Every student has a different journey and relationship to learning Hebrew but what I’m always curious is why they choose to learn.
This is one of those stories. I first met His Excellency Mohammed Al Khaja in 2021, just as he was assuming his role as the first UAE Ambassador to Israel, following the signing of the Abraham Accords. It was a historic moment, charged with symbolism, expectation, and the quiet weight of being the first to step into a new reality. What struck me immediately, however, was not the magnitude of the role – but his openness.
“Tell Me More”
I was invited to His Excellency’s home shortly after his arrival in Israel. From the very beginning, the tone was clear.He didn’t ask for a briefing. He didn’t ask for prepared explanations. He simply said: “Tell me more.”
What followed was not a formal conversation, but a deeply curious one. He wanted to understand Israelis how people think, why emotions surface so quickly, why certain situations escalate while others soften. His questions were precise, grounded in real encounters he had already experienced. It was clear he wasn’t interested in understanding Israeli culture from a distance – he wanted to understand it from the inside. That moment stayed with me, because curiosity – especially in such a visible and sensitive role – is not a given. It is a choice.
Learning From the Inside
When the idea of learning Hebrew came up, it was equally clear that this would not be symbolic. At Citizen Café, language is learned through immersion in group settings, alongside people who live the culture daily. To my delight, his Excellency agreed to join the group classes, and almost immediately, the power of that decision became evident.
Week after week, he showed up with seriousness and humility, learning alongside Israelis, Jews, and people deeply connected to this place. Titles dissolved quickly. Whenever formality crept in, he would gently say, “Please, just call me Mohammed.” Many students only later realised who they had been studying with because what they encountered was not a role, but a deeply respectful, attentive, and curious human being.
Consistency Over Time
One semester turned into another. Over eight semesters, Hebrew became more than a language. It became a tool for understanding nuance, humour, tension, emotion, and the unspoken codes that shape everyday life in Israel. Over the years, His Excellency shared quiet messages of appreciation, reflecting on how learning Hebrew had transformed his experience in Israel- helping him feel more at home, understand situations differently, and connect more deeply to the people around him. These messages resonated deeply with our teachers and team. Not because of who he is but because of what they represented: learning chosen with intention.
When we met again recently, a few years after that first conversation, and what stood out most was the depth of understanding he now carries.
A deep appreciation for Israeli culture in all its complexity and a belief in what this region can become. What I took most was his conviction that real change does not begin with agreements alone but with people. His immersion into Israeli life reflects something essential about connection: it is built slowly, consistently, and from the inside out.
Why This Story Matters
This is not a story about diplomacy. It is a story about what happens when learning becomes an act of respect. When language becomes a bridge and when choosing to belong is understood not as weakness but as courage. For us at Citizen Café, stories like this remind us why we believe so deeply in learning together. When people choose understanding over distance, curiousity over certainty, something meaningful begins. And it begins with something simple and powerful: Tell me more.
