank and see with my own eyes how two different worlds meet. The Center arranged a tour at a hospital as well as a tour with a Human Rights activist in Hebron city. For me personally, the most impressive and lasting encounter in Palestine was the visit to Masafer Yatta, a territory in the south of Hebron, situated in zone C and therefore under Israeli control. I met some of the remaining Palestinian residents who keep resisting Israeli occupation. They
live under the harshest conditions. Confiscation of their land and frequent demolition of their houses leave them with nothing more than tents. Electricity and water supply is controlled by Israel and healthcare is restricted. Although they face daily attacks from settlers and Israeli Defense Forces, their determination to non-violent resistance is strong.
There is one lasting impression about Palestine and its people I would like to share with you. After I was told so many stories, it is hard to imagine how Palestinians can keep living under this system of apartheid and colonization. But they are not given a choice. I admire the resilience of the people. I admire their strength and the determination to live peacefully. I admire their joy no matter what burden they carry. I admire their belief in a better future. And I admire their love for their country, that they never give up fighting for it.
Even though you won’t have a direct impact when volunteering in Palestine, you will
contribute by telling their stories and by convincing people about the reality on site. Whilst
living in Palestine, the feeling of being unable to help can sometimes turn into anger.
Nevertheless, you will have an indirect impact. The more people know about Israeli’s system of apartheid and their colonization project, the more likely they will be forced to make a change. The Excellence Center enables exchange with Palestinians and makes it possible to get to know the reality. I’m very grateful that I was able to volunteer here.

I’m 23 years old and from the Netherlands. I have a bachelor's degree in law and a pre master degree in Middle Eastern Studies. Currently I am in university to obtain my Master of Arts in Middle Eastern Studies. For the completion I had to do an internship and coming to Palestine felt like a perfect opportunity. Since I am also very interested in law, international law in particular, I chose to do the human rights internship for nine weeks. The Excellence Center provided an interesting, safe and nice atmosphere to learn about human rights and the situation in Palestine.

My program consisted of three parts. First I took two weeks of Arabic classes. During this time I regained some knowledge from university and this gave me the chance to practice by myself in the weeks that followed. Throughout the weeks I learned the most by just listening to people and hearing the language all the time. Moreover, it is nice that lots of the staff at the Excellence Center will communicate in basic Arabic to make sure you keep practicing.

The next two weeks, I went on many trips regarding the human rights situation in Palestine and specifically in Hebron. These trips can include visiting human rights organizations and governmental institutions. We for example visited Human Rights Defenders, a Hebron based organization whose goal is to document the reality of the occupation. I was even able to arrange an extra meeting with one of their founders to elaborate on the organization and their work even further. That is a huge benefit of staying for a longer time, you are able to build up relationships and undertake the activities and meetings you are personally interested in.
Another visit was to the ministry of Education. Here we met one of the supervisors who mainly explained about the issues of teachers and students whose schools and/or houses are in the H2 area which is under Israeli military control.

The last month of my stay I taught English in Kharas, a nearby village. The students were about 9-15 years old and followed a summer programme to improve their English skills. It was exciting to experience such motivated students. Thereby, I got to learn more about the culture, for example during the food day when the kids shared Palestinian sweets and dishes.

Generally my time in Palestine has been very enriching and enjoyable. The people I met are all so generous and hospitable which made my stay so pleasant.
Moreover, it made me feel very welcome in the city and the country as a whole. As a woman I personally felt very safe in all of Palestine. At some times the reality of the occupation is quite visible in Hebron, for example when the Israeli army clashes with Palestinians near the old city. But even at those times I did not feel unsafe. The same goes for other Palestinian cities and I very much enjoyed traveling throughout the country; to Nablus, Ramallah, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Jericho.

