Volunteer in the West Bank, Palestine Program

Home » Intern in Palestine Programs

Intern in Palestine Programs

Intern in the West Bank Programs (1-13 Weeks)

In Hebron, we offer short-term and long-term volunteer and internship programs. Interns will have the chance to work with the Palestinian community in several ways. Interns will assist them in practicing their conversational English. They will also organize workshops on a variety of subjects while staying in Hebron’s lively, sociable neighborhood. This opportunity is available for anyone, from 1 to 13 weeks. Our internship programs in Hebron provide you with the chance to work in a great environment and give you an experience like no other.

We offer accessible and affordable volunteering and internship programs in Hebron to those interested in helping the Palestinian community while learning Arabic. We offer a diverse array of internship programs. They encompass opportunities such as teaching English as a foreign language, organizing workshops on human rights, and exploring the legal and political situations in the West Bank.

The program is open to both native and non-native English speakers who want to intern and learn Arabic in Palestine. This program is designed for you, whether you are a student, graduate, professional, or retiree searching for internship opportunities in the West Bank, Palestine, Israel, or the larger Arabic world.

Experience Interning in Hebron, West Bank

We offer a wide range of flexible internship options in Hebron throughout the year. They provide fantastic learning experiences for those who are:

Looking to travel in the Israel/ Palestine area
Interested in summer internship programs in Palestine
College, university, or gap year students seeking volunteer/internship opportunities in Israel and Palestine
Interested in helping Palestinian refugees and children
Concerned about the political and humanitarian situation in the local region, and the people and communities affected
Interested in Palestinian and Arabic culture, particularly those who want to learn and improve their Arabic

You will have numerous opportunities to travel in your spare time to other places, including Tel Aviv, Haifa, Jerusalem, Akko, Ramallah, Nablus, Jenin, and Bethlehem. International tourists can travel between Palestine and Israel easily and at low costs. Therefore, our internship programs provide participants with lots of free time to explore the region.

Discover a Unique Opportunity for Cultural Exchange

The internship opportunities in Palestine are created to challenge you as a person while fully integrating you into Palestinian culture and helping you build lasting relationships. By collaborating with the people of the West Bank, you will be making significant contributions to the community in Hebron. You will also meet a lot of new people, pick up a new language, and collaborate with Palestinians and refugees in and around the West Bank.

We have welcomed hundreds of interns from all over the world. Intern in Palestine strives to achieve diverse cultural exchange and social conversation through the Intern in Palestine Program. This allows us to have a variety of viewpoints, enriching activities, and programs. We promise to immerse you in Palestinian life and expose you to many Palestinian points of view. Through this cultural interaction, you will be better able to get past preconceived notions and prejudices and gain insight into the hearts and minds of Palestinian people. Indeed, you will visit Palestine and experience it for yourself.

Contribute to the Palestinian Community

Interns also play an important role in contributing to the Palestinian local community’s well-being and building pathways to understanding. We encourage interns to interact with locals and with Palestinian members of the refugee camps. Therefore, internship projects offer many opportunities to support education and community development.

Anyone who wishes to learn more about daily Palestinian legal matters and human rights can benefit from our well-researched volunteer and internship programs in the West Bank. Through the sharing of ideas and “walking in each other’s shoes,” we want to have a long-lasting impact on the local Palestinian community. We offer a once-in-a-lifetime chance to truly change your own life as well as the lives of others.

Short-term Internship Programs in Palestine

We operate a wide range of internship initiatives covering a wide range of topics here at Intern in Palestine in Hebron, West Bank. We are certain that you will discover an internship program where you can excel and make a significant contribution, regardless of your hobbies or areas of expertise. Our options for programs will be listed at the bottom of the page.

Arabic Classes for All Interns

All interns take intensive Arabic sessions three times a week for a total of twelve hours a month. Additionally, you will have numerous chances to meet individuals in Palestine with whom you can converse in Arabic and improve your language abilities.

