If You Heard What I Heard
If You Heard What I Heard is a nonprofit organization dedicated to documenting the stories of the grandchildren of Holocaust survivors, the last generation to hear survivor stories firsthand. We create modern Holocaust media that humanizes the history of the Holocaust, drives empathy, and inspires action to stand up to antisemitism in all forms. Listen to the powerful stories, and what their survival and resilience means for all of us today.
Join us in honoring these survivors and taking action to fight antisemitism in all forms.
If you heard what I heard, you would never forget, and you would do everything possible to make sure what happened to our grandparents and their families never happens again.
To learn more about our work and ways you can support, please visit ifyouheardwhatiheard.com, and check back here every Tuesday for new Podcast episodes and content!
If You Heard What I Heard
Stories That Survive: How Sharing the Past Strengthens Jewish Identity
Molly R. Stern, celebrated Hollywood makeup artist and devoted mother of three, shares the powerful story of her grandparents, Frank and Magda Stern, Holocaust survivors whose resilience has shaped her identity. Growing up as the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, Molly reflects on how her family’s past was ever-present in her life — a reality she openly embraces and proudly discusses in any setting.
In this conversation, Molly recounts the transformative experience of diving deeper into her family’s history for her interview with If You Heard What I Heard. Through heartfelt conversations with her father, she uncovered previously unknown details of her grandparents’ survival, from the dangers her grandfather faced as a forced laborer in the Hungarian army to the unimaginable resilience that kept them alive. Molly describes how this deeper understanding has shifted her perspective from simply acknowledging her family’s past to actively honoring it by sharing their story.
Amid the rising tide of antisemitism, Molly reflects on the importance of standing proud in her Jewish identity and using her voice to combat hatred. She shares her father’s stoic perspective on today’s challenges and how his lived experience serves as a grounding reminder of the ongoing need to remember and speak out. Through her work with If You Heard What I Heard and her daughter Vivian’s passionate storytelling, Molly ensures her family’s legacy endures.
This conversation highlights the enduring power of resilience, the responsibility of remembrance, and the importance of allies in the fight against antisemitism. Molly’s story is a moving testament to the strength of Holocaust survivors and their descendants, who carry forward their legacy with pride, hope, and a commitment to ensuring these stories are never forgotten.
Molly shares the story of her grandparents, Frank and Magda Stern, Hungarian Jews who were forced to live in a ghetto and narrowly escaped death by Nazi soldiers numerous times here
A glossary is available for any terms mentioned in this episode that may require further context.
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