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Jon went to a Nefesh B’Nefesh Aliyah event on Sunday and made one fatal mistake: he skipped the “No Picture” sticker. A very close up photo of him, slightly spaced out, ended up front and center on their Instagram, and now everyone he has ever known wants to know if he is making Aliyah.

In this quick Drive By, Jon shares what happens when your family is quietly researching a move to Israel and the whole world finds out from one photo. It is funny, a little creepy, and a good reminder to go in with a plan.

Where are you on Aliyah? What are your Aliyah anxieties? Have you ever been caught in a photo you did not plan on? We would love to hear from you. Email carpoolguyspod@gmail.com or join our WhatsApp community.

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Three years after October 7th, Jon, Asher, and Dave set aside the usual format to commemorate the day with personal reflections and two interviews about hope, courage, and Jewish unity.

The episode opens with the hosts sharing where they were on October 7th, 2023. Dave remembers getting the news in fragments from the security guards outside shul and deciding whether to go ahead with a scheduled community program. Jon recalls the next morning in shul, when an accidental alarm sent a room of parents and children to the floor and made the distance to Israel feel very short. Asher describes waiting for information with family in Israel, including parents who had made Aliyah only weeks earlier. Dave also reflects on a chesed mission to Israel, where he visited soldiers in hospitals and saw the unity of the Jewish people up close.

Sam Kramer is a longtime friend of the show and a former West Hempstead resident who made Aliyah and now lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh. On the night after October 7th, she helped start a WhatsApp group to share positive and hopeful stories. It grew into Israel Good News Only, now about 30,000 members across 26 WhatsApp communities, with a newsletter as well. Sam shares how the group began, why membership grows on the hardest days, her view on the media's portrayal of division in Israel, and how the work deepened her love for the Jewish people. She closes with a charge for listeners: look at what you already have to give, and use it.

Rabbi Ben Menorah made Aliyah as a child, served in the IDF, and became a campus rabbi at Binghamton University with his wife Ellie. He tells the story of October 7th on Simchat Torah weekend in Binghamton, the decision to fly to Israel, and rejoining his reserve unit on the northern border. He speaks candidly about the first nights waiting for an attack, the weight of leaving his family and community, the toll of the war on soldiers, and the loss of friends and neighbors. He also shares why he believes the answer for the future is Ahavat Yisrael, and recommends Nivut, an organization that supports lone soldiers and veterans.

The episode closes with the Question of the Week: How has October 7th changed you? Each host shares an honest answer, and we invite you to share yours.

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Chapters with Timestamps

2:17 Dave's Memories: News Through the Security Guards

13:13 Introducing the Two Interviews

14:30 Sam Kramer Joins the Conversation

15:01 How Israel Good News Only Began and Grew to 30,000 Members

19:11 A Recent Miracle in Israel and What It Reflects About the Country

25:50 The Stories Behind the Group: Miracles, Unity, and Soldiers Coming Home

39:36 Sam's Charge: Use What You Have to Give

44:32 Rabbi Ben Menorah Joins the Conversation

47:08 October 7th on Simchat Torah Weekend in Binghamton

51:59 Flying Back to Israel and Rejoining His Unit

55:08 A Community That Showed Up With Support

1:02:05 Walking to Shul Past the Homes of the Fallen

1:03:43 Reflections on the Beeper Operation

1:05:12 Looking Forward: Strengthening Ahavat Yisrael

1:08:08 Supporting Lone Soldiers and Veterans Through Nivut

1:10:40 Question of the Week: How Has October 7th Changed You?

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Or grab the newsletter in your email inbox. Every other week, a summary and highlights, no overwhelm: Subscribe here 👉🏻 www.IGNO.kit.com

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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!

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Chag Samayach Everyone! Dave from Flatbush counts down his top 5 Non House or Sukkah places to live... and there are some... takes. Agree? Disagree? email us at carpoolguyspod@gmail.com and we'll discuss in an upcoming episode!

Please rate and review The Carpool Guys!

You can email us at carpoolguyspod@gmail.com

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!