When the producers of the hit Amazon show “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” planned the fourth episode of the second season, little did they probably did not know they would single-handedly revive interest in the Catskills, and their Jewish history.
From the 1940s to the ‘60s, when Jews were often not welcomed elsewhere, families flocked to the Catskills for their summer vacations. The area affectionately became known as the “Borscht Belt,” named for the Ashkenazi beet soup. The Borscht Belt drew travelers upstate for leisure, Yiddish culture, food and of course, entertainment. The “Borscht Belt” also became the training ground for great Jewish comedians such as Mel Brooks, Joan Rivers, Jerry Lewis, Milton Berle, Rodney Dangerfield, and many more.
With renewed interest in this rich history, Shir Hadash Reconstructionist Community is hosting a special Shabbat learning session entitled “Jewish Comedy and the Catskills.”
Attendees are invited to join a conversation this Saturday on Zoom to learn about the history of this very special area in Jewish culture with an emphasis on its great comedians. And if you or your family members visited the Catskills during this time, they would love to have you add your personal experience to our presentation.
Please contact Ralph Koppel at [email protected] if you will be able to join and share your stories.
“Jewish Comedy and the Catskills.”
When: Saturday, July 15
Where: On Zoom, Meeting ID: 864 5131 9365, Passcode: 782472
How Much: Free
More Info: Dial in to join with audio only: +1 312 626 6799 US (St. Louis/Chicago)
Borscht Belt Festival
If you have the time, you may want to consider making a trip to the first-ever Borscht Belt Fest on July 29 in Ellenville, New York, about 90 miles from Manhattan.
Created by the Catskills Borscht Belt Museum, Borscht Belt Fest celebrates and pays homage to the Borscht Belt’s vibrant past and showcases its legacy and wide-ranging influence on contemporary American culture.
The day-long festival will feature stand-up comedy, art, live music, film, educational programming – and of course food.
Borscht Belt Fest’s street fair, exhibits, musical performances and movie screenings are free. Comedy shows and talks each require a ticket purchase, with the proceeds going to support the non-profit Catskills Borscht Belt Museum.
“With a few years before the museum opens, the festival is “a way for us to start cultivating a really broad audience for this new cultural institution,” Andrew Jacobs, president of Catskills Borscht Belt Museum’s board of directors and a reporter for The New York Times, told the New York Jewish Week.
Welcome To Kutsher’s: The Last Catskills Resort
Kutsher’s Country Club was the last surviving Jewish resort in the Catskills. Caroline Laskow and Ian Rosenberg’s documentary, “Welcome to Kutsher’s: The Last Known Catskills Resort” provides viewers with an intimate glimpse into the popular years of the establishment–including interviews with Kutsher family members, the resort’s staff and some of the talent that performed there. Celebrities of all stripes would show up, from basketball stars like Chamberlain and Bill Russell, to comedic personalities such as Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno.
“Welcome to Kutsher’s: The Last Known Catskills Resort” is available on Amazon, as well as YouTube.
