Borscht Belt is an informal term for the summer resorts of the Catskill Mountains in Sullivan and Ulster Counties in upstate New York which were a popular holiday spot for New York Jews. The Catskill Mountains (also known as simply the Catskills) a natural area in New York State northwest of New York City and southwest of Albany Sullivan County is a County located in the US state of New York. Ulster County is a County located in the state of New York, USA. Upstate New York is the region of New York State north of the core of the New York metropolitan area. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ (Borscht is a soup popular with people of Eastern European origin. BORSCHT is an Acronym for '''B'''attery feed '''O'''vervoltage protection '''R'''inging '''S'''upervision '''C'''odec Eastern Europe is a general term that refers to the Geopolitical region encompassing the easternmost part of the European continent. ) The term Borscht Belt can also refer to the Catskill region itself.
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History
Borscht Belt hotels, bungalow colonies, summer camps, and kuchaleyns (a Yiddish name for self-catered boarding houses) were frequented by middle and upper class Jewish New Yorkers, particularly in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. A bungalow (બંગલો baṅglo, बंगला baṅglā) is a type of single-storey House that originated in India. Summer camp is a supervised Program for Children and/or Teenagers conducted (usually during the Summer Months in some countries Yiddish (yi [[wiktייִדיש ייִדיש]] yidish or yi [[wiktאידיש אידיש]] idish, literally "Jewish" is a nonterritorial High A boarding house, also known as a "rooming house" (mainly in the United States) or a "lodging house" is a House (often a family home PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ The 1940s decade ran from 1940 to 1949 Events and trends The 1940s was a period between the radical 1930s and the conservative 1950s which also leads the period to be The 1950s Decade refers to the years of 1950 to 1959 inclusive The 1960s decade refers to the years from the beginning of 1960 to the end of 1969 Because of this, this area was also nicknamed the Jewish Alps and Solomon County (a modification of Sullivan County), by many people who visited there. A nickname is a Name of an entity or thing that is not its Proper name. Well-known resorts of the area included Brickman's, Brown's, The Concord, Grossinger's, Granit, Kutsher's Hotel and Country Club, the Nevele, Friar Tuck Inn, The Pines, Raleigh and the Windsor. The Concord Resort Hotel was a world-famous destination for visitors to the so-called Borscht Belt part of the Catskills, known for its large resort industry Grossinger's Catskill Resort Hotel was a resort in the Catskill Mountains near the town of Liberty, New York, and is part of the Borscht Belt Kutsher's Hotel and Country Club in Monticello, New York, is the last of the Borscht Belt grand resorts (in the Catskill Mountains
The tradition of Borscht Belt entertainment started in the early 20th century with the indoor and outdoor theaters constructed on a 40 acre (16 hectare) tract in Hunter, New York, by Yiddish theater star Boris Thomashefsky. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on Hunter New York can refer to Hunter (town New York Hunter (village New York Yiddish theatre consists of plays written and performed primarily by Jews in Yiddish, the language of the Eastern European Ashkenazi Jewish community Boris Thomashefsky (1868 1 –1939 sometimes written Thomashevsky, Thomaschevsky, etc
Comedians who got their start or regularly performed in Borscht Belt resorts include: Joey Adams, Woody Allen, Morey Amsterdam, Milton Berle, Shelley Berman, Al Bernie, Mel Brooks, Lenny Bruce, George Burns, Red Buttons, Sid Caesar, Jack Carter, Myron Cohen, Bill Dana, Rodney Dangerfield, Phyllis Diller, Totie Fields, Betty Garrett, George Gobel, Shecky Greene, Buddy Hackett, Mickey Katz, Danny Kaye, Alan King, Robert Klein, Jack E. Leonard, Pesach Burstein, Mal Z. A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience primarily by making them laugh Joey Adams ( January 6, 1911 &ndash December 2, 1999) born Joseph Abramowitz, was a Borscht Belt Comedian Woody Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; December 1 1935 is an American Film director, Writer, Actor, Comedian, and Morey Amsterdam ( December 14, 1908 – October 27, 1996) was a veteran American television actor and comedian renowned for his large Mendel "Milton Berle" Berlinger ( July 12, 1908 &ndash March 27, 2002) was an Emmy -winning American Comedian Sheldon Leonard "Shelley" Berman (born February 3, 1926) is an American comedian writer teacher and actor Mel Brooks (born Melvin Kaminsky; June 28, 1926) is an