The Palestine and Israel Internship: Whether you’re an undergraduate, graduate, professional, retiree, or just someone interested in political history, human rights, Palestinian refugees, or the current situation, the Palestine and Israel in Context Internship program is for you! With the ability to hear the opinions of everyday people and understand, grasp, and witness the effects of the conflict firsthand, this is a fantastic opportunity to gain insider knowledge beyond the headlines.
In particular, if you’re a current student of humanities, political sciences, or Middle Eastern studies and looking to frame your knowledge within a cultural context, this internship program in Palestine is particularly pertinent to you as you will explore the occupation in the West Bank as well as meet Palestinian civilians, local human rights activists and families who are subject to Israeli military law.
In addition to these great opportunities, you will also be provided with an Arabic language course tailored to your individual level. With tuition of three hours a week, you’ll also be able to immerse yourself in your surroundings by chatting with local Palestinians, ordering food in restaurants, and more. Therefore, for those looking to enhance their knowledge of Arabic, experience cultural immersion, and conduct political research, consider our program to gain an in-depth, personalized internship.
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Volunteering for the “In Context Internship” in the West Bank
As an intern in the Palestine and Israel in Context Internship Program, you will be studying the issues at hand and working with us to create constructive programs geared towards benefiting members of the Palestinian community, e.g., designing workshops that address fundamental cultural differences.
At Study In Palestine, we want to invite people from around the world to come to Palestine and utilize your individual expertise to help the people of Hebron.
Who can participate?
Study In Palestine does not discriminate on any basis, including nationality, ethnicity, religious standing, gender, sexual orientation, or any other discernable means. Furthermore, we have a long history of welcoming people from around the globe
Including the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Canada, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Brazil, Mexico, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Australia, Japan, South Africa, Singapore, South Korea, Ireland, China and New Zealand.
Program Structure
Study In Palestine works with and is supported by the Palestinian Educational Authority, meaning that university credits are available for many of its summer internship programs, making this particular program a desirable internship opportunity. Enrolling in this program as an intern will give you a broader perspective on the Israeli/Palestinian situation.
Additionally, you can create dialogues on the contemporary situation in Palestine with university staff and students, lawyers, human rights actors, local politicians, and everyday people. This summer internship is ideal for students who are seeking a unique, hands-on experience.
Community-Based Outreach Activities
Designed to increase your knowledge of the conflict, you will act as a cultural ambassador for your country by spearheading community outreach programs for cross-cultural communication. For example, you will visit Palestinian refugee camps and discuss the geopolitical circumstances of Palestine with local politicians and activists.
Examples of outreach activities in Hebron, Palestine, include organizing educational workshops (such as conversational English lessons for Palestinian children, youth, women, and refugees), CV and employment workshops, and computer programming workshops. Furthermore, we are flexible and are happy to help you design and deliver a workshop for any skill you’d like to teach.
Moreover, in Hebron, you can organize community sporting events, informational and cultural presentations, and others of your choice. But don’t worry, you won’t have to go through it alone as you will work with local Palestinians to enact these programs and gain sources of inspiration. The sky’s the limit at Study In Palestine!
Internship options
However, if this program is not for you (or if you just fancy partaking in more than one or trying something new instead), we run a wide range of volunteer projects at the Excellence Centre. Covering a variety of subjects, whether you have interests or expertise in arts, sports, Palestinian refugee care, laws, and justice, education, environmental and humanitarian Issues, or just promoting professional development, you can certainly find a volunteering program in which you can flourish and greatly contribute.
Our short-term volunteer programs in the West Bank, Palestine, include:
Program Details and Additional Activities in Palestine
Volunteers in the Palestine and Israel Internship based in Hebron, West Bank, will receive the following benefits. More details are given below. These include:
- 12 hours of Arabic lessons for each month you intern
- Accommodation with a Palestinian host family or a shared flat
- Breakfast with other participants (6 times a week)
- Pre-departure and support during your time in Palestine
- Visits to various sites in the city of Hebron (including refugee camps, the old city, different factories, etc.)
- Understanding of Palestinian politics and the experience of occupation in the West Bank
- Getting to know the human rights situation and helping the Palestinian refugees.
