Rutgers Jewish Film Festival - THE CATSKILLS

THE CATSKILLS

Country: USA

Year: 2024

Director: Lex Gillespie

Run Time: 86 minutes

Language(s): English and Yiddish with English subtitles

Speaker: Lex Gillespie, Director

NEW JERSEY PREMIERE

This charming documentary pays tribute to the collection of summer resorts and bungalow colonies that became Jewish-American vacation destinations across the 20th century. Lovingly nicknamed the Borscht Belt, this nostalgic look back at a once-thriving community portrays the Catskills not only as hot-spots of lavish meals and hilarious entertainment, but as a way for New York Jews to escape a world rife with antisemitism. This trip down memory lane has a wealth of stunning archival videos with appearances from numerous American icons, from Buddy Hackett and Mel Brooks to Eleanor Roosevelt and Jackie Robinson.

Speaker: Lex Gillespie, Director

“This delightful time capsule highlights the Catskills as a cultural touchstone and a crucible of the Jewish-American saga.” –Atlanta Jewish Film Festival