My name is Molly and I'm from Denmark, and I have been studying Arabic at the excellence centre for 4 weeks. I had three hours of Arabic classes each day with Saja who was a great teacher! We were just 2-4 students in class, and we had a lot of fun with each other and the other teachers and students. I already knew some Arabic before I came, so we did a lot of talking, both about ourselves, the political situation in Palestine and many other things. I definitely learned a lot, now I am able to have conversations in Arabic. Apart from the Arabic lessons, the centre organizes a lot of trips around Hebron. We visited a refugee camp, toured the old city and saw some of the settlements there, went on a hike to Palestine's largest cave and many other things.
In summer there are a lot of students at the centre, and everyone is very friendly. Every weekend, students go on trips to different parts of Palestine, so it's easy to find someone to go with. I went to the Dead Sea, Ramallah, Jericho, Jerusalem and the Sea of Gallilee.
I leaved with a very nice Palestinian family close to the old city with another girl from the center. It was really nice to have the opportunity to talk to them and practise Arabic as well as learn more about the life in Palestine. When you walk in the old city, people are eager to talk about their life here and offer you a cup of coffee, especially when they find out you know Arabic. You definitely get a feeling of the Israel/Palestine conflict, as Hebron is a highly contested area with settlers living in the middle of the city. This was really interesting and an aspect of the stay here I hadn't thought about before coming. It doesn't feel dangerous at all, as both sides of the conflict don't have a problem with Europeans and Americans, and everyone just wants you to leave with a good impression of their country. Traveling within the West Bank is really easy and a great experience, and everyone is really helpful. I would recommend it to everyone visiting Israel to see both sides of the conflict.
Overall I'm very happy with the experience. I have learned a lot, both Arabic, about a very important region of the world and about the Palestinian people.

I’m from the Netherlands. I did a Bachelor’s degree in law and in Middle Eastern Studies and a Master’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies. I chose to follow the Human Rights Program at the Excellence Center because it combines my interests: Law and the Middle East, especially concerning the situation in Palestine. I wanted to learn more about the humanitarian situation in Palestine. Moreover, I wanted to experience living in Palestine to get an impression of the culture.
The program started with several lectures about human rights and the situation in Palestine. The presentations focused on the political situation in Palestine, the laws applicable to Palestine, and the violation of laws. Various teachers delivered the presentations. Given the complexity of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, these lectures and presentations prepared me for the trips to human rights organizations that would take place during my internship.
I attended a lot of activities that were organized by the Excellence Center. For the Human Rights Program, we went to organizations that work on the topic of human rights for example Human Rights Defenders an organization that organizes campaigns to stop the Israeli occupation. Moreover, we went to Palestinian Artist, Nizreen Al-Azza. She lives in the H2 area (the military-controlled area in Hebron). She told me about her husband, a human rights defender in Hebron before he died following the inhalation of tear gas in a checkpoint in Hebron. The work of human rights lawyers is under pressure due to the Israeli military making it difficult for them to carry out their work. Besides organizations that directly focus on human rights, I also visited organizations that are indirectly involved in human rights. An example is the Ministry of Education, a department of the Palestinian government that focuses on the right to education. We discussed the school system and the importance of focusing on schools next to settlements due to the difficult circumstances to go to school because of checkpoints, and the fear of children passing military soldiers. Moreover, it is hard to find teachers that want to teach in these areas given the challenges of teaching children that grew up in a conflict zone and have experienced traumatic events. Also, most of the teachers do not want to be in these areas. Therefore, the right to education in Palestine is under pressure.
The working visits were very helpful to get a better understanding of the situation in Palestine. However, the best way to get a better understanding is by living in the country, speaking with a lot of different people, and hearing their perspectives and experiences. The people in Hebron are very open and willing to talk to foreigners. They are very hospitable and I have been invited to several family dinners. Their hospitality is the thing that I liked most I like to take that home. I have never felt unsafe in Palestine. There are always people on the streets and everyone is willing to help.
It is important to understand a little bit of Arabic. The Center organizes 3 hours of Arabic per week you’re at the center. Those lessons helped me to interact with the people on the streets.
During the weekends you have time off to travel to other places. I have been to many places such as Ramallah, Nablus, Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Jericho, and the Dead Sea. I really liked the opportunity to visit these places.
In short, I really enjoyed my time at the Excellence Center in Hebron. The staff and the teachers are very friendly. I am writing this in my last week and I am sad that I have to leave. It is an experience I will take with me forever.

I was a bit nervous because of what I heard about Palestine and the fact that I had never traveled anywhere in the middle east before. But I learned and experienced so much that I would've never been able to anywhere else. It was also extremely safe and my host family was very helpful throughout my stay.
During my first week in Palestine, I understood how important community is and how it holds everything together. In the West, we’re much more individualistic and focused on the self; here, it is the opposite. One of my first visits was to a Human Rights NGO in the Old City. The man we spoke to was a non-violent activist who provided English lessons, first aid classes for women, and much more. He told us that for Sahoor they took community members to a local Palestinian village to learn about Palestinian agricultural practices and their history. This is just one example of how vital these resources are.

Overall, this experience was very impactful, and it was necessary to experience life here first-hand. I’ve made unique connections with people in the center and Palestinians all throughout Palestine. I won’t forget the time I spent here, and I plan on taking everything I learned and immersed myself in while I was here, with me when I go.