- Engagement in educational, social, and community activities
- Palestinian hospitality and a pleasant climate
- Living and gaining impressions from one of the most politically divisive and ambivalent regions of the Middle East
- The opportunity to visit unique tourist attractions with a native perspective – including Bethlehem, Ramallah, Nablus, Hebron, Tulkarm, Qalqilyah, Jenin and the Dead Sea in Jericho
- Visiting nearby cities both nationally and internationally, such as Akko, Herzliya, Beersheva, Eilat, Tiberias, Netanya, Safed, Haifa, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Masada, Amman, Aqaba, Wadi Rum, and Nazareth
- Help from well-qualified, attentive Arabic teachers with excellent educational backgrounds
- A certificate upon completion
Arabic Classes For Program Participants
All of our international volunteers and interns receive 3 hours of Arabic class per week with an experienced and knowledgeable Palestinian teacher. Additionally, there are plenty of chances to meet many people in Palestine, allowing you to learn further and practice your Arabic skills. But that’s not all, because as a thank you for your time with us, you can freely choose what dialect of Arabic you would like to learn from the following list:
- Modern Standard Arabic (MSA)
- Colloquial Palestinian Arabic
- Colloquial Shami/Levantine Arabic (Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine)
- A mixed program between MSA and colloquial dialects
If you are unsure which dialect to study, we can guide and help you choose the one most appropriate for your needs, however they are all beneficial and our teachers are all very knowledgeable.
Program Accommodation
During your time in Hebron, Palestine, you will have the opportunity to reside with a Palestinian host family, giving you the valuable chance to immerse yourself completely in the Arabic language and have a rare look into Palestinian culture and life. This means taking part in family meals, witnessing and attending Palestinian cultural events, and seeing the ins and outs of daily life.
However, if a host family is unavailable (which will only apply to male participants), there is the option to reside in a shared flat or dorm in the city center. In any case, you will have plenty of opportunities outside of your time with the center to immerse yourself completely in Palestinian culture.
Practical Information
| Place of Internship Program | Hebron, West Bank, Palestine |
| Program Fees (Per Week) | 300 Euros per week |
| Age | 18-75 |
| Duration | 1 – 13 weeks |
| Internship Program Focus | The Politics of Palestine and Israel Israel and Palestine Case Politics and History of Palestine Human Rights in the West Bank |
| Perfect for Anyone Interested in | Middle Eastern studies Conflict and refugee studies Politics in the West Bank Human Rights in West Bank |
| Number of Participants | Variable (3-6) |
| Expected Working Hours | 30 hours per week |
| Starting/Ending Dates | Flexible – Anytime |
| Application Deadline | No Deadline |
| University Credit | Available |
| Program Language | English |
Schedule For Volunteers
You will be expected to work approximately 30 hours a week, from around 9 am until 5 pm, and from Saturday to Thursday, with two days off. One of your days off will be Friday, and another day of your choice.
International volunteers start the day every morning with breakfast at Study In Palestine. Breakfast is shared with Palestinian teachers, volunteers from other programs, and staff, offering you exposure to traditional Palestinian foods such as labneh and the opportunity to further practice your Arabic. From here, you will have the opportunity to go on sightseeing trips in Hebron that are coordinated by the Study In Palestine alongside your program’s commitments. Evenings are typically free, although we will organize occasional optional activities as part of our commitment to showcasing Palestine’s culture.
In addition to your work on your program, you will also have your own Arabic class schedule and time to prepare for any workshops that you oversee. This is alongside your free time, where you can undertake excursions to other cities.
Indeed, you may be surprised by how fast your schedule will fill up and how quickly your time will fly!
Program Costs & Information
Our fees are priced competitively with other abroad programs, with the stated costs below covering the following expenses:
- Housing
- Language courses
- Center’s operating costs
- Breakfast (Mon – Fri)
- Group excursions
What Language Is The Program Run In?
The Palestine and Israel in Context Internship is geared toward English speakers; however, for the sake of immersion, the higher the course level, the less English will be utilized in the classroom. Furthermore, when navigating through Hebron, you will be required to utilize your Arabic skills to the best of your ability, creating a fully immersive experience.
