Holocaust Survivor: 'Don't Wait for Other People to Act – Be the First'

“Don’t wait for other people to act – be the first. Ask yourself what the right thing to do in a situation is and then do it.”

Once again, Werner Reich shared his story of surviving the Holocaust with students of the Port Jefferson School District, speaking before an assembly last month.

Reich, who visited last year, described the genocide largely as a result of when "good people do nothing," a point he said is avoidable by following four steps (which make the acronym JUST): judge the situation, understand the problem, solve and take action.

Reich's visit coupled as part of a two-part awareness project about the Holocaust; Kayleen Moran's eighth grade English course, which read Eli Wiesel's "Night," partnered with a high school elective course about the Holocaust itself.

Moran’s students were given a guided tour through a Holocaust museum in the middle school/high school library that was created and constructed by students in Philip Giannusa’s Holocaust class.

“The concept of genocide is almost unfathomable to the students,” said Moran. “Phil and I are using this as an opportunity to break it down so that it better relates to everyday situations.”