How To Volunteer In The West Bank Engage in Palestine: The West Bank is a fascinating place with a rich history and culture stretching back thousands of years, but it is often misunderstood by many outsiders. Today it is home to over three million Palestinians and is subject to Israeli military occupation, meaning Palestinians are subject to Israeli military law and Israel controls all the borders and crossings into the West Bank. Despite the oppression and occupation that Palestinians continue to face, they are determined to continue enjoying life as best they can. Palestinians are very friendly, hospitable, and welcoming to international visitors.
While visiting the West Bank as a tourist is an unforgettable experience, to truly get to know it more intimately – consider spending an extended period living here and engaging with the local community. One of the best ways to do this is by volunteering, which will allow you to participate in Palestinian daily life while building relationships and having a positive impact on the local community.
Keep reading to learn more about how to volunteer in the West Bank.
Is The West Bank Safe?
If you are considering traveling to Palestine, your primary concern is probably safety. Many negative media reports circulate about Palestine and while it’s not possible to visit Gaza because of the ongoing Israeli blockade and siege, the West Bank is relatively stable and safe for international visitors. It’s important to recognize that the media sensationalizes the situation in Palestine and reports on it in an unfair, inaccurate, and biased manner, from a colonial and orientalist lens. Many foreign visitors to the West Bank are pleasantly surprised to find a very different reality from what they have heard about in the news.
Palestinians are very welcoming and hospitable people and many internationals have told us that, not only have they felt very safe and welcomed, but Palestinian people are the best people they have ever met. Depending on where you come from, you may even find that the West Bank feels safer than your city or country. For example, there is a very low level of street crime in the West Bank, and pickpocketing, while prevalent in much of Europe, is almost unheard of in the West Bank. Many Palestinians even leave their front doors and car doors unlocked!
While it’s important to understand that some parts of cities in the West Bank can be dangerous for Palestinians, this is because they are specifically targeted by the Israeli occupation, whereas international visitors are not. Internationals can be very easily and visibly distinguished from Palestinians, which provides them with a lot of privileges in the West Bank. It’s much easier and safer for internationals to freely travel through Palestine (except Gaza) than it is for Palestinians.
What Is The Culture Of The West Bank Like?
The West Bank has fascinating culture stretching back to the Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, and Ottomans in centuries past. Today, the culture is still influenced by Turkey and the former Ottoman Empire. As is typical in the Arab world, Palestinians are very friendly and hospitable people. People are generally very friendly and welcoming to outsiders, wherever they come from and it’s not uncommon to be invited into their home for tea, coffee, or even a meal.
It’s important to note that the majority of Palestinians are Muslims and while alcohol is not illegal, it is socially unacceptable to consume it in conservative cities such as Nablus and Hebron. In cities such as Ramallah, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem, there are significant numbers of Palestinian Christians, so you will find alcohol and bars there. You will also find a wonderful cafe culture, where many cafes are open until midnight or 1 am, either for coffee, tea, or a range of other drinks, as well as for smoking nargila (or shisha or hookah as it is often called in English). You will also find that smoking is common indoors in most places in the West Bank.
Another important thing to note is that in conservative areas of the West Bank, you will need to dress modestly to show respect to the local community and to avoid unwanted attention. Public displays of affection and unnecessary touching between members of the opposite sex should also be avoided, particularly in more conservative areas. You will find, however, that Palestinian men are often very affectionate with each other and may greet each other by hugging and kissing each other on the cheek and Palestinian women may also do the same with each other.
What Sort Of Experience Will I Have Volunteering In The West Bank?
The West Bank makes for a fantastic volunteering experience because the locals are so hospitable. There are many volunteer opportunities in the West Bank, so the sort of experiences you can have are endless. It depends on your choices and how much you put into it. The more willing you are to go outside of your comfort zone, integrate into Palestinian society, as well as build relationships with locals, the better experience you will have. Putting effort into learning Arabic and learning and adapting to the local culture will also help you have a much more enjoyable and profound experience. And of course, the more time you spend in Palestine, the more you will be able to see your impact on the local community around you.
Do I Need Any Qualifications Or Experience To Volunteer?
There are plenty of volunteer opportunities that do not require any qualifications or experience to participate in. However, there are of course volunteer positions that require a high degree of experience and qualifications, such as volunteering as a doctor, surgeon, or nurse. If you find a desirable volunteer position, but it has education or experience requirements that you cannot meet, don’t be discouraged, keep looking until you find one that’s right for you.
How Do I Find A Role Volunteering In The West Bank?
