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Host Region

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The World's Largest Gathering of Jewish Teen Leaders—In Your Own Backyard

This year, we are thrilled to be partnering with the Baltimore and DC-area community to bring IC to life. Want to experience the magic for yourself? There are plenty of ways for host region families to get involved!

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Home Hosting

Offer hospitality to international teens joining us for Global Ambassadors Week.

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Staff and Volunteer

Whether you have a couple hours or a whole weekend to offer, you can help create a meaningful experience.

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Medical Center Team

Calling all medical professionals: you can make a huge impact on teen health onsite.

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Become a Home Host

Thank you for your interest in becoming a Global Ambassadors Week (GAW) Home Host!  

From Sunday, February 7 through the morning of Wednesday, February 10, BBYO International Convention’s (IC) host region, Northern Region East, will welcome Jewish teens from around the world to the Rockville, Maryland, and Washington, DC, area for Global Ambassadors Week, an immersive cross-cultural experience that brings our global network together before the start of IC 2027 in Baltimore. 

As a Home Host, your family will play an important role in making this experience possible. You’ll welcome international delegates into your home, share everyday life and local experiences, and build meaningful connections with Jewish teens from countries and communities across the world. For many families, these relationships become one of the most memorable and rewarding parts of the BBYO experience. 

In addition to creating memories and friendships, confirmed host families will receive access to exclusive opportunities leading up to and throughout Global Ambassadors Week and IC, including the opportunity for your BBYO teen to register early for a coveted spot to attend IC (last year, IC sold out in less than an hour!) 

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Priority Registration

Registered hosts who have completed all compliance requirements by Tuesday, September 15, will receive access to Priority Registration for their teen(s) to attend IC. Access to priority registration will take place one day before general registration opens to the public, and current BBYO teens in good standing whose families are confirmed as Home Hosts will be eligible.

See Highlights From Global Ambassadors Week 2026

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Home Hosting FAQ

BBYO has a full team of professional staff dedicated to ensuring that Global Ambassadors Week is enjoyable for all. Program details will be shared with all host families beginning this fall and will be updated regularly. Learn more about what it means to be a Home Host below.

With any other inquiries, please reach out to the GAW Leadership Team at [email protected].

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"Hosting participants for GAW was a decision I did not expect to make and one I would choose over and over again! It was amazing to welcome these kind, sweet Jewish teens and help them explore our city before attending a very large conference. I loved getting to know them and learning about what Judaism is like in their own country. My son, who is only five, fell in love with his "German siblings" and misses them so much!  I am already excited to host again in five years!"

 

Ellie Tepper Schulman
IC 2026 Home Host, Philadelphia

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"Hosting teenagers from Bulgaria was the experience of a lifetime for our family.  Within a few short days, we formed a bond with amazing students who are now forever part of our family.  They were so appreciative and gracious, and we were lucky to have met such bright, impactful, wonderful young women! We also got the chance to host a Super Bowl party for 50 teens from 13 countries - a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience!"

 

Taryn Ferst
IC 2026 Home Host, Philadelphia

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"We signed up originally to host two teenage girls and ended up hosting four.  The experience was amazing, and we would do it again in a heartbeat.  We have two teenage girls at home, and having the house full with six girls was energizing (and exhausting), but we loved every minute.  It's like the girls were hand-selected for our family.  This was a week our family will never forget... and we get to see them again in December, as we will be taking a family trip to Australia to meet their families and spend time with them in Melbourne!"

 

Rachel Fox
IC 2026 Home Host, Philadelphia

More ways to get involved are coming soon!

Beyond welcoming International Delegates to IC, check back soon for more details on opportunities to volunteer, staff, and become a partner or sponsor. Additionally, you are invited to join us for our biggest moments at IC, like Opening Ceremonies and Shabbat.