American director, Writer, Composer, Lyricist Lenny Bruce (October 13 1925 &ndash August 3 1966 born Leonard Alfred Schneider, was an American Stand-up comedian, Writer, social George Burns ( January 20 1896 &ndash March 9 1996; born Nathan Birnbaum) was an American comedian, Actor Red Buttons ( February 5, 1919 &ndash July 13, 2006) was an American comedian and Actor. Isaac Sidney "Sid" Caesar (born September 8, 1922) is an Emmy Award -winning American comic actor and writer known as the leading man Jack Carter (born Jack Chakrin on June 24, 1923 in New York City New York) is an American Comedian, Actor Myron Cohen ( July 1, 1902 &ndash March 10, 1986) was an American Comedian and Raconteur. Bill Dana (born October 5 1924) is a US Comedian, Actor and Screenwriter who often appeared on the Ed Sullivan Rodney Dangerfield ( November 22, 1921 – October 5, 2004) born Jacob Cohen, was an American Comedian Bold text Phyllis Diller (born Phyllis Driver, July 17, 1917) is a Golden Globe -nominated American comedienne Totie Fields ( May 7, 1930 &ndash August 2, 1978) was an American comedian who was not afraid to poke fun at her own weight problems Betty Garrett (born May 23, 1919, St Joseph Missouri) is an American actress, Comedian and Dancer who George Leslie Gobel ( May 20, 1919 - February 24, 1991) was an American Comedian, best known as the star of his own weekly NBC Shecky Greene (born Sheldon Greenfield, April 8, 1926) is a comedian known for his nightclub performances in Las Vegas, where he has been a Buddy Hackett ( August 31, 1924 &ndash June 30, 2003) was an American Comedian and Actor. Mickey Katz ( June 15, 1909 Born Cleveland Ohio - April 30, 1985) was a U Danny Kaye ( January 18, 1913 – March 3, 1987) was an American award-winning Actor, Singer and Comedian Alan King (December 26 1927 &ndash May 9 2004 was an American comedian known for his biting wit and often angry humorous rants Robert Klein (born February 8, 1942) is an American Stand-up comedian and Actor. Jack E Leonard ( April 24, 1910 &ndash May 10, 1973) was an American Comedian who made frequent appearances on television Pesach Burstein (1896 - 1986 was an Israeli American, Polish American actor comedian singer and director of Yiddish Vaudeville and Lawrence, Jerry Lewis, Jackie Mason, Lou Menchell, Jan Murray, Carl Reiner, Don Rickles, Joan Rivers, Freddie Roman, Allan Sherman, Jackie Vernon, Jackie Wakefield, Jonathan Winters, and Henny Youngman. Jerry Lewis (born March 16, 1926) is an American Comedian, award-winning actor producer writer and director best-known for his slapstick Jackie Mason (born Yacov Moshe Maza, in Sheboygan, Wisconsin) is an American stand-up comedian. Jan Murray ( October 4, 1916 - July 2, 2006) was an American Stand-up comedian and actor who made his name on the Carl Reiner (born March 20, 1922) is an American Actor, Film director, producer, Writer and Comedian For the radio and television announcer see Donald Rickles (announcer. Joan Rivers (born Joan Alexandra Molinsky; June 8, 1933) is an American Comedian, Actress, Talk show Freddie Roman (born Fred Kirschenbaum 1937 in Jamaica Queens, New York) Stand-up comedian and king of one-liners best known for his frequent appearances Allan Sherman (November 30 1924 – November 20 1973 was an American Musician, parodist, satirist, and Television producer This is a disambiguation page Jackie Vernon may refer to Jackie Vernon (footballer Jackie Vernon (comedian Jonathan Harshman Winters III (born November 11 1925 is an American comedian and actor Henry "Henny" Youngman ( March 16, 1906 – February 24, 1998) was a British -born American Comedian and violinist
With changes in demographic and travel patterns, caused partially by the widespread adoption of air conditioning that made the cities less unpleasant in the summer, the area has declined as a major vacation destination. Perhaps the single biggest factor was the decline of discrimination or "restriction" in the hotel and travel industry by the 1960s as well as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which made discrimination on the basis of race and religion flat out illegal in the tourism industry as well as in other arenas. Origins The bill was introduced by President John F Kennedy in his civil rights speech of June 11 1963, in which he asked for legislation "giving Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel Prior to that time, many upscale resorts and hotels, implicitly or otherwise, did not welcome Jews. Also, the end of rail service to the area added to the decline of the area. The replacement of old travel routes such as old New York State Route 17 (superseded by an express highway of the same name, now in the midst of an upgrade to Interstate 86), had left the area with a veritable museum of abandoned or