The Book Rescuer | The Center for Jewish-Inclusive Learning Portal

Topics

Jewish American Heritage
Jewish Identity

Summary

Told in picture book format for readers in grades K-5, The Book Rescuer shares the true story of Aaron Lansky, who devoted his life to saving Yiddish books.

Students learn how Lansky spent four decades going to extraordinary lengths to rescue books written in Yiddish, the language of many European Jews that nearly disappeared after the Holocaust. He jumped into dumpsters, searched musty basements, and crawled through cramped attics to find these books – wherever they could be found, he went.

Inspired by his grandmother’s stories of immigration, Lansky’s efforts ultimately led to the preservation of nearly 1.5 million books that are now housed at the Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, Massachusetts. Through his story, students reflect on the importance of preserving culture and language, as well as the perseverance and dedication required to follow one’s passions.

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