In traffic that can only be described cacophonous, I entered Bethlehem, the city of Jesus’ birth. And that’s the strangest part about coming here. In the most fleeting of times does it hit me that this is the place where it all went down - where the shepherds walked, where Boaz lived, and where the birth of the one who was to change the world came into humanity. Maybe one expects to feel different. To see the desert and the people and be flooded with the internalization of the story, and come to some sort of immediate epiphany. That doesn’t seem to be how it works. It’s slower than that.

This morning I came to a both a sad discovery and a reminder of why I am here. My host mother, a tiny 72-year-old woman who looks much younger than her age, has told me multiple times that she gets "nervous." Her English not being quite good, and my Arabic being quite terrible, I try to stick to conversations in which either she or I do not have to give lengthy answers to questions.

This session has been in one word: intense. A really good intensity. Through my volunteer placement, Arabic classes and cultural nights, it can be easy to slip into a routine where you start going through the motions of the program. However, this program is being held in Palestine, and nothing is routine here.

Update: Registration for the 2009 Palestine Summer Encounter program is now closed. If you are interested in the 2010 program, please contact us.

Palestine Summer Encounter (PSE) is a one, two, or three month service learning and cultural immersion program in Bethlehem, Palestine. Participants study Arabic in and outside of the classroom setting, live with a Palestinian host family, meet with both Israeli and Palestinian NGOs and peacemakers and volunteer with one of thirty-seven participating nonprofits and organizations.

Experience you Can Trust

In 2009 we will sponsor the 6th annual Palestine Summer Encounter (PSE) program.

PSE is a joint project between Middle East Fellowship, a U.S. based 501(c)(3) nonprofit and Holy Land Trust, a Palestinian nonproft organization.

We have run the Palestine Summer Encounter program for five consecutive years.

Every year we have our participants fill out extensive evaluations and use their feedback to improve upon our performance.

Our experienced staff on-the-ground handles delegations throughout the year and has been responsible for the safety and well being of hundreds of internationals traveling to the West Bank.

In the News

The Palestine Summer Encounter and its participants have received some media attention over the years. Here are a few newspaper articles that covered our program:

+ Come to Palestine, Come Stay with Friends
+ Summer Program Offers Students a Different View of Palestinian Life

Join us

We would love for your to join us this summer in Palestine. You can register for the program at any time. Once you have submitted the online application and sent in your $150 application fee we will begin the process of setting up your volunteer opportunity and working on all other aspects of your summer experience. Please check the dates and prices page for information about application deadlines.

If you have additional questions about the program your first step is to check the frequently asked questions page.

We look forward to working with you in Palestine this summer!

J.M. Stratford's Blog
Palestine Summer Encounter 2008

Well, I am sitting here in my bedroom in Beit Sahour wishing I were out watching the Euro tournament futbol game with my friends from the PSE program, but I signed up to write this blog a couple of weeks ago (and I’m already a few days late, having spent the weekend traveling instead of blogging). Keeping my own personal blog for family and friends back in the States, I’ve done about all the writing I care to do for a while. So instead of expressing myself through just a lot of words, I thought instead I could share, using something that I really enjoy—photography—through a “photo essay” of my experience with the PSE program thus far.Blog by JMS
Palestine Summer Encounter 2008

Each time I’ve explained to someone what I’m doing this summer, my explanation has included several key factors of the PSE program: I say that I am 1) living with a Palestinian host family in the Bethlehem metro area; 2) taking Arabic courses; 3) volunteering with a non-profit organization; and 4) taking trips and meeting with people of the region to gain insight into the conflict. Here is a little evidence and a little deeper explanation:

Not convinced yet that a trip to the Holy Land is for you? Here''s eight great reasons to come to Palestine this summer.

1. You''ll See The Situation Firsthand

Types of Payments

$150 Registration Fee

You need to make your first payment of $150 at the time you submit your online registration form. This $150 is deductible from your final payment (so if you are joining us for one month and owe $1,860, you will owe a remaining $1,710 after paying the registration fee).

Final payment

Final payment is due at least three weeks prior to departure. We encourage you to pay in full as soon as you are able to.

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