An internet search is a great place to start when searching for volunteer opportunities and volunteer programs in Palestine, the West Bank, or anywhere else. Alternatively, if you find organizations that you would like to volunteer with, you can always reach out to them to see if they accept volunteers.
Once you have found some potential programs or organizations, it is always advisable to do plenty of research before undertaking a volunteer program anywhere. This is especially true of the West Bank. Whilst most organizations that operate here are scrupulous and above board, there are always rogue elements, so it pays to do your due diligence. Check volunteer testimonials and feedback on sites such as Go Overseas to assess an organization’s trustworthiness and their fit with your principles and expectations. There is nothing worse than getting to Palestine and realizing the experience you were promised is completely different from what you get when you arrive!
Preparing For Your Trip To Palestine
Once you have accepted a teaching job or volunteer position, you will need to prepare for your trip to Palestine. You will need to arrange things like travel insurance and flights and you may need to notify your bank of your upcoming travel abroad. For flights, there are no airports in the West Bank, so we suggest you book flights to Tel Aviv Ben Gurion (TLV) airport and from there, it’s fairly simple to reach the West Bank.
Research The Weather And Local Customs So You Can Pack Appropriately
When packing your bags, it’s very important to make sure you bring suitable and appropriate clothing. Remember that parts of the West Bank are fairly conservative, so you will need to dress modestly while you are there, as well as dress appropriately for the weather. During winter, it can be quite cold and wet, particularly at night, so it’s important to pack suitable clothing and footwear. Most internationals are surprised that winter in Palestine gets much colder than they expected, which is largely due to the absence of central heating inside Palestinian homes and buildings. While in summer, it is quite hot and dry, with the daily high temperature typically being between 30-40 degrees Celsius. So consider this when deciding what to pack.
Volunteering In The West Bank – In Hebron
If you are keen on volunteering in the West Bank, we invite you to check out the programs that we (Engage in Palestine) offer, below. Engage in Palestine offers a full suite of programs in Hebron ranging from volunteering as an English teacher to volunteering in Palestinian healthcare, to a human rights program and a volunteer journalism program. All of these are well-established and highly regarded programs, and since our founding in 2011, we have continued to develop and improve them.
Our programs are run flexibly, lasting from one week up to three months (90 days is the maximum time you can obtain an Israeli visa for), depending on the needs and commitments of the individual volunteer. We have many volunteers throughout the year, and while summer is the busiest time due to university or school holidays, any time of the year is a great time to visit and volunteer in Palestine! Hebron is a bustling metropolis – the biggest city in the West Bank and the volunteers usually band together to find interesting things to do in the evenings and weekends.
On arriving here you will be assigned a liaison manager to assign your duties and liaise with the local community to see where your help is needed most. You will also be assigned a dedicated Arabic tutor to help you improve your language level so that you can interact with the locals.
You can read more about the benefits we offer below. However, the ultimate attraction of these programs though is the ability to help local people resist the pressures of Occupation and try to live their best lives in light of what is understandably an extremely difficult situation.
The Benefits Of Volunteering At Engage In Palestine
We offer numerous benefits to our volunteers. First of all, we offer you the flexibility to choose how long you wish to volunteer for, from 1-13 weeks (year-round) and you can choose which dates you would like to start and finish your program. Next, we include three hours of personalized Arabic lessons each week that you are with us taught either one-on-one or in small groups by one of our knowledgeable Palestinian teachers.
As part of your volunteer placement, we also include accommodation (either with a Palestinian host family or in an all-male dorm) and breakfast for each day that you are at our center. Another benefit is that we include organized trips around Hebron as part of your program. These trips are to see sites that are culturally and/or politically important, including Ibrahimi Mosque, Hebron’s old city, a glass and ceramic factory, the keffiyeh factory, a refugee camp, and more. You will not only have fun during these trips, but you will get to know more about Palestine.
You Will Get Immersed in the Arabic Culture
During your time with us, you will be immersed in Palestinian culture and daily life, but you will also get to meet people from all around the world at our center. Volunteers generally find that the combination of permanent Palestinian staff and temporary international volunteers, interns, and students at our center makes for a fantastic melting pot of different cultures and influences, ensuring you enjoy your time and make new friends.
Finally, we understand that traveling is a main attraction for our international volunteers. So we give you two days off per week to use as you wish, you can use this time to visit nearby places such as Jerusalem, Ramallah, Bethlehem, Nablus, Jericho, and the Dead Sea. You may explore by yourself or arrange trips with the new friends you make here.
These are just a few of the many benefits of volunteering with us!
