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

Being part of the Excellence Center team during the Summer of 2014 has already become one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life, both professionally and personally. All four groups I taught (all different ages, from age 7 to 25) were so enthusiastic about learning they renewed my belief in the importance of education. The staff at Excellence Center were extremely welcoming and supportive and I hope I get to collaborate again with them. overall, one of the best teaching (I have taught at the college level for 18 years now) and personal experiences of my life and I highly recommend it to anyone.

I visited Hebron last year and felt very welcomed and taken care of by the Excellence Center staff. The center is very frequented, which also shows its success among the Hebron community. As mentioned before, the center is a business, yet it manages to support the local population by offering courses for a lesser fee than other local centers. It also provides free courses and programs for groups in need such as refugees. Though Hebron is a conservative city people here are very friendly, open and welcoming - eager to practice their English. Like in every country or culture you travel to, things are different and take time to adapt to, so my advice is to travel with the intention to learn and experience something different, of course this at times includes leaving your comfort zone. The center organizes amazing trips to places like Susia, the old city of Hebron, Nablus, Ramallah offering insights into local organizations and local communities. You will definitely meet people you would have otherwise never encountered. The Excellence Center is a great point for cultural exchange. Make sure to discuss your needs ahead of time to give the staff time to arrange things for you and to clarify whatever remains unclear.

Students are eager to learn and the teaching experience is really rewarding. Volunteers are granted considerate space to engage in teaching methods and activities of their choice. Moreover, we were also encouraged to provide feedback on the program and to explain concretely which improvements could be made.

I really spent an amazing time here!

I volunteered at the Excellence centre for 2 months in the summer of 2013. My main task was to coordinate a series of workshops for fresh graduates in CV writing, interview skills, job applications, formal letters/ emails etc alongside teaching both beginner and intermediate english. The graduate workshops were great, a lot of people came and it really felt like the students learnt some valuable skills which they could use to apply for jobs. I did the whole workshop in English though and I think some students had problems understanding.

I think something which should be made clear is the excellence centre is a business which also does charitable work. So most of the lessons students pay for to maintain the running of the place, then workshops, lessons at refugee camps etc are given for free.

The stay with a host family was a great cultural experience, my family was amazing, but not everyone gets their own room (although I didn't mind sharing, some people might) so make sure you are really clear about where you are staying from the beginning and how far from the centre it is etc.... make sure your contract is clear with how much money you pay, how much money the family receive, how many meals you get included from the centre, and from the family so you don't have any technical issues when you arrive. Unlike the other reviews I received all the Arabic lessons without a problem, which were really useful (you won't learn arabic overnight though!) and some trips around Hebron which were very interesting.

Hebron is a crazy place.... the old town is amazing and the people are super friendly and welcoming. The social scene will probably be hanging around with your host family, other interns and the people from the excellence centre, but if you have as cool a crowd as I did, that will be enough. You won't though be able to find alcohol or anything more than a sheesha and coffee, so if you want to party, Hebron is not the place! I would recommend making the effort to travel Palestine and Israel whilst you are there - definitely an interesting experience. I never felt unsafe in Hebron (obviously following safety rules you would follow anywhere, i.e. don't walk around alone at night), but sometimes people staring and making comments can be exhausting, but welcome to the Middle East.

If you want to experience Palestinian culture and learn about the occupation whilst eating great food, meeting amazing people and learning some arabic or teaching english, I would recommend the excellence centre.

Ah and on arrival, ask the centre to organise you a taxi from Jerusalem else it can get very confusing!

In my review, written some seven months after my return to the UK, I would largely echo the comments made by Megan on 23/8 (to use the British way of recording dates).

I too found the people of Hebron, with very few exceptions, to be friendly and indeed the phrase "Welcome to Hebron" was probably the English phrase I heard most often.

Although I am not a very good teacher, I found the students, in most cases, keen to learn and very largely respectful. However, the teaching would have been easier for all concerned had the CDs, to which the text books frequently referred, been available.

After an initial 'hic-cup' I settled in well with what was my second host family, who treated me exceedingly well, despite the language difficulties. This was particularly so during the unprecedented snowfall in mid-December when, for several days, Hebron effectively came to a standstill. On my departure I presented the grand-daughter of the family with my ukulele, in which she had expressed an interest and I am still in touch with one of the sons and, indeed, with another former student. They, in turn, are seeing from my face-book page, how the Palestinian cause is being supported and pursued in the UK.

I have almost recovered from twice playing five-a-side football at the age of 69 and my family and friends are still much amused by the photograph of me in my borrowed breeches.

In the event I had to suddenly cut short what should have been a three month stay, by a couple of weeks for urgent medical reasons. Despite the problems this undoubtedly caused the centre, I found the management to be sympathetic, understanding and helpful.

Sadly I am beginning to forget what Arabic I learned. Like Megan, I don't think that I got all the lessons I was entitled to. although like her, I imagine that if I had complained, things would have improved.

Notwithstanding my age, which severely cuts down on the available opportunities, I certainly intend to return to Palestine (Israel permitting) in the near future, although I have yet to decide in what capacity.

I had an interesting, informative and inspiring time whilst working at the centre and met some very nice people. Whilst there are shortcomings, listed above and elsewhere, I have no hesitation in recommending it and its staff to other would-be volunteers.

I spent three weeks working with the Excellence Center in Hebron, Palestine in July 2014. It was an amazing experience. I learnt a lot about Palestine and the conflict there. I had an amazing time visiting different places in Hebron. The Palestinian people are very nice and very hospitable.

I volunteered at the Excellence Center in Hebron, Palestine during the summer of 2014.

The people in Hebron are very friendly and so are the people at the Excellence Center. The host family I stayed with were very welcoming and made me feel as if I was a part of the family.

The experience of teaching English to Palestinians is also very nice. Most students are respectful and very eager to learn English. I enjoyed teaching them very much.

Besides teaching English I also travelled around Palestine. Sometimes I travelled on my own, but the Excellence Center will also take you on tours. These tours will take you to places in Palestine you would not visit otherwise and are a very enriching experience. One tour they took us on was to a small Bedouin village. We got to see how the people live and learned about the difficult situation they are in.

One thing I liked less is the amount of pictures the staff takes. During the lessons one of the staff members comes in with a camera and takes random pictures of you and the students. I got used to it after a while but I can imagine some people may be uncomfortable with this. The pictures are used to promote the organisation which is good, but sometimes I feel that the foreign volunteers are used as an accessory.

The Arabic lessons are good, but I did not get enough lessons. I could have if I had chased after them, but should not have to do that.

All in all I had an amazing experience in Palestine. If you are interested in the Arab-Israeli conflict I strongly recommend you to visit Palestine and witness the situation with your own eyes. The Excellence Center is an excellent place for volunteering and your schedule is flexible enough to travel around Palestine as well.

Please do not let this review reflect on Palestine or the people. The people in Palestine are great. It is this business that is not.

The manager is only after money. He charges everyone who does the program a different fee then tells you the money will go to your host family - which it doesn't. He will make you sign a contract saying that you cannot discuss any of the terms of your contract or how much you paid with anyone else, not even other volunteers. Unfortunately for him- we all talk. He wants you to do everything for free. He gives you a huge workload and continually tries to pile upon it. Him and his sister are very rude, they talk to volunteers like servants.

I talked to other internationals doing other teaching programs in Hebron and they did not have the same problems - the problem is only with the excellence center it seems.

I only stayed for the students. My students were great.

As for living in Hebron-- I loved it. The people are really nice and it is easy to get around.