decaying travel-related businesses from the Borscht Belt's heyday. New York State Route 17, also known as the Southern Tier Expressway (between the Pennsylvania - New York border and Binghamton) the Quickway Interstate 86 was once assigned to what is now Interstate 84 east of East Hartford, Connecticut. The post WWII decline of the area also coincides with the increase of air travel. When families could go to more far off destinations such as The Caribbean, Hawaii, and Europe for the same amount that they could go to the Catskills, new venues began to win out. The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting The State of Hawaii ( or həˈwaɪʔiː Hawaiian: Mokuāina o Hawaii) is a state in the United States located on an Archipelago in the
Today
Today the region is a summer home for many Orthodox Jewish families, primarily from the New York metropolitan area. Orthodox Judaism is the formulation of Judaism that adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonized The New York metropolitan area, often referred to as the Tri-State Area, is the most populous Metropolitan area in the United States and is also one It has many summer homes and bungalow colonies (including many of the historic colonies), as well as year-round dwellers. It even has its own year-round branch of the Orthodox Jewish volunteer emergency medical service Hatzolah. Emergency medical services (abbreviated to the initialism "EMS" in many countries are a branch of Emergency services dedicated to providing out-of-hospital A few resorts remain in the region, though not many associated with the Borscht Belt Prime (Kutsher's Hotel, Villa Roma, Friar Tuck, to name a few). Kutsher's Hotel and Country Club in Monticello, New York, is the last of the Borscht Belt grand resorts (in the Catskill Mountains
In July 2006, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts opened on the site of the 1969 Woodstock Festival in Bethel. The Bethel Woods Center for the Arts is a state-of-the-art performing arts center located at the site of the 1969 Woodstock Festival in Bethel New York. The New York Philharmonic played to thousands there on July 2, 2006 for the first-ever concert at the Center. The New York Philharmonic is the oldest active Symphony Orchestra in the United States, organized during 1842 Other concerts during the Center's inaugural season included a two-day jazz festival featuring Wynton Marsalis, George Benson, Chris Botti and Dianne Reeves; Counting Crows and the Goo Goo Dolls, and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, who had last played in Bethel at the original 1969 Woodstock Festival and later covered Joni Mitchell's song "Woodstock" to commemorate the historic three-day concert that drew 500,000 to Yasgur's Farm. Wynton Learson Marsalis (b October 18, 1961) is an American Trumpeter and Composer. George Benson (b March 22 1943, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania) is an American musician whose recording career began at the age of twenty-one Christopher Stephen Botti or Chris Botti '' (born October 12, 1962) is an American Trumpeter and Composer. Dianne Reeves (born 23 October 1956) is an American Jazz singer known more for her live performances than her albums Counting Crows is a Rock band originating from Berkeley California. The Goo Goo Dolls are a Rock band formed in 1986 in Buffalo New York by John Rzeznik and Robby Takac. Crosby Stills & Nash ( CSN) is a Folk rock / rock supergroup made up of David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash Joni Mitchell, CC (born Roberta Joan Anderson on November 7 1943) is a Canadian Musician, Songwriter, and " Woodstock " is a Song about the Woodstock Music and Art Festival of 1969 Max B Yasgur (December 15 1919&mdashFebruary 9 1973 was an American Farmer, best known as the owner of the
Plans are now in place by those who purchased former Borscht Belt resorts, Concord Resort Hotel and Grossinger's for example, to work with Native Americans in an attempt to bring gambling to the region. The Concord Resort Hotel was a world-famous destination for visitors to the so-called Borscht Belt part of the Catskills, known for its large resort industry Grossinger's Catskill Resort Hotel was a resort in the Catskill Mountains near the town of Liberty, New York, and is part of the Borscht Belt Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States Because the Borscht Belt prime has long passed and many of the resorts are abandoned, developers feel that this is a way to revitalize the region to the popularity it once had by attracting guests to world class casinos and resorts such as the ones in New Jersey and Connecticut. New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. Connecticut ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America.
