Ep 222: Raised by Survivors with Bernie Furshpan and guest Esther Muller on hmTv

Episode 222 – Raised by Survivors with Esther Muller

In this heartfelt and often humorous episode of Raised by Survivors, host Dr. Bernie Furshpan welcomes visionary educator, real estate leader, and fellow child of Holocaust survivors, Esther Muller, for an unforgettable conversation about resilience, memory, and the power of legacy.

Together, they explore their shared roots—both born in Israel, raised in Brooklyn, and shaped by parents who endured the horrors of Auschwitz, Bergen-Belsen, and the emotional aftershocks of survival. Esther shares raw stories of her family’s journey: her mother’s courage, her father’s quiet strength, and the resilience that allowed her to build a meaningful life—and raise a son who now leads as CEO of The Gap.

Packed with wit, wisdom, and powerful reflections, this episode reminds us that trauma doesn’t just echo—it also inspires. From matzo ball mishaps to sacred memories, Esther and Bernie show how humor, purpose, and moral courage can carry forward the stories that must never be forgotten.

Transcript

Raised by Survivors – Episode 222

Host: Dr. Bernie Furshpan
Guest: Esther Muller
Location: Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center (hmTv)

Bernie:
Welcome to Raised by Survivors. I’m your host, Bernie Furshpan, and we’re recording from the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center here on Long Island.

Today, I’m joined by someone I feel an immediate connection with. The more we talked, the more we realized—our stories run in parallel. Please welcome the incredible Esther Muller.

Esther:
Thank you for having me, Bernie.

Bernie:
We definitely have a lot in common. We probably crossed paths dozens of times growing up. I was born in Israel and raised in Brooklyn.

Esther:
Same here! I was born in Israel and spent my early years in Brooklyn—Borough Park, Ralph Avenue, near Gil Hodges Bowling Alley. I hung out at Milbas. That was my turf!

Bernie:
Same! That was the only class I ever got an A in—bowling! I went to Madison High School.

Esther:
I went to New Utrecht. I actually choreographed for the school, even before I spoke English. Dance was my first language!

Bernie:
That’s beautiful. I didn’t speak English well either, but we survived, right?

Esther:
Absolutely. Survival is in our DNA. My twin brother and I moved here from Israel when we were six. It was a traumatic shift—I cried inside for years, missing home. I always thought I’d move back.

Bernie:
Same here. I never forgave my parents at first for taking us away, even though I later understood. I wanted to go back. But I do visit often—it’s still home.

Esther:
I was just there three days ago. The resilience is stunning. Despite everything going on, people are out—living, laughing, thriving. You can’t get a reservation in Tel Aviv!

Bernie:
Right? That spirit—it’s part of who we are. Survivors taught us to keep going. My dad survived by hiding in forests for years. Never spoke much about it, but I learned by watching.

Esther:
Same. My mother never really left Auschwitz emotionally. She cried every day, yet when she stepped outside—she was the funniest, sharpest woman in the room.

Bernie:
My mom, too. Total firecracker. She never understood why I left a medical path to do stand-up comedy. “I sent you to school to be a doctor and you tell jokes to strangers?” she’d say.

Esther:
(Laughs) That sense of humor comes from pain, Bernie. It’s our inheritance.

Bernie:
Exactly. So many survivors ended up in the Catskills doing stand-up or working in theater. It’s part of our healing process.

Esther:
Absolutely. You know, we may have lost family, homes, and countries, but we didn’t lose our ability to laugh. That’s our resistance.

Bernie:
Let’s talk about food for a second. I grew up in an Italian neighborhood, and I remember opening the fridge and asking my mom, “Why can’t you make spaghetti like the Russos?” She’d say, “This is all I know.”

Esther:
Exactly! My mom was Czech-Hungarian—goulash, gefilte fish, matzo balls. That’s what we knew. My grandson once stood up in class and said, “My grandma makes the best kapele and matzo ball boobs!” I almost cried laughing.

Bernie:
That’s priceless! And the food—it’s not even Jewish food originally. It’s Polish, Hungarian, Moroccan—wherever Jews landed, we adopted the cuisine.

Esther:
Right. We absorbed the cultures around us but added soul. Jewish food is really fusion food with trauma, joy, and memory baked in.

Bernie:
Let’s shift gears—when did you first realize your parents were different?

Esther:
When someone called them “greeners.” I didn’t even know what that meant at first. But when I came to the U.S. at almost 12, I knew I was different. No grandparents, no extended family. Just us and a community of survivors.

Bernie:
Same. I remember kids talking about going to Grandma’s house. I didn’t even know what that meant. There were no old people in our circle. Just survivors in their 30s and 40s with sad eyes and tired souls.

Esther:
Exactly. And despite the pain, they were determined to build something better. My parents always talked about their experiences. My mother had been in a Christian orphanage in Russia after her mother put her on a train during the war. It took five years to reunite the family.

Bernie:
That’s incredible. My father couldn’t talk about his story, so my mother told it for him. Eventually, I told it in a documentary. That helped me understand who I am, and why I had to make the world a better place.

Esther:
That’s the calling we share. I also tell young people: your parents would do the same for you. They’d turn the world upside down to find you.

Bernie:
Did you ever see your parents cry?

Esther:
My mother cried every day. But in public, she was hilarious. Truthful. Blunt. And funny because of it.

Bernie:
That’s the survivor’s duality. My mom was the same—transparent and sharp. My dad was more quiet. When she was out of the room, he’d start telling me bizarre facts: “Did you know you swallow three spiders a year?” Then she’d walk in, and he’d go mute.

Esther:
You’re describing my household! My mom would answer every question for my dad. She controlled everything. That generation of women—especially survivors—ran the show.

Bernie:
Absolutely. But they made the men feel like they were in charge. It was brilliant. My mom protected my dad fiercely. She raised all of us—including him.

Esther:
Same. And she did it while dealing with so much pain. She never left Auschwitz. That trauma lived inside her.

Bernie:
And yet, you’ve raised an incredible son.

Esther:
Thank you. He’s my only biological child. The only grandchild of survivors. And he’s now the CEO of The Gap—bridging cultures, empowering women, and carrying our legacy forward. As my parents used to say, “Hitler didn’t win.”

Bernie:
That’s the best revenge: success.

Esther:
In love, joy, business, relationships, faith—and even fashion!

Bernie:
Esther, thank you so much for being here today. This was deeply meaningful. I feel even more connected to you now.

Esther:
Likewise, Bernie. This was sacred.

Bernie:
And to our audience—thank you for joining us on Raised by Survivors. I'm your host, Dr. Bernie Furshpan. Until next time, may you carry the stories forward, speak the truths out loud, and live life fully.

[Music fades out]