A Flexible Program
Study In Palestine in Hebron will work with you to shape this volunteer position to suit your experience and skills. As we are very flexible, you will be able to freely choose what kind of activities and workshops you would be interested in implementing during your time with us.
Looking for volunteers year-round, you decide when you want to start, and we organize things accordingly. You can volunteer anywhere between 1-13 weeks.
How to Get to Palestine?
- Ben Gurion, Tel Aviv Airport in Israel. It takes roughly two and a half hours to get there by shared cab from the airport to Hebron.
The most convenient method to reach us at Study In Palestine is to fly to:
Alternatively:
- Fly to Eilat airport in the south of Israel, take a shuttle or bus to Jerusalem, and finally, go to Hebron. The travel, on the other hand, can last between six and seven hours.
- Flying to Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, Jordan, and then crossing the border into Palestine. This, however, takes more time and is more expensive.
Traveling to and from Hebron, West Bank
All of the Study in Palestine volunteers travel to and from Hebron using single or shared taxis that pass through checkpoints.
You will find all the necessary information about how to get to Hebron and Study in Palestine with relevant contact information 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
How Do I Get A Visa To Visit Palestine?
Most of our international participants get a tourist visa for three months when flying to Israeli airports or crossing from Jordan to the West Bank.
Generally, no prior visa is needed for Americans, Canadians, and most Europeans to enter Palestine, but 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. This is sufficient for participation in Study In Palestine’s programs and enables you to travel around Palestine and Israel easily.
Traveling to Palestine On Your Own?
No worries, you’ve come to the right place!
You will meet many participants from overseas who are also involved in our volunteer abroad programs, university students, and a community of people with various interests. Palestinians in Hebron, in particular, love to meet new people from different cultures and exchange ideas and experiences.
For everyone here, it is like belonging to one family, and there are always activities to do together in Hebron’s fantastic social scene.
Safety Of Our Volunteers And Interns
The region of Palestine is perpetually unstable. While there is always unrest, the situation sometimes becomes more volatile. Nonetheless, millions of tourists visit Palestine and the West Bank each year, including Hebron, Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jenin, Tulkarem, Nablus, and many other cities, without safety issues. Palestinians, in general, are a welcoming and hospitable people, and they recognize the politics of a country may differ from its people.
Since its formation in 2011, Study In Palestine has welcomed over 1,000 international visitors. These visitors have lived and worked in Hebron for weeks or months at a time and have never faced any threats or safety issues while in Hebron or the West Bank in general.
Moreover, the Excellence Centre is situated in an area of Hebron that is under Palestinian authority and in the heart of the city. Our Palestinian host families and the male dorms are also located near the Study In Palestine.
How To Apply
If you are interested in participating in our Israeli–Palestinian conflict program, please write to us at info@ecpalestine.org and CC Mr. Rafat Shantir at Rafat@excellencenter.org. We aim to respond to your initial inquiry within 1 – 2 business days.
In the subject line of your email, write, “The Palestine and Israel in Context Internship program.” Upon writing back to you, we will attach an application form, which you will fill out and return to us to begin onboarding.
Criteria for Participants in the Program
Required:
- Aged between 18 and 75 years (although exceptions can be made in special circumstances)
- Ability to converse fluently in English or Arabic
- Willing to meet and interact with a diverse spectrum of Palestinian people
- A desire to learn and a positive attitude
Not Required:
- Arabic fluency
- Travel experience
- Teaching experience or an equivalent educational degree
- Being an English native speaker
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@ecpalestine.org or Whatsapp:+972-599-479 880. We look forward to hearing from you!
Summary: Join Our Family in Palestine
The Palestine and Israel in Context Internship program in the city of Hebron, West Bank, is for anyone looking to put their foot through the door of Palestinian community development and those interested in diplomacy, human rights, Palestinian refugees, and political science. If you are looking to make a difference and be open to new experiences and cultural immersion, this internship program in Palestine is for you!
Related Internship Programs
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Website: https://ecpalestine.org/
EC Website: https://excellencenter.org/
Volunteer in Palestine: https://volunteerinpalestine.org/
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