Comedic legacy
"Borscht Belt humor" refers to the rapid-fire, often self-deprecating style common to many of these performers and writers. Typical themes include:
- Bad luck: "When I was a kid, I was breast-fed by my father. Luck (also called fortunity) is a chance happening, or that which happens beyond a person's control. " (Dangerfield)
- Puns: "Sire, the peasants are revolting!" "You said it. They stink on ice. " (Harvey Korman as Count de Money (Monet) and Mel Brooks as King Louis XVI, in History of the World Part I)
- Physical complaints and ailments (often relating to bowels and cramping): "My doctor said I was in terrible shape. Harvey Herschel Korman ( February 15, 1927 &ndash May 29, 2008) was an American comedic Actor who performed Mel Brooks (born Melvin Kaminsky; June 28, 1926) is an American director, Writer, Composer, Lyricist Louis XVI ( 23 August 1754 – 21 January 1793) Louis-Auguste de France, ruled as King of France and Navarre History of the World Part I is a 1981 Film written produced and directed by Mel Brooks. Illness (sometimes referred to as ill-health or ail) can be defined as a state of poor Health. I told him, 'I want a second opinion. ' He said, 'All right, you're ugly too!'" "I told my doctor, 'This morning when I got up and saw myself in the mirror, I looked awful! What's wrong with me?' He replied, 'I don't know, but your eyesight is perfect!'" (Dangerfield)
- Aggravating relatives and nagging wives: "My wife and I were happy for twenty years. Kinship is a relationship between any entities that share a genealogical origin through either biological cultural or historical descent Then we met. " (Dangerfield). "Take my wife - please!" (Henny Youngman); "My wife drowned in the pool because she was wearing so much jewelry. Henry "Henny" Youngman ( March 16, 1906 – February 24, 1998) was a British -born American Comedian and violinist " (Rickles); "My wife ain't too bright. For the radio and television announcer see Donald Rickles (announcer. One day our car got stolen. I said to her, 'Did you get a look at the guy?' She said, 'No, but I got the license number. ' " (Dangerfield)
Some but not all of the modern "Borscht Belt" comedians, such as Don Rickles, referred openly to Jews and anti-Semitism; others, such as Rodney Dangerfield, simply borrowed from the general style. For the radio and television announcer see Donald Rickles (announcer. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Antisemitism (alternatively spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism; also rarely known as judeophobia) is the Prejudice against or hostility
See also Jewish humor. Jewish humour is the long tradition of Humour in Judaism dating back to the Torah and the Midrash, but generally refers to the more recent
Popular culture
These resorts have been the setting for movies such as Dirty Dancing, Sweet Lorraine and A Walk on the Moon. Dirty Dancing is a 1987 Romance film. Written by Eleanor Bergstein, the film features Jennifer Grey, Patrick Swayze A Walk On The Moon is a 1999 Drama film starring Diane Lane, Viggo Mortensen, Liev Schreiber and Anna Paquin.
Characters inspired by Borscht Belt comics include Billy Crystal's Mr. Saturday Night and Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog. William Edward "Billy" Crystal (born March 14, 1948) is an American Golden Globe Award -nominated and Emmy Award -winning Mr Saturday Night is a 1992 film with Billy Crystal and David Paymer. Triumph the Insult Comic Dog is a character Puppet performed by Robert Smigel premiering in 1997 on NBC 's Late
While not a part of the true Borscht Belt legacy, the best known entertainment event to take place in the region was the 1969 Woodstock Festival, which took place on the land of Jewish farmer Max Yasgur in Bethel, New York. Max B Yasgur (December 15 1919&mdashFebruary 9 1973 was an American Farmer, best known as the owner of the See also Bethel Pine Plains, New York Bethel is a Town in Sullivan County, New York, USA
In the film Wet Hot American Summer, the character Alan Shemper, played by Michael Showalter, is a parody of Borscht Belt comedy. Wet Hot American Summer is a 2001 Feature film. The film is a cult comedy about the last day of Summer camp in Michael Showalter (born June 17, 1970) is an American Comedian, Actor, Writer, and director.
See also
External links
- .designedbreakdown. Short history and photo gallery exhibiting present-day decay at the Pines Hotel, a major hotel in the Borscht Belt. Natural History Early geologic history The Catskills began existence as a River delta 350 million years ago The " chitlin' circuit " was the collective name given to the string of performance venues throughout the eastern and southern United States that were safe and acceptable
- .designedbreakdown. Photo gallery exhibiting present-day decay at the Heiden Hotel, a Jewish Hotel where the movie "Sweet Lorraine" was filmed.
- Online Guide to the Catskill Mountains
- Borscht Belt on the St. James Encyclopedia of Pop Culture.
- The Catskills Institute, Brown University
- Rise and Fall of the Borscht Belt (documentary about the Borscht Belt)
- http://www.99geigerroad.com Documentary about a bungalow colony of Holocaust survivors in the Catskills.
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