Greetings From Kutsher's in the Catskills - Yes, It's Still There

The Catskills may not be what they used to be, and sitting in the vast lobbies of Kutsher's in Monticello, New York, we can't help seeing ghosts — of comedians, of singers and dancers, of waiters carrying impossible stacks of main dishes and side dishes that actually turn out to be main dishes.

That's where we are this week, performing on stage at Kutsher's Stardust nightclub and lecturing in their Sportsmen's and Deep End Lounges, showing and commenting on the funniest and best video clips from the first three years of Jewish Humor Central.

Guests are still coming to Kutsher's.  Camp Hazak, a group of 200 seniors from Conservative shuls around the USA just finished a week of lectures, entertainment, and lots of food. Individual families and groups continue to arrive for the Fourth of July weekend as we compose this blog post and prepare for another lecture on Jewish humor later today.

The way it was in the dining room

The carpeting is faded, and the tea room is closed. But new management is trying to stage a revival with veteran tummlers providing daytime entertainment and programs planned to fit the clientele of the day. Simon Says, the old standby, and movie and music quiz games are still run by resident tummler Larry Strickler. When fervently Orthodox guests visit, the indoor and outdoor pools have hours reserved for men only, women only, and family swim time.

A Summer KlezKamp at Kutsher's — an intensive week-long immersion in Yiddish music and culture—  will be in full swing here from August 27– September 2. And we'll be lecturing again on Jewish humor on August 2 and August 4.

And there's air conditioning, and free wi-fi service in all of the lobbies.

Nostalgia is the word of the day. If you remember the old days of vacationing at Kutsher's, Grossinger's, the Concord, and other Catskill Mountain Hotels, you'll like Welcome to Kutsher's -The Last Catskills Resort, a new film about Kutsher's, past and present. It's been shown at Jewish Film Festivals, the latest coming up on July 22 in Rochester, New York. We'll keep an eye out for other screenings and let you know what we find.

Enjoy the trailer!

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO IS NOT VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)