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

I was a little hesitant what I would be doing, and if I would like it or not before coming at the Excellence Center. To be honest, I was a little hesitant the first few days I arrived. I think the first time I truly felt at home was the first time (or I guess the second) I met with one of my classes. Most of them struggled with pronouncing, "Danielle" but that didn't stop them from the warm greetings I received. I think the same thing can be said for my host family. I only stayed with them for two weeks, but only a few days in we all realized two weeks would be far too short for all of us.

I studied Arabic for 3 years in college, but I think the few weeks that I stayed in Hebron drastically improved my language skills. I had never had the opportunity to speak with so many native Arabic speakers, especially in the Levantine dialect.

I think the best part of my experience was learning so much about Hebron, Palestine and the Occupation. It's very different to hear over the news about the events in the West Bank versus actually being here. You not only see but feel the Occupation and how it manifests itself in everyday life.

The Center took us to Fwaar Refugee Camp and we had the opportunity to see how the camp is run by the UN and all of the atrocities that have happened there. Again, it takes a while to truly comprehend what is happening here, but it's enough to want to tell every person who know.

There was so much learning for me the entire time, and it's been an experience that I wanted to be longer.

I just completed a short term as an English-teaching volunteer in Hebron, Palestine, and I am already making plans to return. The experience was eye-opening and I enjoyed every minute of it. I was able to encounter the political situation in a very personal way both through interactions with the Israeli army alongside my Palestinian hosts, and by living with the locals. I was also able to practice my Arabic speaking skills, learn a bit of the local dialect, and learn just how challenging it is to teach someone a new language (something I hadn’t sufficiently appreciated before).

A bit about me: I am a native of Houston, Texas; I graduated two years ago from the University of Houston with a Bachelor’s in Mathematics; and I currently work as a consultant in the Dubai International Financial Centre. To be completely honest, I stumbled across the Excellence Center through a Google search while trying to find something to do for my two week vacation. I had studied Modern Standard Arabic in my university for two years, and I wanted an opportunity to practice a local Arabic dialect.

Upon arriving at the Excellence Center, Marwa, Osama, and the rest of their excellent staff ensured that I was well-accommodated with my host family. They checked that all the essential living amenities were available at the house, and ensured that I was comfortable with how to get to the center in the mornings – even taking me through a trial run from my house to the Center so I knew exactly how to navigate the taxi system (it’s a bit different) and exactly how much I should pay the drivers.

Because my term was only two weeks, I worked mostly as a teaching assistant to the formally employed English instructors, and as a substitute teacher when needed. People always say that the best way to learn about something is to teach it, and I learned this truly is the case. There is an accommodation one must make when teaching one’s native language to a non-native speaker, and I found it surprisingly challenging to explain why, for example, we say, “The four year old boy eats food,” while we also say, “The boy is four years old.” In short, I hadn’t expected to learn so much about English in Palestine.

The Center was also generous in supplying formal Palestinian Colloquial Arabic lessons. This will be essential for anyone who’s only studied Arabic in a Western university, since he or she will find that day-to-day Arabic is quite different from that taught in Al-Kitaab. Each day I would come in saying, “The cab driver today said X, but I learned that he should say Y.” This would kick off a 30 minute impromptu lesson on the local dialect with the other teachers, which would be continued in my formal Arabic class.

Life at home was also enjoyable. I lived with two other Excellence Center volunteers in an apartment just adjacent to our host family, with my own private room and bathroom. This allowed for privacy when needed, while also making it easy for us to go next door for late-night meals with the family. With an abundance of local delicacies always on order, 11 family members to talk with, and a genuine curiosity about one another’s lives, we spent many late nights discussing everything from local foods, traditions, language, and even politics with the family.