The options for Arabic dialects we currently provide are:

Shami or Levantine Arabic (Amiyya dialect) اللهجة العامية او الشامية
Colloquial Palestinian Arabic
Modern Standard Arabic (MSA)
A mixed Program: (Modern Standard Arabic and Shami Arabic)

We can also help you choose which Arabic dialect to study if you are unsure.

Participate in a Variety of Extracurricular Activities

Intern in Palestine organizes a variety of educational, cultural, and social activities for all our international interns throughout their time in the program. These activities include visits to the Old City, Palestinian families’ homes, and tours of nearby businesses. You will learn more about the local region and get to witness various elements of life in Palestine.

Who Comes to Intern in Palestine?

At Intern in Palestine, we happily accept volunteers and interns from around the world. We also eagerly accept anyone from a broad range of ages, professions, and backgrounds.

Since the Center’s establishment in 2011, we have accepted a variety of applications to engage in our internship programs, and we have over ten years of experience doing so. These applicants have included:

University students who wish to experience and have intimate knowledge of the Palestine and Israel area
Gap year students
Older or retired people seeking adventure
People who are interested in studying and practicing their Arabic
Participants who would like to know more about Israel/Palestine and the political and humanitarian situation firsthand
College students who wish to write articles or conduct research in Palestine
Everyone willing to help Palestinians and make a difference

Even though we welcome a diverse spectrum of people, one thing all of our interns have in common is an open mind and a desire to learn about and participate in Palestinian culture and customs.

Are you a Qualified Teacher?

We encourage you to consider being a part of our Teach For Palestine Program if you hold a degree in English. This opportunity is particularly suitable for individuals who have received formal training in the English language or are currently employed as English instructors.

However, having teaching experience or being a certified teacher is not a requirement to teach English at Intern in Palestine. Instead, we encourage interns who have a genuine love for the subject matter and a desire to benefit from the opportunity. Please have a look at programs like the English Teaching and Arabic Study Internship for more details.

Requirements to Intern in Palestine

18+ (further restrictions may depend on the program)
A good attitude and willingness to learn and be a part of a family
An interest in meeting and engaging with people in Palestine
The ability to communicate in English

NOT Required:

Ability to speak Arabic
Travel experience
Native speaker of English
A degree in English or any specialization
Experience in teaching English (for English teaching programs)

Overview of Programs

Location of Volunteer Program	Hebron, West Bank
Program Language	English
Volunteering Duration	1-13 weeks
Starting/ Ending Dates	Flexible/Year-round
Monthly Costs	695€ a month /230€ a week*
Staying in Hebron	Palestinian host family  Male dorm  Private (additional fees apply)
Educational Degree	Not Required
University Credit	Available
Application Deadline	No Deadline
Reviews and Ratings	Reviews On Gooverseas.com  Reviews On Goabroad.com  Participant video testimonials
Tel Aviv Airport Pickup	Available (Fee applies)

*Costs include community breakfast at the Center each morning, accommodation, pre-departure and in-country support, Arabic classes (3 hours a week), visits to sites in Hebron, and a certificate of completion.

Benefits of Interning in Palestine

The city of Hebron offers a lot of advantages to interns. You will have the opportunity to engage in various educational, cultural, social, and community development activities by being completely immersed in the Palestinian culture.

Living in Hebron and visiting sites in the local and wider area
Better understanding of Palestinian politics and experience of the occupation in the West Bank
Learning Arabic from natives and communicating with locals
Getting to know the human rights situation and supporting Palestinian refugees
Travelling to historical locations and nearby cities including Jerusalem, Jericho, Ramallah, Nablus, and Bethlehem in your free time
Spending time and living with a Palestinian host family, if desired
Visiting Palestinian universities, local institutions, and organizations specializing in culture and education
Eating local Palestinian foods and delicacies
Attending cultural nights featuring entertainment and activities in Hebron’s social hubs

Program Reviews

Intern in Palestine has welcomed people from 40 different countries since 2011. For our influence on foreign visitors, we got our inaugural “Go Overseas Community Choice Awards” in 2019. Most recently, we were selected as one of the “Best Places to Teach Abroad, Top Spots for Volunteering Abroad, Greatest Language Schools, and Best Internship Abroad Providers of 2023” by Go Overseas. Connecting, educating, and advancing people within the local and global communities continues to be our mission.

