Imagine a place that captures the past so that you want to keep going back there and relive all the special times associated with it. From the early years where Jackie Mason (eventually a famous comedian) served as a social director at the Concord, to the well known actor and filmmaker Mel Brooks, who was originally the social director at Brown's, the talent that would brew here was infinite. 

Now, people can experience the wonders that occurred at the Catskill hotels in the new exhibit at the Borscht Belt Museum in Ellenville. The exhibit has filled that niche with the title, “Catskills Romance: Love and Desire in the Borscht Belt.”

All this would not have existed save for the founding of the Borscht Belt Museum in 2023 by a group of people committed to finding a home for all the lives that were touched by this very rich heritage. This determined group got a $650,000 grant from the NYS Development Corp. to preserve this memorable history going forward with people visiting from as far away as Australia to relive and even experience as family before them did.

Located on Canal Street in the former Home National Bank building—which was founded in Ellenville in 1873—the plaque at the entranceway says it all: “While most financial institutions refused to lend money to Jews and People of Color during the 19th century and first half of the 20th century, Home National Bank helped fund hundreds of diverse local hoteliers and bungalow colony owners whose hospitality defined the Catskills.”

The building on Canal Street, which was built in 1928, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2012.

The Borscht Belt encompassed both Sullivan and southern Ulster counties with grand hotels, hotels and bungalow colonies. The time period was when a great many adventure seekers enjoyed a life of fun and love back in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, although a few lingered into the 1980s. This setting provided the backdrop for meeting your significant (or even insignificant) other, or just having a good time. As many kids came to the camps in the Catskills, the adults had their own kind of campground for sizzling relationships, some of which lasted a lifetime.

Why the name "Borscht Belt"? It was no coincidence that this region had a large Jewish population escaping the heat and fast pace of the city. A getaway to the mountains seemed ideal to the many Eastern European immigrants and their families. Beets, which were made into the soup known as borscht, were a staple the immigrants brought with them from the old country. The name "Borscht Belt" was used to connote the area they called home, like people in the Southwest who live in the Sun Belt. 

Many of us as children were brought to the hotels in the Catskills and later found it a reasonable place within driving distance to leave the urban life behind.

This was my situation in 1981 when I borrowed my Dad’s 1970 Cadillac to escape from my high-pressure job selling corporate advertising for “Playgirl” (yes, you read that right). The Concord was the crème de la crème of hotels and a megaresort with 1,500 rooms, advertising a sports weekend from golf to tennis to indoor ice skating: anything was possible. And so I set off for the weekend that would forever change my life. 

I got there on a Saturday in June, ready to relax after their infamous cocktail party known for meetups, before dinner. Standing around I noticed someone else by herself and walked over and said, “Are you here by yourself, too?” 

She quickly replied, “I’m here with my husband and brother.” 

No sooner had she uttered those words, than two guys appeared before us. The shorter guy and I made easy eye contact, although I’m not sure who said “hi” first. I did hear his name was Jordan and he was the brother. 

And as they say, the rest is history, which is recounted at the Borscht Belt Museum along with a photograph taken by a Concord photographer on the night we met 45 years ago. Interestingly enough there were four other couples, who also were a part of the exhibit—I’m sure with their own unique tales.

This one-of-a-kind exhibit was the brainchild of Dan Levin, an accomplished writer in his own right, who serves on the board of the museum.

The title was conjured up by the curator, Cristian Petru Paraite, who put it together along with Mackensie Griffin. Cristian, who has been a curator at the New York Historical Society in New York City, informed me that a typical exhibit takes one to two years to put together. Instead, with just six months to work it through, they overcame the challenge to have it open on June 27, 2026. He thanks the Catskill Institute, which provided an abundance of material.

Some of the motivation for Cristian, who was originally an immigrant from Eastern Europe, was as he said, “finding your place in the land of milk and honey.” He sees the show as a “multi-layered wedding cake with many rich layers.” 

Robin Schwartzman, an artist whose grandparents honeymooned at the Nevele in 1954, recreated the wedding cake in a sculpture which is also featured in the exhibit, titled “The Sweet Life.” It’s based on places that have shaped lives and continue to hold meaning even after the moment has long passed. 

This truly defines the Borscht Belt.

The exhibit is divided into six sections:

Catskills 101: A seductive landscape.

Cupid’s court: Dedicated to resort matrons like Jennie Grossinger and matchmakers such as Irving Cohen, Concord’s maître d’, known as King Cupid.

Playful encounters: Focused on the resorts entertainment venues with activities such as dancing, which sparked connections.

What happens in the Catskills stays in the Catskills: A look at complex social issues involving traditions and social norms, Borscht Belt escapades and comedians like Sophie Tucker, Phyllis Diller and Belle Barth. It explores topics of marriage, infidelity, social norms and extramarital affairs.

Courtship and commitment: A look at famous couples who got married in the Catskills, including Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher, Sid Caesar and Florence Levy. 

Then and now: Featuring everyday couples with extraordinary stories of romance.

The Borscht Belt Museum honors and preserves the voluminous heritage of the Catskill legacy for generations to come.

Go to borschtbeltmuseum.org for more info.