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Edited by: TJVNews.com
In an eagerly awaited event, the Catskills Borscht Belt museum is scheduled to open its doors in 2025, providing a comprehensive tribute to the rich history and culture of the renowned “Jewish Alps,” as was recently reported by the New York Jewish Week. However, for those who can’t wait another two years, an exciting festival has been launched this summer to honor the vibrant legacy of the Borscht Belt.
On July 29, the inaugural Borscht Belt Fest will take place in Ellenville, New York, just 90 miles from Manhattan. The New York Jewish Week reported that this one-day celebration will pay homage to the Borscht Belt’s influence on modern American culture, featuring an array of comedy shows, workshops, lectures, exhibits, film screenings, a street fair, and delectable Jewish cuisine.
Andrew Jacobs, president of the Catskills Borscht Belt Museum’s board of directors, expressed that the festival serves as a means to cultivate a diverse audience for the forthcoming cultural institution. The Jewish Week also reported that with a few years remaining until the museum opens, the festival aims to tap into the current zeitgeist moment, buoyed by the popularity of shows like Amazon Prime’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” which has reignited interest in the Catskills and its golden era of the 1950s and ‘60s.
Jacobs further explained, according to the Jewish Week report, that the festival and subsequent museum opening are timely, as there is a growing sentiment that this significant chapter in history has been underappreciated and deserves recognition. Those who experienced or are connected to that era yearn for acknowledgment, celebration, and an opportunity to be part of the commemoration.
“Also there’s a sense that this time in history has been unacknowledged, underappreciated and hasn’t gotten its due,” Jacobs added, as was reported by the Jewish Week. “And so I think there’s a sense among people who lived it, or whose parents lived it, like, ‘I want this to be acknowledged, I want it to be honored and celebrated, and I want to be part of that.’”
The Catskills Borscht Belt Museum will be housed in Ellenville, within the historic building that was once home to Home National Bank, which played a vital role in lending money to Jewish hotel owners in the 1920s, the NY Jewish Week reported. The museum will offer an array of exhibits and activities, including archival film and audio displays, lectures, interactive experiences, and workshops.
From the early 1900s to the 1970s, Route 17, known as “The Quickway,” bustled with New York Jews making their annual pilgrimage from the city to the Catskill Mountains, the NY Jewish Week report indicated. Fondly referred to as the Borscht Belt due to its association with the famous beet soup, this region attracted Jewish families seeking leisure, Yiddish culture, culinary delights, and entertainment.
The NYJW report as said that the Catskills resorts served as early launching pads for legendary Jewish comedians, including Jackie Mason, Mel Brooks, Woody Allen, Joan Rivers, and Jerry Seinfeld.
Apart from providing a recreational haven, the Borscht Belt also emerged as a response to the restrictions that prevented Jews from vacationing at many popular destinations of the time. These Jewish-owned resorts, such as Grossinger’s Catskill Resort Hotel and Kutsher’s Hotel and Country Club, significantly shaped American Jewish culture by bridging the gap between Jewish and immigrant cultures, while simultaneously introducing the larger American public to Jewish customs and traditions, as was noted in the NYJW report.
However, with the rise of air travel, the acceptance of Jews at previously exclusionary resorts, and shifting preferences among younger generations, the allure of the Catskills waned by the late 1960s. By the 1980s, most resorts and hotels in the Borscht Belt had closed their doors, marking the end of an iconic era, as was reported by the NYJW.
The Borscht Belt Festival aims to revive, if only briefly, the traditions and culture of the Catskills’ golden age. The NY Jewish Week report indicated that comedy takes center stage at the festival, with events such as “The Borscht Belt Classic,” which pays homage to family-friendly Catskills comedy, and engaging talks with renowned writers and comedians. The festival also includes a variety of activities, including a screening of “Dirty Dancing” with audience participation, a concert by The Shul Band, and the first-ever exhibition of the late Holocaust survivor and painter Morris Katz’s work.
Andrew Jacobs anticipates an attendance of 8,000 to 10,000 festival-goers throughout the day, emphasizing the aim to revitalize the Catskills as a regional cultural hub, the NYJW reported. Looking ahead, the goal is to develop the Borscht Belt Museum and its spin-off festival into a prominent brand, with plans to host the Borscht Belt Film Festival, establish a stand-up comedy outpost, and create year-round programming in both New York City and upstate.
The Borscht Belt Festival serves as a vibrant precursor to the museum, offering a glimpse into the triumphs and joys of Jewish culture. The NYJW report added that while many Jewish museums focus on historical tragedies like pogroms and the Holocaust, the festival and forthcoming museum seek to tell a triumphant and joyous story of Jewish heritage, catering to a yearning for celebration and recognition.
For those eager to experience the magic of the Borscht Belt, mark your calendars for July 29 and join the festivities in Ellenville, New York. To secure tickets, visit Borschtbeltfest.org and embark on a journey of laughter, nostalgia, and the vibrant tapestry of Jewish-American culture.