Intern in Palestine is well-known for its cultural immersion, welcoming staff and environment, and dedication to debunking myths about Palestine and Palestinians. If you are interested in Palestinian culture and want to visit the West Bank, please read our program reviews to see whether Internship in Palestine is the right organization for you.

+740 reviews (94%) on gooverseas.com
+120 reviews (96%) on goabroad.com
Video testimonials

The Palestinian Refugees Internship Program, in particular, is ideal for anybody interested in improving the health, education, and rights of Palestinian refugees in the West Bank.

Interning as a Woman in Palestine

Interning alone in Palestine, especially for women from a different culture, introduces additional considerations. We understand that your safety in Hebron during the internship may be a concern.

We have had numerous female interns and students learning Arabic at Intern in Palestine. Since our establishment in 2011, the majority of our interns have been women. Our female interns and Arabic students stay with a host family, where they normally spend the nights and eat meals.

While you’re in Hebron, your Palestinian host family will look after you and assist you, and our staff and other international interns will also be on hand to provide a hand when needed. For further details, please see the article Traveling as a Woman to Palestine.

Safety of Our Volunteers and Interns

Unfortunately, the region of Palestine has not been stable for the last few decades, as there is always unrest and war. Sometimes it becomes more volatile, while at other times it’s calmer. Nonetheless, each year millions of tourists visit Palestine and the West Bank including Hebron, Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jenin, Jerusalem, Salfeet, Tulkarem, Nablus, and many other cities without any safety issues. Palestinians are generally very welcoming and hospitable people. They recognize that the politics of a country and its people may differ.

Since it was formed in 2011, the Excellence Center has welcomed over 1,000 international visitors. These visitors lived and worked in Hebron for a few weeks to several months. Overall, they did not face any threat nor were they unsafe in Hebron or the West Bank.

The Excellence Center and Intern in Palestine is located in an area of Hebron which is under the Palestinian authority and in the heart of the city. Our Palestinian host families and the male dorms are conveniently located near the Center as well, making it a safe place to stay in Palestine.

Flying to Palestine

Palestine does not have any airports in the West Bank or Gaza Strip. Palestinians use either the airports in Jordan or Egypt to travel abroad. However, international volunteers and interns including English teachers in Palestine can fly to Israeli airports and then cross to Palestine.

It is currently impossible to fly directly into the West Bank. Therefore, we believe the easiest ways to get to the Intern in Palestine in Hebron, Palestine are:

To fly to Ben Gurion, Tel Aviv Airport (in Israel). It takes about two and a half hours from the airport to the Excellence Center in Hebron via shared taxi.
You can fly to Eilat airport in Israel and then travel by booking a shuttle or taking a bus to Jerusalem and then to Hebron. The whole trip can last between 6-7 hours.
You can also fly to Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, Jordan, and then cross to Palestine, but this route takes more time and is more expensive.

Traveling to and from Hebron, West Bank

We know that many participants in the Teach English and Study Arabic Program in Palestine have questions about traveling in Palestine. This is especially true for those traveling in the Israel/Palestine region for the first time. Hopefully, all the necessary information about how to get to Hebron, Palestine, and the Excellence Center is provided in these four articles:

How to fly to Palestine
How to get to Hebron, Palestine
Planning your trip to Palestine
How to get from the Ben Gurion Airport (Israel) to Hebron

For any further questions, you are always welcome to get in touch with us. Our contact info is at the bottom of the page.

Visa for Palestine

International participants of the Teach English whilst Learning Arabic Program at the Excellence Center are usually given a tourist visa for three months when they fly to the Israeli airports or cross from Jordan to the West Bank. (Hence the reason the program has a maximum 3-month span.)

