Intent on saving valuable family books being tossed by non-Yiddish speaking American Jews, 24-year-old grad student Aaron Lansky founded the Yiddish Book Center in 1980. Since its founding, the center — located in Amherst, Mass. on the edge of the Hampshire College campus — is credited with rescuing more than 1.5 million books written in Yiddish, including mysteries, memoirs and poetry. In 2014, the center received the nation’s highest museum honor, the National Medal for Museum and Library Service.

Additionally, the museum’s ever-expanding Wexler Oral History Program includes in excess of 450 interviews that explore Yiddish culture and modern Jewish identity. The center hosts regular lectures, programs and other events. Coming up on March 8 at 2 p.m., there’s a screening of Hungry Hearts, an 80-minute black and white film based on the short stories of Anzia Yezierska, credited as the first author to showcase the life stories of American Jewish woman. Guided tours of the center are available on Sundays at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and on Tuesdays at 2 p.m., though other times can be arranged by contacting the center in advance.