Short-Term Volunteer Projects In Palestine In 2025 (1-13 Weeks)

Our daily activities included a cross between teaching, sight-seeing, and socializing. I was brought here with the expectation to find out more about Palestinian culture and to teach. One tends to hear a lot of negative things in the news when it comes to Palestinians. And as a Pentecostal Christian I have had limited exposure to the Muslim and even less within a Muslim culture. I did not personally find religious differences offensive but more an opportunity to share, both culture and religion.

My specific teaching responsibilities were mainly focused on teaching english but also teaching technology and computer items. I was able to teach one technology class with help of my wife and a nice young lady from Sweden. We covered engligh terms for computers and technology. Many of the students were quite involved (and knowledgeable). I did not get to teach a lot of technology but we did visit Hebron PolyTech University where I made contact with staff, including the profession of technology (which I plan to follow up with soon). I also helped my wife teach english at two secondary schools for girls and one for boys. The students there were very excited to see us and asked many questions about culture and language.

We have been feeling safe all week long. We were concerned about the potential for violence with the Israeli elections this week. While we did hear a lot of noise in the distance the night before elections but there was nothing anywhere in our area and our host family was most accommodating. Earlier in the week (Sunday) we visited the cave of the patriarchs and the Ibrahimi Mosque and heard about an attack on Palestinians in 1994 and also more recent violence against Palestinians around the closed off street going into the Israeli settlement (guess violence is a two way street). Our tour went very quietly and the main concern there was probably getting out of there before the street vendors and children entrepreneurs had us spend all of our money on souvenirs!

We also got to see a glass/ceramic factory and a fabric manufacturing facility where we bought some nice souvenirs. We were able to walk around on the main streets and sight-see for ourselves and even visited a local KFC for some fried chicken, as well as do some window shopping.

Actually, the people were almost over-board on friendliness. We were invited to dinner multiple times. We shared tea and/or coffee multiple times a day. The other volunteers (who mostly spoke english) tended to bring us a bit of home life. The staff tried to teach us some arabic but we did not pick up much. When I accidentally dropped 50 shekels out of my pack later in the week at a cultural festival at PolyTech someone pointed out my drop to ensure I did not loose the money. We enjoyed the festival where I saw (mostly young) people enjoying food, culture, and technology innovations. I don’t think I saw any mad or angry faces the whole time I have been here.

Btw: Weather here in the springtime is gorgeous. Nights can be cool so dress appropriately.

My name is Monica and I am from Barcelona. Last year I finished my bachelor in criminology and now I am studying another bachelor in International Relations. Initially, I came to the Excellence Center for two weeks in order to do the Human Rights, but in the end of my volunteering I decided to prolong my stay for two more weeks.
During my volunteering I did different activities related to the Human Rights in Palestine. Basically, I made a lot of interviews with organizations that work in Hebron, some of them, for example, of which are concerned with the protection of rights of women and children. Moreover, I had the pleasure to meet and interview lawyers whom explained the situation of Palestine to me and the problems that people encounter in the law institutions. Another activity that I did during my volunteering was a workshop for children, in which I introduced the topic of Human Rights as a general idea and the right violations in Palestine in specific.
I was studying Arabic at the same time that I was doing my program, first with a teacher called Nour and then with Osama. I studied modern standard Arabic for over one year before I came to Hebron, but in Palestine I started to learn the dialect. The Arabic lessons were very useful to understand how the language works and to learn some of the most important words and sentences that you have to use during your time in Palestine. But at the same time, one of the best ways to improve your Arabic is speaking with the local people and friends. At least for me, this was the best way for me to practice the language in Hebron.
When it comes to evaluating the Center’s environment, I only can write positive things. During my whole stay in Palestine I felt like in a very big family. The staff was very grateful and kind with all the volunteers and they always took care of us. Furthermore, I have to say that since I arrived in Hebron and met the other volunteers, I felt that I have made friends for the rest of my life. We spent a lot of time together and many different experiences really formed bonds between us.
During the weeks, the other volunteers and I visited different places in Palestine. Sometimes on our own, for example Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jericho and Nablus. But one of the things that all of use really enjoyed were the hikes we went on every Friday. It gave us the opportunity to visit not only the biggest and most famous cities in the country, but also to get to know the wonderful countryside and nature Palestine has to offer.
Apart from that, I enjoyed the time which I spent with my host family a lot. They were always so nice with me during all the time that I was living with them. I really recommend this experience to all the volunteers, because it gives you the opportunity to really be part of the Palestinian culture and to improve your Arabic every day.
To all the people that ask themselves if Hebron is a safe place I can say that I have never been scared or afraid at any point in time in Hebron. The people are very nice and welcoming and everybody is happy to help you or spend time with you. Actually, this is what I liked most about Palestine: its people and their hospitality that makes you feel at home from the first day.
I definitely will come back to Palestine because now I can say that I really love this country. And I think that coming to the Excellence Center was one of the best decisions in my live. I have learned a lot, not only about the situation in Palestine, but I have had the opportunity to meet people that I will never forget.

