Send us Fan Mail

Leaving Egypt: A Father & Son Take on Coming Home for Pesach

What do you do when your son is in yeshiva in Israel, sirens are going off daily, Pesach is approaching fast, and every flight home keeps getting canceled? You find another way. Even if that way goes through Egypt.

In this episode, Asher and Jon sit down with Rabbi Ouriel Hazan, head of school at HANC West Hempstead, and his son Eli, a student at Mevaseret Yeshiva in Israel, who recently made it home to New York through one of the most memorable journeys you'll hear this year. From Eilat to the Egyption border crossing, through the Sinai Desert in a speeding van during a hailstorm, past a head-on collision, through Sharm el-Sheikh airport, and on to Rome before finally landing at JFK, Eli crossed four continents in 40 hours to be home for Pesach.

But this episode is about a lot more than the travel story. Rabbi Hazan opens up about the emotional weight of parenting from a distance during wartime, the WhatsApp chat chaos that gripped every yeshiva parent group, the moment he flipped from "we are absolutely not sending him through Egypt" to "we are sending him through Egypt," and why he kept the whole plan secret from his own parents, including his Egyptian-born father, who had strong feelings about Egypt.

Eli shares what yeshiva life actually looked like during the Iran war, what it felt like to run to the mamad, what it meant to experience those moments alongside his fellow Jews in Israel, and why — despite everything — he can't wait to get back.

It is funny, honest, a little nerve-wracking, and deeply moving. A story about family, faith, decisive parenting, and one unforgettable ride through the Sinai Desert.

🎙️ Rate and review The Carpool Guys on Apple Podcasts , Spotify, and YouTube... it helps more people find the show!

📩 Email us at [email protected]

📱 Follow us on Instagram @carpoolguyspod

⏱️ Chapters with Timestamps

00:00 — Welcome to the Carpool Guys Podcast

00:43 — Good Pods Glory: The Guys Hit Number One on Jewish Podcasts

02:30 — Introducing Rabbi Ouriel Hazan and Eli Hazan

04:15 — Rabbi Hazan's Year in Israel and the Original Pesach Plan

07:00 — Life at Mevaseret When the Iran War Broke Out

10:30 — The Rebbe Van Shows Up: Yeshiva Life During Wartime

13:00 — Sleep Deprivation, Sirens, and the Emotional Toll

16:00 — The Parent WhatsApp Chat Chaos Begins

19:30 — When Delta Cancels and Plan B Becomes Necessary

23:00 — "We Are Absolutely Not Sending Him Through Egypt" (or... are we?)

26:30 — The Concierge Service, the Cancellation, and the Last Two Spots

30:00 — Eli Finds Out He's Going to Egypt... Tomorrow

33:00 — The $500 Cash, the Bribes

37:00 — Crossing the Border: Nine Desks, VIP Tours, and Armed Escorts

42:30 — The Sinai Drive: 90 MPH, No Cell Service, Hail, and a Head-On Collision

49:00 — Sharm el-Sheikh Airport: Bag Ransom, Boarding Passes, and a Yankee Hat

55:00 — Rome Layover, Nine Hours, and Crackers for Dinner

57:30 — The Reunion and a Sigh of Relief

59:30 — The Bigger Conversation: Judgment, Social Media, and Choosing Without Guilt

01:02:00 — What This Generation Has Witnessed and What It Means

01:04:00 — Chag Sameach and Closin

Please rate and review The Carpool Guys!

You can email us at [email protected]

Follow us on Instagram @carpoolguyspod

Send us a question, a comment, birthday wish, shoutout, or anything else fun and positive, and maybe we'll feature your addition on the next episode of The Carpool Guys Podcast!