In general, no prior visa is needed for Americans, Canadians, and most Europeans in order to enter Palestine. Please refer to the visa exemption agreement for further information. Upon your arrival at the Israeli Airports in Tel Aviv or Eilat, you will be granted a tourist visa that is valid for 90 days which enables you to travel around Palestine and Israel.

Areas of volunteering in Palestine

Engage in Palestine is incredibly accommodating when it comes to what you can do while volunteering in Palestine. We are ready to help plan and involve you in activities you would like to do. The following are some examples of tasks you may be involved in:

Providing conversational English lessons with and assisting other instructors with their course outlines
Organizing weekly seminars for the Palestinian community on a variety of topics, such as cultural differences, writing resumes, and formal email writing
Helping Palestinian teachers in assessing Palestinian students’ English capabilities
Organizing activities according to your interests and expertise such as painting workshops, writing workshops, handicrafts, filming, and photography
Administrative activities such as helping our staff and interns in writing reports, making schedules, printing class materials, etc.

It is important to find a volunteer program that interests and suits you best. An overview of all of our volunteer opportunities in the West Bank, Palestine is provided below.

1. Volunteer and Study Arabic (1-13 weeks)

Engage in Palestine offers a volunteer and internship program for English speakers who want to support the Palestinian population while studying Arabic. The volunteer program involves teaching English as a foreign language while learning about human rights and the legal and political circumstances in the West Bank through workshops. The volunteer program, which is located in Hebron, is intended to be immersive, authentic, and all-encompassing.

2. Journalism and Media Program

At our main office in Hebron, we teach anyone else interested in the political situation in Israel and Palestine through this volunteer program. Students will work on journalism and media assignments such as reporting news, producing articles, researching and fact-checking sources, and utilizing various forms of media.

3. Palestinian Education Program

Volunteers in Palestine will teach English to students in local village schools as well as the refugee camps around Hebron. This is a great opportunity to engage with the young people of Palestine and learn more about the education system in the West Bank.

4. Information Technology Program

This is a unique volunteer program for anyone with computer and technical abilities, who wants to share their expertise with Palestinian children, refugees, students, and community members in Hebron while learning about Palestinian culture and life.

5. Environment and Conservation Program

In this volunteer program, you will teach Palestinian youth about Environment & Conservation. You will also teach them the consequences of their practices and how this can affect the surrounding environment. Volunteers can share their knowledge to help develop more environmentally friendly and sustainable practices.

6. Music and Art Program

The goal of this volunteer program is to help members of the Palestinian community who have a passion for the arts and music. Volunteers will teach them music, singing, and other kinds of art, empowering them to learn about and embrace their passion. Music and art activities allow people to express themselves while also relieving stress.

7. Sports Program

Volunteers will create their own initiative and organize activities to raise awareness about sports-related themes such as nutrition, proper training practices, and so on. This program provides a unique opportunity to spend time with Palestinian kids and strengthen your skills through practical, hands-on experience.

8. Healthcare Program

Our volunteer program in Palestine pairs participants with local professionals, doctors, medical students, and nurses to encourage shared learning. This collaboration sheds light on the Palestinian healthcare system, and the subjects covered in medical and healthcare specialties at Palestinian universities and colleges. Additionally, the program is open to healthcare workers at all stages of study, from pre-med and pre-nursing students to licensed medical practitioners.

Candidates must be qualified health professionals, such as doctors or nutritionists, or students studying medicine, nursing, public health, or healthcare.

9. Human Rights in the West Bank Program

This program was developed to educate volunteers on human rights issues in Palestine. Students will attend human rights organizations and interact with advocates, staff members, law professors, students, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Participants are also given the chance to put what they have learned into practice in a natural setting. This internship is a great option if you want to volunteer work in the West Bank and are interested in Israeli-Palestinian relations.

10. Women’s Rights Volunteer Program

Students interested in social studies, particularly the topic of women’s empowerment, should join this program. During the program, students will learn more about women’s rights in Palestine, specifically in Hebron. Volunteers will have numerous opportunities to work with Palestinian women, visit women’s rights groups in Hebron, and take part in educational and cultural events.