I have only positive things to say about my experience with the Teach English, Study Arabic programme at the Excellence Center. This programme involved teaching about 15-20 hours a week of private English classes and general English classes for young learners. I had some fantastic students who were all eager and willing to learn and made teaching a lot of fun. We often also did outreach work, visiting local schools to teach for free, in conjunction with the Ministry of Education.

I also had three hours of studying Arabic per week, with Marwa Shantir as my teacher, which was fantastic for quickly improving my level of Arabic. The constant exposure to and immersion in the language from always being around Arabic speakers meant that I rapidly learnt new words and phrases and was able to apply them in conversational Arabic. By the end of my stay, I was able to hold basic conversations in Arabic which was a fantastic cultural experience for me.

Speaking of the culture, I found Palestine a fascinating place. The history and the current situation are present everywhere and hearing about it from the locals is very important to do. Beyond that it was nice to see some of the similarities and differences that exist in Arab and Western culture; I was lucky enough to experience a proper Palestinian wedding, which was a real highlight. The food as well was really good! We prepared meals together at The Excellence Center and had some great dinners, particularly the farewell barbeque.
The people though are what really stood out. I have made lifelong friends here both among the foreign volunteers and the Palestinian staff. The locals were always super friendly and welcoming, and we were often invited out for dinner or for an evening in another town which was a great way to see more of the country.

In terms of safety, 90% of the city is probably more safe than London where I live. However, there are clashes in certain areas, but these are very easy to avoid. You will never be placed in danger’s way by the Excellence Center. They will ensure you are not based near any of the troublesome areas and that you live with a responsible host family or in a well-situated apartment.

Thank you Excellence Center – I had a fantastic time here!!!

My name is Floris, from the Netherlands. I am currently studying at Kyoto University, in Japan. My major is international relations and politics. At my university, we are free to choose courses every semester, so last semester I studied about post-colonialism, orientalism and Islam. These courses all made me interested in the Middle-East and especially in the situation here in Palestine.
Firstly I would like to thank the Excellence Center for the wonderful experience I had here in Palestine. I participated for three and a half weeks in the Volunteer & Arabic Program, which means that I both taught English and learned Arabic at the centre.
Teaching English here was very interesting and motivating. I have participated in other programs in other countries, but I found my experience at the Center more diverse than at the other places. I taught young children, high school students, PhD students and even officials of the Hebron municipality. As the students and their level of English were very different, teaching was very challenging. The English level in Palestine is generally very high, so through my English classes I learned a lot about the situation, from the viewpoint young and older people.
I also learned Arabic at the Center. I had one or more hours of Arabic almost every weekday. Because I already had studied some ‘Fusha’ (Modern Standard Arabic) by myself in Japan, I decided to study the ‘Amiya’ (dialect) of the Levantine region, focusing on the Palestinian dialect. The tempo of the classes was very high, but this helped me to learn a lot of new grammar and words every class. After every class I would review what I did and do my homework for the next day. I really think my Arabic improved. Now, after three weeks, I can communicate with my host family almost without using any English. Before coming to Palestine, I had only learned Arabic seriously for around two months, so I think this is a very big improvement.
Besides of teaching and studying, I also travelled to a lot of places with my colleagues and teachers of the Center. I went to the old city centre of Hebron, where Palestinian students explained about the situation there. I also visited Susya, a small Bedouin village which is famous for its conflict with the Israeli government. I also went to the Dead Sea with my friends of the Center.
Before I came to Palestine, I had applied for a host family, and the Center found one for me. It was a fantastic experience to live with a Palestinian family. Now I have my own home here in Palestine to which I can return to any time I want. The parents took me to Ramallah one weekend, and the brother, who has around the same age as me, took me to Jerusalem, the capital of Palestine. I will miss them a lot when I go back to Japan.
Safety is an important issue for all people thinking of visiting Palestine. Palestine felt much safer than I had expected. The people are super (!!!) friendly, and want to help you and even invite you to their house, a cafe or a party any time. By just walking through Hebron, you will have someone greeting you every few minutes.
Of course, there were some places that did not feel so safe. Especially the presence of the Israeli army in the old city of Hebron made me feel uncomfortable. Also, when I travelled to Bethlehem to see the famous wall-paintings there, I was screamed at with bad words by Israeli soldiers from one of the watchtowers. I want to stress that every time I felt scared or unsafe, this was not because of the Palestinian people. They were always very friendly and welcoming.
I hope to come back to the Excellence Center very soon again, and I recommend anyone who is open minded, to come and visit Palestine. I am sure it will be a fantastic experience for you too.

