named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Borscht Belt Museum Oral History Project
Initiative to collect, preserve, and share personal stories from individuals who lived, worked, or vacationed in the Borscht Belt; led by Iyna Bort Caruso.
Catskills Romance: Love & Desire in the Borscht Belt
Main exhibit exploring romantic and social dynamics during the Borscht Belt era through artifacts, photographs, and personal narratives.
Lecture and Film Series
Public programming for adult audiences featuring historians, filmmakers, and cultural commentators on topics related to the Catskills and Jewish American life.
Recreated 1960s Bungalow Kitchen and Casino
Immersive exhibit space replicating a mid-century Catskills bungalow colony setting, offering visitors a tactile experience of daily life in the resorts.
Replica of a 1970s Kutsher’s Hotel Room
Authentic recreation of a guest room from Kutsher’s Hotel, displayed inside the museum’s original bank vault to highlight the intersection of commerce and leisure.
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Oral History Collection and Preservation 1 activity
- Conduct and preserve oral history interviewsLeads the Borscht Belt Museum Oral History Project, serving as lead interviewer and partnering with an online platform to conduct interviews. Preserves audio recordings and related content in its archive. Features an oral history booth in the pop-up exhibition for visitors to record personal stories.
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Community Festival & Event Production 1 activity
- Host public events, performances, and educational programmingOrganizes a range of public programs including monthly Borscht Belt Comedy Club events at Shadowland Stages, annual festivals celebrating Borscht Belt culture through comedy and cuisine, film screenings with Q&A sessions, live performances, virtual programs, and special exhibits. Offers adult lecture and film series, interactive family workshops, and interpretive materials for K-12 educators.
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Local History Museum Operations 1 activity
- Operate a museum dedicated to Borscht Belt history and cultureOperates a public museum in Ellenville, NY, housed in the historic Home National Bank building at 90 Canal Street, open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The facility is fully accessible, allows leashed dogs, and offers on-site ticket sales with multiple payment options. Provides free admission for visitors aged 18 and under and discounted pricing for local residents with valid ID.
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Benefit Events for Arts and Culture 1 activity
- Produce fundraising and special eventsProduces the annual fundraising gala "Borscht Belt Classics" and hosts public events featuring giveaways, raffles, and artistic contributions such as a six-foot-tall replica of the artist-in-residence’s grandparents’ wedding cake.
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Volunteer and Professional Training Programs 1 activity
- Provide oral history training for community volunteersOrganizes training sessions to equip community volunteers with skills to participate in oral history collection efforts, supporting community engagement and capacity building in historical preservation.
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Uncategorized 2 activities
- Collect, preserve, and steward historical artifacts and archival materialsMaintains a permanent collection of Borscht Belt–related items including apparel, furnishings, business records, menus, photos, postcards, recipes, souvenirs, vintage branding, entertainment memorabilia, sheet music, and the Richard L. Benjamin Collection of tourism history. Accepts donations of physical artifacts and scanned documents, requiring a Deed of Gift for all donated items. Preserves rescued artworks such as an expressionist sculpture and the original Kutsher’s Hotel neon sign.
- Curate and maintain permanent and temporary exhibitions on Borscht Belt cultureDevelops and displays exhibitions exploring the cultural history of the Catskills resort era, including "Catskills Romance: Love & Desire in the Borscht Belt" (opened June 27, 2026), a recreated 1960s bungalow kitchen and casino, a replica Kutsher’s hotel room in the bank vault, and the exhibit “And Such Small Portions!” focused on food and humor. Exhibits incorporate rare artifacts, vintage photography, oral histories, and popular culture from the Borscht Belt era.
