Nov
15
5:00 PM17:00

Sally Rhoads Memorial Lecture: Marisa Scheinfeld on "The Borscht Belt: Revisiting the Remains of America's Jewish Vacationland

The Elting Memorial Library is pleased to announce its third annual Sally Rhoads Memorial Lecture! Author and photographer Marisa Scheinfeld will present an illustrated lecture on her book The Borscht Belt: Revisiting the Remains of America's Jewish Vacationland in the Steinberg Room at 5pm on Saturday November 15th. Light refreshments will be served. Registration is required for this program. All registered attendees will get an email reminder the day before the program.



Lecture Synopsis: "Today the Borscht Belt is recalled through the nostalgic lens of summer swims, Saturday night dances, and  comedy performances. But its current state, like that of many other formerly glorious regions, is nothing like  its earlier status. Forgotten about and exhausted, much of its structural environment has been left to decay. This illustrated lecture features Marisa Scheinfeld’s photographs of abandoned sites where resorts, hotels  and bungalow colonies once boomed in the Catskill Mountain region of upstate New York. The images were shot inside and outside locations that once buzzed with life as year-round havens for generations of  people. In her talk, Scheinfeld will discuss the rise and fall of the Borscht Belt, her documentation of the famed region, and the founding of the Borscht Belt Historical Marker Project. Following the presentation, there will be an opportunity for questions and answers."



The library is proud to host Marisa Scheinfeld as the third speaker for its annual lecture series honoring Sally Rhoads, which has been funded by a friend of the Library. Sally, who passed in 2020, was the Library's longtime board president and a civic leader who worked hard to improve the lives of the people of New Paltz. After moving here in 1970, she quickly became active in the Reformed Church, the League of Women Voters and the New Paltz Faculty Wives. She served several terms on the local Board of Education, including several years as its President. She also served as President of the Lifetime Learning Institute and as a Village Trustee, but she is best known for her tireless work ethic for the betterment of the Elting Library, chairing the used book sale at the library’s annual fair for 35 years. She took justifiable pride in this and in her successful effort, as President of Elting’s Board, to raise the funds and build the large addition to the library.

Register here: https://eltinglibrary.libcal.com/event/15162345

Elting Memorial Library

93 Main Street
New Paltz, New York 12561

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May
6
6:30 PM18:30

Borscht Belt Revisited: Catskills' Golden Era

Borscht Belt Revisited: Catskills' Golden Era

May 6, 2025, 6:30 p.m.

Location: Poughkeepsie Public Library, Boardman Road Branch (141 Boardman Rd)

Join us for a visual presentation and Q&A with photographer Marisa Scheinfeld, author of the book The Borscht Belt: Revisiting the Remains of America's Jewish Vacationland. This illustrated lecture features Scheinfeld’s photographs of abandoned sites where resorts, hotels and bungalow colonies once boomed in the Catskill Mountains. The images were made inside and outside locations that once buzzed with life as year-round havens for generations of people. In her talk, Scheinfeld discusses the rise, fall, and impact of the Borscht Belt along with the deeper, more layered meaning she finds in the series, as well as her current work with the Borscht Belt Historical Marker Project.

A collaboration between the Loeb and the Poughkeepsie Public Library District, this talk is presented in conjunction with Great Green Hope for the Urban Blues, the Loeb's current special exhibition. The show explores two centuries of art and myths of the Hudson Valley, and includes one of Scheinfeld’s Borscht Belt photographs.

Books will be available for purchase and signing at the event.

Register for the talk here.

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Oct
22
1:00 PM13:00

Book talk at Kinderhook Memorial Library

The Rise and Fall of the Borscht Belt w/ Marisa Scheinfeld

The Borscht Belt was a unique cultural phenomenon in New York history. These summer resorts played a monumental role in the development of the Hudson Valley and Jewish culture across the state. Professor and photographer Marisa Scheinfeld will be discussing the rise and fall of the Borscht Belt, sharing photos of these resorts and discussing her work with the Borscht Belt Historical Marker project to help preserve this unique slice of history. Copies of Marisa’s book will be available for purchase.

18 Hudson St, Kinderhook, NY 12106

More information

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Jul
3
1:00 PM13:00

Catskills Book-signing

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Book Signing in the Catskills

Hurleyville General Store

238 Main Street
Hurleyville, New York 12747


The Hurleyville General Store is a lifestyle boutique promoting meaningful access, integration & economic opportunity for people with disabilities. For more information on the store:

https://hurleyvillegeneral.com/


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For more to do when visiting Hurleyville: https://visithurleyville.org/explore




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Aug
19
12:00 PM12:00

UJA Federation of New York

Charles and Lillian Brown's Hotel copy.jpeg

The Jewish Neighborhood Series — The Catskills: Summers Past and Present

Every summer, Jewish community, comedy, and culture thrived in the Catskill Mountain region in upstate New York, also known as the Borscht Belt. As we all shelter in place and yearn for more normal summer pastimes, join us to explore this bygone pivotal era in American Jewish history. 

We’ll hear from Marisa Scheinfeld, a documentary photographer whose book The Borscht Belt: Revisiting the Remains of America's Jewish Vacationland highlights the now-abandoned hotels and resorts that once served as vibrant vacation havens.

You’ll also discover how UJA’s work is helping sustain Jewish summer camps through the Covid-19 crisis. 

To sign up for this free talk, click here.

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Jan
22
to Feb 22

THE BORSCHT BELT at Westchester Community College Fine Arts Gallery

Marisa Scheinfeld:  The Borscht Belt

Based on her widely acclaimed book, The Borscht Belt:  Revisiting the Remains of America’s Jewish Vacationland (Cornell University Press), this traveling exhibition features Marisa Scheinfeld’s large-scale color photographs of the abandoned remains of the once famous resort hotels of the Catskill Mountain region.  A frequent guest lecturer, Scheinfeld’s photographs have been exhibited widely, and her work has been featured in numerous publications, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Slate Magazine, and American Photography.  She is also an adjunct instructor at Westchester Community College.

Gallery Talk: Thursday, January 31, 2:00 pm

Snow date: Thursday, February 7, 2:00 pm

*Exhibition and gallery talk are open to the public and free of charge.

WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE FINE ARTS GALLERY

ACADEMIC ARTS BUILDING 3RD FLOOR

75 GRASSLANDS ROAD  VALHALLA NEW YORK 10595

MON–SAT 10am–3pm + THU 4–6pm

Gallery closed Thanksgiving, and December 24 – January X

914.606.6835

www.sunywcc.edu/gallery

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Jun
25
1:00 PM13:00

Jewish Museum of Maryland

Book talk and signing

Jewish Museum of Maryland

15 Lloyd Street

Baltimore, MD 21202

In conjunction with the exhibit Just Married! Wedding Stories from Jewish Maryland, the Jewish Museum of Maryland presents a book talk by photographer Marisa Scheinfeld. Scheinfeld’s new book, The Borscht Belt: Revisiting the Remains of America’s Jewish Vacationland, presents a contemporary view of dozens of Borscht Belt hotels and bungalow colonies, taking the viewer deep into the heart of the lost world of the beloved region.

A Catskill native, Scheinfeld spent many a summer day swimming in the pools and lakes of Ulster and Sullivan counties. At the Museum, Marisa will discuss the history of the Borscht Belt and detail its rise, fall and impact. She will discuss her connections to the region and the layered meanings behind the photographs. Her talk will also illustrate the Borscht Belt’s significance as a destination for many honeymooners, including that of her maternal grandparents.

Event Link

Website

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