Frequently Asked Questions - Dates & Costs

Please refer to the Dates and Costs section of the website.

Yes–partly. This is a question best asked in consultation with a financial or tax advisor. We encourage you to save all of your receipts, including correspondence and receipting from us and receipts from your purchase of airline tickets, expenses on the ground, etc. Bring a manilla envelope to safely store receipts in during your trip–and don't lose it!

Our current understanding of U.S. law is that at least a portion of your trip would be tax deductible because this is a volunteer program. It would not be tax deductible if the only purpose were educational.

Laws on tax deductions can change. It is ultimately the responsibility of each participant to determine for themselves to what extent their experience is tax deductible. We should be able to offer an itemized breakdown of how your payments were used at the end of the program upon request. Again we recommend: a) keeping all of your receipts and b) when tax season comes up, consult a tax advisor.

Palestine Summer Encounter is an extremely inexpensive program if you compare it, for example, to other Arabic programs offered at institutions in the Middle East. Unfortunately, it simply is not possible to offer the program at no charge (otherwise we would!) Some of the many expenses include: salaries of the Arabic instructors; weekend excursions (tour guides, buses, hotels, etc.); compensation for host family expenses (room and board); and staff time (to set up volunteer opportunities, lead the orientation, help participants prepare for their trip, etc.) In spite of the many necessary expenses incurred, we make every effort to keep the program as affordable as possible.

For your time in Israel and Palestine you will be responsible for exchanging your own money. To save hassle and time, we encourage you to exchange all the money you anticipate needing at the beginning of your time there. This can be done in the airport or bank or even in the occupied territories. The exchange rate is approximately 4 NIS (New Israeli Shekels) to $1. Palestinians in the Occupied Territories occasionally often accept U.S. dollars and Jordanian Dinars.

Previous delegates have found that $10-20 per day is sufficient to cover the cost of daily expenses including lunch and transportation. You should probably bring some additional money for tips and if you plan to buy souvenirs and gifts. Cash and your credit card (Visa is the most accepted at ATM machines) usually work best. Please bring small bills (5s and 1s). It is very difficult to cash travelers checks in most of the places we will go.

Yes. There is some flexibility. However we STRONGLY encourage participants to work within the dates already provided, which are already highly flexible (with five different packages to choose from). We can't offer any discounts for those who choose to stay for less than one month (our expenses will mostly be the same). If you miss the orientation session at the beginning of each session, you may have a harder time adjusting to the culture as well as your volunteer placement and Arabic class. Any special travel arrangements, including early or late start dates, must be communicated to the Middle East Fellowship at least two months in advance of your departure.

Yes. Through a generous grant from the Foundation for Middle East Peace we do now have a few needs-based fellowships available for Palestine Summer Encounter participants. If you are unable to afford the full cost of the program but feel yourself to be a qualified candidate, please apply online.

There are also fellowships available for alumni of the program who want to return in a leadership position.

Not everyone will be able to join the program on a fellowship. We do, however, strongly encourage all of our participants to fundraise for their trip- especially if they are having difficulty finding the money to cover their costs. Your friends and family can send in money on your behalf and, in most cases, it will be counted as a tax-deductible donation to Middle East Fellowship (please consult a tax advisor). We have had a number of participants who, through appeal letters and fundraising events, have been able to raise enough money to cover the entire cost of the program (including flight!). Please feel free to contact us if you want to brainstorm strategies for raising your own support.