Other Programs We Offer
Volunteer With Us In the Summer
If you’re looking for volunteer opportunities over the summer months (June through September), we invite you to join us. During summer, the days are longer, students have school holidays and it’s when we are at our most full of life with many international volunteers, interns, and students. This means you’ll have plenty of opportunities to meet new people and make friends from all over the world.
If you are a university student or anyone else with a summer break and you’re looking for in-person practical experiences, our summer volunteer programs are especially ideal for you. We can even provide current college or university students with academic credit towards their studies due to our collaboration with the Palestinian Ministry of Education.
Join us in the summer to grow your skills, gain practical experience, travel, and meet people from all over the world while immersing yourself in Palestinian culture.
The Impacts Of Volunteering With Us In Palestine
With all of our volunteer programs, we aim to make a long-term difference for both the Palestinian local community and you, through the exchange of ideas and “walking in each other’s shoes”. Our programs are well-researched and targeted to ensure they foster shared learning for both our community and you. Volunteering is a unique opportunity for you to genuinely make an impact on your life and the lives of local Palestinian students and the wider community.
During your volunteer program in the West Bank, you will get to engage with the local community in various ways, depending on your chosen program and areas of interest. For example, volunteer English teachers will get to engage with students inside the classroom and have an impact on their English education and communication skills. Volunteers in our Community Development Program will engage with the local community through a range of different activities that you can create or participate in.
Generally speaking, the more you put into your volunteer program, the more you will gain and the bigger the impact you can have. You will get to study some Arabic, which will help you integrate into the community and communicate with locals. You’ll also get to learn a lot about Palestinian culture, customs, and the political situation first-hand and from Palestinians themselves, while also sharing your culture with Palestinians and engaging in cultural exchanges.
Reviews and Awards
Engage in Palestine has been offering Arabic courses for non-native speakers since 2011. We have developed many Arabic immersion programs and online courses over the years. We use the most advanced teaching methods, which we develop and enhance year after year. Education is an active process always advancing, and you will be part of the development.
Despite continuous program improvements to ensure the best learning experience, our core goal remains connecting, teaching, and developing individuals. Additionally, we aim to promote and encourage exchange in the local and international communities.
We continue to strive towards excellence:
In 2022, we ranked as “one of the top three organizations worldwide in offering volunteer opportunities”. We also ranked as “one of the top three language schools worldwide” by Go Overseas. We also received a total of five Go Overseas Community Choice Awards. Among others, Engage in Palestine earned recognition as one of the top Teach Abroad Providers for the category of “benefits”. Besides that, we were also one of the Top Internship Abroad Providers for the categories of “growth” and “support”.
In 2021, we were one of the top three volunteer programs in the world. Go Overseas awarded us the community choice awards in the categories of “best language school”, “fun”, and “teaching”.
In 2019, we received our inaugural “Go Overseas Community Choice Awards.” This award recognized Engage in Palestine’s positive effect on the global travel community.
Overall, Engage in Palestine is a highly-rated travel company.
- +800 Reviews and ratings (96.8%) on gooverseas.com
- +160 Reviews and ratings on goabroad.com
- Participants’ video testimonials
In Conclusion
Volunteering in the West Bank with Engage in Palestine is a unique and unforgettable experience that will enrich your life, personally as well as professionally. Before you can volunteer, it’s necessary to find the right program or organization for you, and it’s important to make sure the organization is reputable, trustworthy and in alignment with your values and what you wish to gain from the experience. We invite you to join us for a volunteer program, we have over 11 years of experience offering such programs to internationals and hundreds of reviews from former participants. You don’t need to be a native English speaker, but you will need the ability to communicate in English, be over 18 years old, and have a willingness and eagerness to volunteer in Palestine and engage with the local community.
Volunteering with us allows you to develop yourself professionally and build your resume, through gaining practical experience and growing your skills. You will have the chance to develop your skills related to your chosen profession or area of interest, as well as developing soft skills such as intercultural communication, critical thinking, and adaptability. You also have the chance to grow personally through experiencing a new culture, meeting new people, and challenging your perspectives. When you’re with us in Palestine, you will get to learn a lot about our homeland, Palestinian culture, and daily life, as well as study some Arabic. If you are a current university student, we can even provide you with credit towards your degree.
Palestine is a beautiful and fascinating country, full of history and culture as well as volunteer opportunities! We look forward to receiving your application for one of these crucial volunteer programs soon, in the not-too-distant future!
Find Out More
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us: Info@ecpalestine.org and on Whatsapp:+972 599 479 880
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