The Borscht Belt

For about 50 years, Jews flocked to the Catskills to escape the heat and overcrowding of New York City's immigrant ghettos. It wasn't just the beautiful countryside that drew them here: antisemitism meant that they were often barred from resorts in other parts of the region. Over time, this network of vacation spots came to be known as the Borscht Belt, and served as boot camp for innumerable entertainers who later gained national prominence. The Catskills churned out comedians Milton Berle, Freddie Roman, and Danny Kaye, to name a few. Doing your act in the main room at resorts like Grossinger's, Kutsher's, and the Concorde meant that you had made it. Not many of the old-time resorts are still standing, although a few remain as popular golf destinations. The influence of the resorts era has faded from the landscape, but the Yiddish sayings uttered by the local high-school kids are remnants of this period of Catskills history.