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financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$304K
Contributions & grants$276K91%
Program service revenue$10K3%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$19K
expenses
Total expenses$196K
Program expenses39%
Admin / overhead29%
Fundraising33%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$758K
Cash$4K
Investments$0
Liabilities$499K
Net assets$259K
Liquid reserves0.3 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2023 · YoY revenue -35.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023
Who runs it
board members · 15
- ALLEN FRISCHMAN — ARCHIVAL OFFICER
- ANDREW JACOBS — PRESIDENT
- DAN LEVIN — DIRECTOR
- DEBBIE BRIGGS — DIRECTOR
- DON KAPLAN ESQ — DIRECTOR
- DRPETER ALAN CHESTER — TREASURER
- ELLIOT AUERBACH — DIRECTOR
- FAYE PENN — DIRECTOR
- HARRON ZIMMERMAN ESQ — DIRECTOR
- JACQUELINE LEITZIS — DIRECTOR
- NANCY HIRSCH — DIRECTOR
- RACHEL ABRAMS — DIRECTOR
- ROBIN KAUFFMAN — VICE PRESIDENT
- SETH HOROWITZ — DIRECTOR
- ZACH BAUM — DIRECTOR
relationships · 21
Who they work with
- Adina and Marc Levin of Collab Partner — Recognized for special support of the “And Such Small Portions!” exhibition.
- Arts Mid-Hudson Government — Administered Statewide Community Regrants Program funding and supported the exhibition.
- Bard Graduate Center Partner — Collaborating institution on the pop-up exhibition featuring Borscht Belt culture.
- Chaya Fund Funder — Supported the 'Catskills Romance' exhibition.
- Honor’s Haven Retreat & Conference Funder — Provided additional support for the “And Such Small Portions!” exhibition.
- Hurleyville Performing Arts Center Partner — Hosts Borscht Belt Museum screening events and Q&A sessions.
- Kutsher’s Hotel Partner — Displays the original neon sign from Kutsher’s Hotel and features a replica of a 1970s hotel room from the resort.
- Naiades Fund Funder — Supported the 'Catskills Romance' exhibition.
- New York State Council on the Arts Government — Provided funding through the Statewide Community Regrants Program for the exhibition.
- New York State Legislature Government — Supported the Statewide Community Regrants Program funding for the exhibition.
- Office of the Governor Government — Supported the Statewide Community Regrants Program funding for the exhibition.
- Shadowland Stages Partner — Co-hosts the Borscht Belt Comedy Club events at its venue in Ellenville.
- Slutsky Lumber Funder — Provided additional support for the “And Such Small Portions!” exhibition.
- The Chaya Fund Funder — Provided generous support for the “And Such Small Portions!” exhibition.
- TheirStory Partner — Online platform partner used to conduct oral history interviews.
- Timely Signs Funder — Provided additional support for the “And Such Small Portions!” exhibition.
- Ulster County Tourism Government — Supported the 'Catskills Romance' exhibition.
- Victor and Pearl Tumpeer Foundation Funder — Provided generous support for the “And Such Small Portions!” exhibition.
- Victor and Pearl Tumpeer Foundation Funder — Supported the 'Catskills Romance' exhibition.
- YIVO Institute for Jewish Research Partner — Eddy Portnoy holds a curatorial and academic advisory role at YIVO, contributing expertise in Jewish popular culture and Yiddish press history.
- info@borschtbeltmuseum.org Partner — Primary contact point for scheduling guided tours and group visits.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Community Access and Intergenerational Participation via Inclusive Pricingmethodology: community-access-pricingBy offering free youth admission and reduced rates for local residents, the museum increases access and family visitation, because financial barriers disproportionately affect local and multigenerational engagement, and removing them strengthens community ownership.
- Cultural Preservation Through Communal Memory and Inclusionmethodology: cultural_memoryBy centering personal narratives, oral histories, and community-donated artifacts, the museum fosters deeper engagement with the cultural legacy of the Catskills resort era, because shared memory and lived experience strengthen communal identity and promote historical justice.
- Curatorial Practice as Social Justice Educationmethodology: curatorial-focus-on-social-inclusion-and-historical-justiceBy integrating themes of antisemitism, refuge, and cultural assimilation into its exhibitions, the museum transforms historical content into a tool for social inclusion and critical reflection, because confronting historical marginalization fosters empathy and civic understanding.
- Immersive, Multigenerational Engagement via Cultural Lensesmethodology: multigenerational-engagement-through-immersive-designBy using immersive design, contemporary art, and cultural lenses such as food and comedy, the museum connects historical content to modern audiences, because experiential and emotionally resonant formats increase relevance and intergenerational participation.