Holocaust Survivor's Daughter Inspires NJ Students to Act

A room full of high school students made a collective promise that could change their community forever.

Emily Shulman, daughter of Polish Holocaust survivors, visited Somerset County Vocational and Technical High School in Bridgewater to share her parents' stories of survival. History teacher Ed Graf spent weeks preparing his students, guiding them through research essays and helping them craft meaningful questions for their guest.

The preparation paid off. When Shulman arrived with Mike Boll and Zisa Belfer from the New Jersey Veterans Network, students were ready to listen and learn.

For two hours, Shulman shared stories that brought history to life. She described the families who hid her parents during the Holocaust, risking their own lives to save others. She told students about a German soldier who helped her mother escape from a dangerous situation.

These weren't just historical facts. These were real people who made impossible choices in terrible times.

Why This Inspires

Shulman's central message struck a chord with every student in that room. She divided the world into two groups: "watchers" who see injustice but do nothing, and "doers" who step up to help those in need.

The "doers" her parents encountered didn't just save two lives. They saved entire generations, including Shulman herself and her family. Every act of courage rippled forward through time.

She challenged students to decide which group they wanted to join. In their communities, in their schools, in their daily lives, would they watch or would they do?

The answer came loud and clear. Graf reported that students responded with dramatic enthusiasm, declaring their commitment to be "doers" rather than "watchers."

After the presentation, students asked their prepared questions and discussed concrete ways to become forces for good in their own communities. They talked about standing up to bullying, helping classmates who struggle, and speaking out against injustice when they see it.

The students left that classroom with more than historical knowledge. They left with a mission and the inspiration to act on it.