I am Luca, 24 years old and I am from Germany. I graduated as BA of psychology in summer 2018 and completed a pre-master program in international relations this January. I decided to take half a year off in order to explore the Middle East, which is my primary field of interest. Finally, different websites and experience reports convinced me to spend some time at the Excellence Center in Palestine.
I choose to work as a volunteer in the ‘teach English study Arabic’ program from February until April. Parts of my work included to visit schools, teaching classes at the Excellence Center and giving one-to-one classes to students. All of these activities provided their very own experiences. Visiting schools in Hebron is always fun. The students are very happy and enthusiastic about having foreigners at their school and I was usually engaging them by playing games and doing fun activities in order to provide an alternative to their grammar focused curriculum. At the Excellence Center itself I had my own class, called ‘the English Club’. I felt very lucky because we did not have any fixed lesson schedule or exam in the end, so I could tailor the lessons to the individual interests of the students. We ended up having lessons about human rights, social media, and even mental health. I will never forget the way my students were engaged in this class and we had a great time. Private classes offer different teaching opportunities and experiences again. One-to-one lessons can be very intense, whether one does a grammar focused lesson, open discussions or listening exercises. In the end, I might have learned as much as my students. I talked about Islam, evolution and philosophy with a very religious student, about politics with a former lawyer, and learned a lot about economics and businesses from a successful Palestinian businessman.
Learning the Arabic language was also a very unique experience for me. While I was learning the basics like letters and important phrases in my Arabic lessons at the center, I could apply my acquired knowledge outside of the center. In the evenings, I was usually sitting together with Arabic people other volunteers and I learned some more phrases that I could use in the daily life. I came to Hebron as a complete beginner, only knowing how to say thank you, and could acquire a good basis that will help me to improve my Arabic skills in the future.
My Arabic teacher was very experienced and, just as everybody else at the center, extremely helpful and friendly. The working climate at the center was great and I felt as part of one big family. I was lucky to spend the time with other great volunteers and I probably made some friends for a lifetime, including both, Palestinians and international volunteers. After my time in Palestine, I even went on holidays in Jordan with a friend I met at the center.
During my two-moth stay in Palestine, I visited many different places in the country. Together with other volunteers I went to Bethlehem, Ramallah, or Jerusalem. Luckily, travelling is easy due to taxis that one can hop on everywhere in the cities. Moreover, on our holidays, the Excellence Center and Shekh Abed, a friend of the center and best man on this planet, organized different activities. Hence, we went hiking almost every Friday, which helped us to also see more of the beautiful countryside. As a nice side effect, it contributed to a great group cohesion.
In Hebron, I was living in the men’s apartment. Together with the others, I enjoyed the time and Osama, Shekh and Marwa were always responsive in case we had questions or needed help. In the evenings, we were usually sitting with Shekh Abed in his duwania next door; a living room-like place in which his friends and family come together to talk, play games or smoke argile. We had great evenings at this place and I can only recommend every volunteer in the future to go there. Moreover, all kinds of shops are in close proximity to the apartment and you can get snacks and water or soft drinks until late in the evening at a shop next door.
Before I came to Palestine, I had some doubts regarding the security in Palestine. Never been to a Middle Eastern country before, I was not sure how the situation might be. However, any concerns I might have had before I came to Hebron were unjustified in retrospection. During my whole stay, I felt very safe and never encountered a threatening situation. Crossing a checkpoint and being asked for your passport by Israeli soldiers can be a bit frightening, however, as a foreigner there is nothing one has to be afraid of. I used to walk in the streets of Hebron even late at night and felt more comfortable and safe than I do back in Germany.
What I liked the most about Palestine were its people. Palestinians are extremely welcoming and friendly. When I arrived at Hebron on my first day, I struggled to find the Excellence Center at first. A young boy saw me wandering around in the street and offered me his help to get to the center. After all, my stay in Palestine left too many impressions as I could write them down. I started to write a diary in order to not forget half of them. The people, the food, the country … I am just happy that I could make this experience and I will come back to Palestine to visit this country and all of my friends.
During the time of the year I came to the Excellence Center (February – April), I was at times the only English teacher together with a British friend of mine. This meant that we were quite busy at times, sometimes teaching many different classes and students each day. While this was a challenge from which I learned a lot for myself, it sometimes kept me a bit from studying Arabic. Because in the evenings you will almost never find yourself sitting on your own, having a bit more time for self-studying during the day would have been good for me. In the end, however, it probably all comes down to time management and setting my priorities right.

