Their Stories Unbroken
Their Stories Unbroken is a podcast that explores how The Holocaust has impacted the lives of Jewish Australians. Through long-form conversation with 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation survivors, we will not only bear witness to the experiences of those that lived through The Shoah - The Hebrew word for the Holocaust meaning catastrophe - but look to gain an insight into what it is like growing up as a descendant of survivors in the shadow of the holocaust.
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Episodes
Friday Jul 11, 2025
Friday Jul 11, 2025
Episode 2 - Whatever Happened, There is Always Tomorrow...
GuestStephen Lindner
Stephen has worked as a lawyer for over 50 years, specialising in criminal defence cases, with a particular interest in securing best possible sentencing outcomes for his clients found guilty or pleading guilty. He sees this as being for the benefit, not just for those he represents, but for the good of the community they live in. Stephen was one of the first volunteers at Fitzroy Legal Service, a precursor to Victoria Legal Aid. He is a supporter of legal aid for defendants who would otherwise be unrepresented in court. When a group of asylum-seekers were charged with rioting in a detention centre in Nauru, Stephen was one of a group of lawyers from Australia sent to represent them. He is also a proud father and is a grandfather to two Bialik students, whom he adores.
Stephen was born in 1946 in Lodz, Poland to parents Rafal and Wanda, two Polish-Jews who were the only members of their families to survive the Holocaust.
What We Talk About
Part 1 - Stephen’s early life as a new Australian and how he and his parents navigated starting over in Melbourne.
Part 2 - Stephen reflects on his long career in criminal defence law and his commitment to social justice.
Part 3 - Stephen tells the story his parents’ wartime experiences and how they survived the Holocaust.
Episode Timestamps
Introduction – 0:00 - 2:39
Part 1 – 2:40 - 30:59
Part 2 – 31:00 - 55:49
Part 2 – 55:50 - 88:37
Outro – 88:38 - 89:43
Links
The Brothers Who Found Their Story - https://www.theage.com.au/national/the-brothers-who-found-their-story-20031101-gdwnih.html
Melbourne Holocaust Museum - https://mhm.org.au/
Courage to Care - https://couragetocare.org.au/
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to:
Bialik College - https://www.bialik.vic.edu.au/
Bialik College Parents Association - https://www.bialik.vic.edu.au/community/parents-association
Bialik College Foundation - https://foundation.bialik.vic.edu.au/
Yad Vashem - https://www.yadvashem.org/
Gandel Foundation - https://gandelfoundation.org.au/
Adam Starr - https://www.starrmusic.com.au/
Support the Podcast
If you enjoyed Their Stories Unbroken:
Subscribe on your favourite podcast appLeave a review to help others discover the showShare with family, friends, and your community
Contact us anytime:theirstoriesunbroken@gmail.com
Podcast by Matthew SortinoMusic by Adam Starr
Monday Jun 30, 2025
Monday Jun 30, 2025
Episode 1 - We Must Never Forget
Guests:Jeremy Stowe-Lindner
Principal of Bialik College in Melbourne, Australia, since 2012
Originally from the UK and was Founding Headteacher of Jewish Community Secondary School, London
History teacher, renowned school and community leader
Fellow of the Australian Council for Educational Leaders
Board member of several not-for-profits
Amanda Castelan-Starr
Assistant Principal & Director of Jewish Life at Bialik College
Over 25 years teaching Jewish Studies
Former curriculum leader at Mount Scopus Memorial College
Graduate of the Senior Educators Program at Hebrew University
Studied extensively at Yad Vashem
Deeply connected to Holocaust education, both professionally and personally
What We Talk About
We introduce the podcasts purpose to explore how the Holocaust has shaped Jewish Australian families across generations.
Together, we discuss:
Bearing Witness Through StorytellingThe importance of personal testimony and preserving individual stories to keep memory alive.
Intergenerational Trauma & ResilienceHow trauma, guilt, and survival shaped the identities and family dynamics of descendants.
Education & PedagogyThe challenges of teaching the Holocaust sensitively and meaningfully to different age groups.
History of Bialik CollegeThe school’s founding during WWII as a secular Zionist institution, evolving into a pluralist Jewish community hub.
Complex Definitions of SurvivorExpanding who we consider survivors—not only those in camps, but also those who fled or hid.
Memory and LegacyBalancing remembrance of tragedy with celebration of Jewish life and culture before the Holocaust.
Confronting AntisemitismReflecting on the rise of contemporary antisemitism and the importance of standing up to hate.
Resistance and HopeStories of spiritual and cultural resistance—like maintaining traditions—as powerful acts of defiance.
Why Study the Holocaust?Questioning if “never again” is enough and exploring deeper reasons for remembrance and education.
Episode Timestamps
Introduction – 0:00 to 9:07
Part 1 – 9:08 to 32:34
Part 2 – 32:35 to 54:19
Outro – 54:20 to 55:29
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to:
Bialik College - https://www.bialik.vic.edu.au/
Bialik College Parents Association - https://www.bialik.vic.edu.au/community/parents-association
Bialik College Foundation - https://foundation.bialik.vic.edu.au/
Yad Vashem - https://www.yadvashem.org/
Gandel Foundation - https://gandelfoundation.org.au/
Adam Starr - https://www.starrmusic.com.au/
Support the Podcast
If you enjoyed Their Stories Unbroken:
Subscribe on your favourite podcast appLeave a review to help others discover the showShare with family, friends, and your community
Contact us anytime:theirstoriesunbroken@gmail.com
Podcast by Matthew SortinoMusic by Adam Starr