A century ago, New Yorkers, hungry for mountain air, good food, and
a Jewish environment combined with an American way of leisure,
began to develop a resort area unique in the world. By the 1950s,
this summer Eden of bungalow colonies, summer camps, and over 900
hotels had attracted over a million people a year. This was the
Jewish Catskills of Sullivan and Ulster Counties.
Born to a small hotel-owning family who worked for decades in
hotels after losing their own, Phil Brown tells a story of the many
elements of this magical environment. His own waiter's tales, his
mother's culinary exploits as a chef, and his father's jobs as
maitre d' and coffee shop operator offer a backdrop to the vital
life of Catskills summers. Catskill Culture recounts the life of
guests, staff, resort owners, entertainers, and local residents
through the author's memories and archival research and the
memories of 120 others.
The Catskills resorts shaped American Jewish culture, enabling
Jews to become more American while at the same time introducing the
American public to immigrant Jewish culture. Catskills
entertainment provided the nation with a rich supply of comedians,
musicians, and singers. Legions of young men and women used the
Catskills as a springboard to successful careers and marriages.
A decline for the resort area beginning in the 1970s has led to
many changes. Today most of the hotels and bungalow colonies are
gone or in ruins, while other communities, notably those of the
Hasidim, have appeared. The author includes an appendix listing
over 900 hotels he has been able to document and invites readers to
contact him with additional entries.
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