Documentary 'The Catskills' relives a popular 1950s Jewish-American vacation destination
Dance teacher Jackie Horner and her husband Lou Goldstein (Mr. Simon Sez) with hotel guests at the Terrace Room, Grossinger Hotel and Country Club, Grossinger, NY 1958. (Courtesy of Jackie Horner)
For the ideal Jewish-American vacation in the 1950s, it was the place to be. The Catskill Mountains, or the “Borscht Belt” as they were often called, boomed with resort hotels and bungalows frequented by all strata of society, including the hottest comedians and entertainers of the day.
A new documentary by Lex Gillespie, “The Catskills,” relives the fascinating history of this vibrant scene, and the movie is screening as part of the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival on Feb. 25 and 26 at Sandy Springs City Center.
In this interview, filmmaker and director Lex Gillespie joined “City Lights” host Lois Reitzes to talk more about how the Borscht Belt came and went, changing the world along the way.
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