The time spent getting to know the people of Hebron and working with the Excellence Centre has invaluable beyond belief. Every day here is new, different, exciting and fun. The people at the centre and within the local community are the most generous and welcoming I have ever met.
I came with no experience teaching but was able to participate fully in classes with the guidance of teachers and other volunteers.
The enthusiasm of the students makes the work all the more rewarding, and I was able to become good friends with many wonderful people through my classes.
To anyone considering undertaking this course, regardless of any prior Arabic language knowledge I would very much recommend it!

Thank you so so so much to everyone at the centre again!

The Excellence Center truly lives up to its name. The staff and volunteers during my stay were welcoming, personable, and accommodating. They are incredibly receptive to any problems that you may bring up and will work with you to find a solution. Not only are the staff wonderful, but the Center attracts interesting and genuine people, helping you to find strong friends in the other volunteers. By the end of just two weeks, I truly felt that I was a part of the community at the Excellence Center. I took three hours of Palestinian Arabic lessons a week and helped out with both group and private English lessons.
While at the Excellence Center, I was able to take several short trips around Hebron and Palestine. For example, during my stay the staff organized a trip to Susiya, a Palestinian village sandwiched between settlements, and the Old City center of Hebron. Outside of formally organized excursions, I was able to travel to Battir, Bethlehem, and Mar Saba (a functional monastery in the desert outside of Bethlehem; it is a definite must-see as far as tourist sites go) with other volunteers. Within the city, Hebron is very walkable, and people are very helpful if you need directions.
Western impressions of Palestine cast it as a dangerous place. Being in Hebron directly contradicts this picture. With normal traveling precautions, such as respecting the culture and following local news, Palestine is a very safe place for international travel. If you have specific questions about safety, such as good times of day to travel and places to be more careful in, both the staff and your host family are invaluable resources to learn the specifics of how to get around in Palestine.
The lasting impression that I have of Palestine is the extreme hospitality and generosity of its people. On New Year’s Eve, I left the Excellence Center late and had difficulty finding a service back to my host family’s home. My host mother’s sister, whom I had never met before, quickly picked me up from the Excellence Center and insisted that I come to her home. We ended up going to her in-law’s house and I spent several hours being stuffed with food and laughing my way through conversation in Arabic. Finally, we went out driving to celebrate, and we rang in the New Year with a fruity smoothie on Ein Sarah St. At this point, she insisted that I spend the night at her house. This whirlwind evening was one of my favorite experiences in Palestine. While this was the most extreme example of the generosity of Palestinians that I encountered, many other times people invited me to share a meal, coffee, or sahlab (a warm winter drink).
My best advice for a future volunteer is to stay longer in Palestine! If you have the ability, a longer stay in Hebron is ideal as it gives you the chance to see more of Palestine and spend more time with the staff and volunteers at the Excellence Center. I believe that the best way to see Palestine is through the Excellence Center. The programs are flexible based off both your needs and the Center’s needs, and you can have degrees of autonomy or planned activities with the Center as suits your needs. Volunteering with the Center gives substance to your time in Palestine, and I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking to travel to Hebron.

I spent two months at the Excellence Center in Hebron participating in the 'Teach English and Study Arabic' program which turned out to be a memorable experience. I received three hours a week of Arabic lessons from the wonderful teachers Dua'a and Isaac and learnt more than I expected which has inspired me to continue my Arabic studies. The teaching aspects of the program gave me a broad experience as I assisted the full-time teachers, taught independently and also gave 1 on 1 classes. This gave me valuable experience and insight into the various teaching methods and skills. All the teachers and staff at the Excellence Center are highly skilled and professional and design schedules and programs which cater to each volunteer's needs and level of experience. Not only was my time at the center a great academic experience, I also met so many wonderful people (both staff and volunteers) and found the center to have a very strong family (love) environment. The city of Hebron itself is also great to live in. As it is quite off the tourist trail, the locals are very welcoming and hospitable to foreigners. I was invited over for dinner several times and made friends with many of the locals.
In contrast to what mainstream news may say, Hebron (and Palestine in general) is safe. In my two months of living in Hebron, not once did I feel unsafe or threatened in anyway whatsoever. I think however, it is wise for anyone considering coming to Hebron to do a good amount of research on the city in order to gain an understanding of the situation in the city and its significant religious history.
For me, arguably the most rewarding aspect of my time in Hebron, was learning about Palestine, the culture, traditions, politics, religion, the people etc, all through first hand experience of living here. I also had the opportunity to travel to other cities/places in Palestine, both through trips organised by the center and by myself during my days off. I will miss my time in Palestine and hope to return someday.
Thank you for a wonderful time!