One fact should above all be acknowledged by anyone considering this program: West Bank Palestinians' freedom of movement is severely restricted by the Israeli authorities. For example, in order to travel outside Palestine or Israel, Palestinians must petition the Israeli government weeks ahead of time requesting permission to use the international airport in Tel Aviv. This burden, combined with the much lower wages Palestinians earn relative to their Arab and Israeli neighbors, means that a typical Palestinians' ability to travel internationally is severely constrained, meaning their opportunities to interact with different cultures are limited. For this reason you will be asked many questions about your home, your culture, and your religion. You will also be asked your opinions of Palestinian culture, as well as very candid questions about what you and people in your country think about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

These genuine exchanges of ideas, combined with a first-hand exposure to life in Palestine and an opportunity to practice Colloquial Arabic, are exactly the things I was looking for when I applied for this program. I got all this and more, and I highly recommend anyone wanting the same to apply with the Excellence Center in Hebron, Palestine.

-- 2015 --

This was my second visit to the Centre and was for only 10 days this time - I wish it was longer. As before, the staff were so friendly and helpful and the students were lovely. I particularly enjoyed running the employability skills workshops as they gave me the opportunity to feel that I was making a really valuable contribution. I also enjoyed helping out with the English classes and interacting with the younger students who were so keen and interested. The city of Hebron is a great place to spend time; colourful, noisy and full of life, and the food is great! The family who were my hosts last time are so kind and generous and this time are far more than just a 'host family', they are my dear friends. I look forward to my next visit!

-- 2014 --

The time I spent at the Excellence Center in Hebron was a fantastic opportunity to learn some Arabic and to find out more about Palestine. I was so warmly welcomed and supported by all the staff and by my host family. I made some wonderful friends and would love to go back some time soon

My experience at the Excellence Center was good, I encountered no problems regarding my safety and the staff was helpful in any situation where I required help. I had very few difficulties and any difficulties I faced were independant of the program. I would recommend volunteering at the Excellence Center to anybody who is interested in learning about the culture, education, and daily life in Palestine.

My name is Sila, I am a Canadian Turkish student living in Montreal. I am 21 years old and finished my university baccalaureate in international development and Middle East studies at McGill University. I came to Hebron to teach English to young Palestinians and learn Arabic language and culture. I was a volunteer assistant teacher for a whole month. I taught teenagers boys and girls and young adults too. Their level ranged from beginner 1 to intermediate 2. During this time I stayed with two host families. Both of them were amazing and very welcoming. With these families and the friendly staff of the Excellenxe Center, I have never felt unsafe. Every person I met went out of their way to make me and the other volunteers at ease and safe in Hebron.
During my stay, I visited many places in Hebron. For example, I went to the Ibrahimi mosque many times, to Hebron's Old City and to its famous glass and kufiyah factories. I also went to Dura, which is a town in Hebron. Outside of Hebron, I went to Jericho, Bethlehem, Jerusalem and Yaffa.
All in all, it was an amazing experience. A month felt like a week. The people at the center and the host families are so generous, so friendly and so warm that you will want to extend your trip!

It was amazing experience in Hebron. Everyday we had an amazing time with local Palestinian people. I taught school students, university students and some community members conversational English. The students were amazing.

I also learnt some Arabic, I can say some sentences in Arabic which made my stay much nicer in Hebron.

Its really safe, I never had any problems in Palestine. I was always surrounded with Palestinian people. I also travelled around Palestine. I visited many places from Jenin to Bethlehem to Rammallah.

I really enjoyed this programme. Even though I arrived just as the Gaza conflict was developing, I always felt safe in the Hebron due to the my host family and the support from the Excellence center. All the students in the classes were very eager to learn, which made teaching a pleasure. I learned so much about Palestinian culture, history, and daily life, and it was really harrowing to experience the reality of life under Israeli occupation first-hand.

I learnt a huge amount from my two months in Hebron. My trip coincided exactly with the recent conflict in Gaza but that served only to enhance the experience and the attachment that I now feel to the area. Living with a family was an incredible way to improve my Arabic.