11. Palestinian Laws & Legal Practices Program

This program is excellent for those interested in the West Bank legal system and those studying law, the social sciences, and human rights. This program curriculum gives a thorough overview of the legislation that governs the West Bank and Gaza. Interns will visit local Palestinian lawyers, law faculties, courts, human rights organizations legal religious institutions, and legal clinics. They will observe the creation of legislation, the decision-making process, court rulings, legal negotiations, and mediations in a range of social settings.

12. Palestine and Israel in Context Program

This internship program is aimed at students in the humanities and social sciences who are trying to gain first-hand knowledge of the Israeli/Palestinian predicament. Students will observe the real viewpoints of everyday people, independent from the political headlines, and will comprehend the impact of the conflict firsthand.

13. Palestinian Culture Internship Program

Participants in this immersion-style internship will get a close-up look at Palestinian culture, art, history, and industry. Participants will get the chance to see the lovely and ancient city of Hebron, take day trips to towns like Bethlehem and Jerusalem, and visit other cultural and historic places. The program is designed to be immersive. There is a heavy focus will be on deepening participants’ understanding of Palestinian traditions and culture.

This program is particularly suited for university students. It can give academic credit overseas thanks to its relationship with the Palestinian Education Authority.

Furthermore, this program is a fantastic opportunity for anyone interested in learning Arabic in a fully immersive linguistic experience. Those who participate in this program will have the opportunity to speak Arabic daily with the Palestinian community right here in Hebron!

14. Palestinian Community Development Program

This volunteer program is ideal for people who want to support Palestinian children, youth, community members, and refugees in community development organizations in Palestine and Israel. Volunteers can assist in the establishment and strengthening of community ties.

15. Volunteer with Palestinian Children

This program is an excellent opportunity for anybody interested in working with Palestinian children and youth, particularly those interested in early education. Volunteers will be completely immersed in Palestinian culture, everyday life, politics, human rights, and the educational system.

16. Volunteer with Palestinian Refugees in the West Bank

Schools in Palestinian refugee camps are undeveloped and lack many essential resources to educate students properly. To close this gap, volunteers will work directly within the schools. They will also have the chance to cooperate with international NGOs, community centers, and human rights organizations to advocate for the rights of refugees. In order to teach new skills and promote meaningful cultural interchange, participants will also design educational programs with a specific target audience in mind, such as Palestinian children, youth, or women.

Summer Volunteer Programs in Palestine

Engage in Palestine provides excellent volunteer opportunities from June through August for those searching for summer internships or volunteer programs in the West Bank or Israel. These volunteer summer programs in Palestine combine a focus on the Arabic language with thorough education, immersion, and participation in Palestinian culture, politics, and history. Visits are made to Palestinian refugee camps, local towns, and community centers in addition to Bedouin regions (Susiya).

Come to Hebron!

Join us in Hebron! Come work as an intern for human rights and peace in the West Bank. The kind people of Palestine make visiting the West Bank a fantastic experience. Through any internship program of your choosing, there are a plethora of people who need support so you will have many opportunities to make a big impact on the communities you’re aiding. This will undoubtedly be a huge influence on your life, both personally and professionally.

Interning in Palestine is an exceptional opportunity for you to meet Palestinian people, experience their daily life, learn Palestinian Arabic, and observe the Israeli-Palestinian conflict first-hand. Palestinians’ daily lives are impeded in many ways by the occupation, yet Palestinian children and youth still have hopes and aspirations for a better life. They are eager to learn and better themselves and their community’s condition. Your role as an international volunteer or intern may help improve the prospects of Palestinians in a variety of ways, including teaching English, organizing community activities, and increasing awareness. Most importantly, you will inform the world that Palestine is not what mainstream media sources commonly portray.

We encourage you to share your internship experience, raise awareness of the situation in Palestine, and encourage others to visit the West Bank to experience Palestine firsthand. We are confident that you will have a delightful and unforgettable time in Palestine.