Step back into the golden age of the Catskills at the Somerset County JCC with We Met at Grossinger’s, an unforgettable afternoon of stories, laughter, memories, and connection. From summer romances and legendary comedians to family vacations and midnight cheesecake runs, this nostalgic event celebrates the magic of the iconic Borscht Belt era and the people who lived it.

Guests will enjoy heartfelt conversations, shared memories, and a warm sense of community as we revisit the places that shaped generations of Jewish families and friendships. Whether you spent summers in the Catskills or simply love hearing the stories, this special event is filled with humor, history, and heart.

• $15/JCC Member
• $20/Community Member Fee

Register 

Synopsis

We Met at Grossinger’s is an immersive journey through the Jewish Catskills, once known as the Borscht Belt, reviving the iconic resort that inspired Dirty Dancing and defined an era of Jewish American life. Throughout decades of prejudice stifling the integration of Jewish immigrants in America, the Borscht Belt in the Catskills provided an oasis of belonging, and Grossinger’s Resort and Hotel was the crown jewel. The real-life inspiration for the setting of the 1987 classic film Dirty Dancing, Grossinger’s provided both a physical and mental getaway where Jews, and others from marginalized communities, needing a break from NYC could relax. The resort’s growing reputation attracted a wide variety of comedians, athletes, and political figures, including Mel Brooks, Jerry Seinfeld, Jackie Robinson and Eleanor Roosevelt. Award-winning filmmaker Paula Eiselt (Aftershock, 93Queen) resurrects this vanished world with an immersive warmth, providing a timely reminder of the historic richness of Jewish culture and its immeasurable contributions to American life.