When JTA's Uriel Heilman stumbled upon an abandoned house in the Catskills, a trail of clues led to a remarkable Borscht Belt story. Read the full article at www.jta.org/201...
I'm not Jewish either, and I live in Australia. But two years ago I stumbled across some 'abandoned places' websites, discovered the Catskills ruins, and for weeks afterwards became immersed in its history. The Borscht Belt stories filled me with a mixture of amazement and sadness... at what was, and how it all came to such a complete end. Thanks Uriel Heilman for putting together this intimate, nostalgic, well-researched, very well presented and wonderfully human story.
The great thing was that the larger hotels had activities that anyone could attend. Usually there was a modest cover charge to get in but everyone was welcome. There was never a dull moment.
I too, discovered the Catskills resorts while browsing through "abandoned resorts" one winter afternoon, and immediately was captivated by the stories and videos of families vacationing together (imagine that, eh?) and the simple pleasures of a summer vacation - things that now seem so elusive in the hectic world we live in today. Thank you, Mr. Heilman - I echo the previous thanks given above, and truly appreciate the time and effort put into this video. 😊💖👏
I love anything Catskills, as a small kid living in the West, I kept hearing references to the Catskills without knowing what it meant. Then studying comics I became further intrigued. Woody Allen's Starlight memories was made me think of the showrooms, adults leaving the kids under someone else's care or having their own activities to listen to all manner of entertainment. To a non-Jewish but very curious and History loving kid from the West you can't get enough of the history, tours of the legendary resorts, A large community with a place in the New York mountains to be with like minded Jewish people, huge swimming pools, water sports, copious amounts of food, great entertainment, that's enough to want to convert, learn Yiddish and become a blonde, blue-eyed Jew for the comedy alone.
This was such a charming story and really illustrates the life and times of a bygone era! I am not Jewish, but am just fascinated with the history of these colonies and resorts that celebrated simple family values and lineage. It is so sad that our lifestyles don't allow for this anymore. They say that cheap air travel and the availability of air conditioning in modern homes caused the decline of this type of vacation, but I think the nail in the coffin was the electronic age. Everyone is now self absorbed in their own personal media. Spending a summer today in a bungalow community with extended family would be pointless since the children and even most adults would be glued to their cell phones or complaining that the wireless signal is weak. The world today is just so different from only a few decades ago! Thanks for putting this video together.
***** Well said, my friend, well said. I'll soon be 70..... "The world today is just so different from only a few decades ago!" ... Yes, indeed. And not always for the better. (sigh)
I’m not Jewish either but now I’m all caught up in these Borscht Belt videos!!! You are so right about how things are today... what would people do if the internet went down!!!! Chaos!!! 57 yes old and ty for the video!! And now I know where the word “cuckhold” comes from
This video is a treasure! How clever you were to find the delightful Goldberg sisters. I'm their age and find reminiscing a balm these days. My summers were so much like theirs, but at a small beach town. Simple times, we did a lot of loafing around- with purpose. Thank you for this bittersweet video.
Barbara Shernoff Hi! Yes, I remember the Sapersteins....small world! Life was so wonderful back then. I lived on Tunnel Hill Road. I learned to knit at the bungalow colony behind my house...I also learned to swim in that pool.
Barbara Shernoff Hi Barbara! Your uncle used to do the plumbing in the house that I was raised in. I remember him well. He was a nice man. He and my dad were friends. I have moved all around the country and Southern California was the last place. I came back to New York in 2016. I am living in Kingston.
Barbara Shernoff yes, I grew up in South Fallsburg. Graduated Fallsburg high...class of 72. That whole area is now very depressing. The Hasidic community has taken over and they keep buying more. I keep in touch with my cousins in Hurleyville and occasionally venture up. I am happy in Kingston. So nice chatting with you! Let’s keep in touch
Barbara Shernoff Hi Barbara. I remember the Madnicks...great bakery and nice people. Sunny Smith is still alive, I think. I loved the shoe store. Pop ins was wonderful. Don’t really know anyone else that you mentioned.
What an amazing story. Those girls along with thousands of other kids had summers full of memories and days of fun growing up, sounds like a place any kid, including myself then, would have loved to have experienced! Thank you again.
I new the parents very well. This was called Mary's bungalow colony in it's last version. We stayed at Frank's across the street Mary's brother. We all bought passes for Kutcher's and used the Hotel grounds. This was from the Mid 70's until it closed. I only new the parents and did not recognize them until I saw there older photo's. That is how I new them. My mother was able to make the move to the Hotel for the last few years until it closed. I was in my 20's and came up on weekends and mostly played poker all day and night. Thanks for posting.
This is a great story and very well documented here. Thank you so much. The photographs and interviews really touched me deeply. Having driven through some of these towns in the Borscht Belt some years ago, I was greatly intrigued by what I saw and what I felt as I imagined there were many stories to be told of families who stayed in these resorts and bungalow colonies. You satisfied a longing I had to hear firsthand from a family, such as these sisters who so wonderfully recounted the memories of summers spent in that home. It is incredible to me that 10 families or 40 people shared that home at one time! Thank you for this incredible story. I would love to hear more.
What a beautiful story!! Im not Jewish but I went to Kutshers for my senior trip in 2007.. I wish you could’ve taken pics of it to see how it looks now. I think theres only one buildin left of it. So sad that these beautiful resorts are gone
