I may have never gone there, but every summer, I’m overcome with nostalgia for a vacation in the Borscht Belt.
The former Jewish resort area in the Catskills, where some Orthodox Jews still have vacation cabins and resorts, was made iconic by movies like “Dirty Dancing” and shows like “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” and it looms large in my mind. I want to go somewhere with a pool and a bunch of old and young Jews joking and dancing and playing tennis or mahj. I love this reality that Linda Coll describes in this R29 piece, reminiscing about the destination: “All you did in the Catskills was eat and change your clothes.”
Truly, it sounds like the perfect summer.
There are a lot of ways to tap into Borscht Belt nostalgia, from attending a marker dedication of the Borscht Belt Historical Marker Project to going to some fun Borscht Belt Museum events in Ellensville, Houston and Brooklyn to visiting this Catskills exhibit in the Skirball Center in LA. But for those of you of you can’t make the schlep and want to relive it in your very own homes, here are some items that will help you feel like you’re at the Catskills. I’ll take one of everything, please.
This shirt features the Borscht Belt's most iconic resorts, and has been worn by iconic stars like Paul Newman.
Channel your inner (or outer!) Jewish dad on vacation.
Get ready to light up the court with these fiery shorts!
Can't you smell chlorine, fresh cut grass and your bubbe's perfume just by looking at this chair?
I can definitely see myself changing into this dress in the evening after a long day of sunbathing.
A perfect poolside read about a Borscht Belt hotel?! What beats that!
"The Borscht Belt: Revisiting the Remains of America's Jewish Vacationland" by Marisa Scheinfeld
A book full of haunting photos from the Catskills resorts of yore, filled with a lot of great history.
Channel a bit of Midge Maisel with this vintage swimsuit.
Listen, it was called the Borscht Belt for a reason, and one of those reasons has to do with how addictive and refreshing beet soup can be, especially this cold, sour cream tinged pink one from Barney Greengrass. You can order more nostalgic noshes from them over on Goldbelly.
"Lech" by Sara Lippman
A book full of diverse Jewish characters, whose stories ebb and flow together during one summer in the Catskills' Sullivan Country.
Woody Allen and Jerry Seinfeld both started their careers at this iconic resort.
Channel the iconic ballroom scene from "Dirty Dancing" with this cool linen dress.
Some classic shoes to play pong or tennis in.
The perfect lakeside summer shorts.
Wide Brim Straw Hat (Loft)
Your Jewish mom wants you to know that you can't sit by the pool without sun protection.
Only at the Concord could you find a young Barbara Streisand and Judy Garland entertaining a crowd of old Jews, and does anything sound better?
Is it a Jewish vacation if you don't spot at least one giant chai necklace in the wild?
