We Met at Grossinger’s
USA 2025 | Director: Paula Eiselt | English | 104 minutes
Documentary
This immersive documentary is a warm and nostalgic journey through the Jewish Catskills—once known as the Borscht Belt— told through the rise and fall of Grossinger’s, its most iconic resort. Throughout decades when Jewish immigrants to America faced prejudice and exclusion from mainstream resorts, clubs and other institutions, the Borscht Belt provided an oasis of belonging for them – and Grossinger’s Resort and Hotel was the crown jewel. Built and run by three generations of trailblazing women, led by formidable matriarch Jennie Grossinger, the resort became a vibrant haven for Jews – and others from marginalized communities – and its growing reputation attracted a wide variety of comedians, athletes, and political figures, including Mel Brooks, Jerry Seinfeld, Jackie Robinson, and Eleanor Roosevelt. Through archival footage, and interviews with Grossinger family members, former employees, guests, and entertainers, award-winning filmmaker Paula Eiselt celebrates the cultural richness of a now-vanished world that defined an era of Jewish–American life, helped shape Jewish-American identity, and left an indelible mark on American culture.
Proudly co-sponsored by the
JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF SOUTHERN ALBERTA
Jay Joffe Memorial Program
The Jay Joffe Memorial Program of the
JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF SOUTHERN ALBERTA
The Jay Joffe Memorial Program was launched by Jewish Historical Society of Southern Alberta (JHSSA) in 2009 to honour the memory of its long-serving founding president, Jay Joffe (1931-2006). This program is dedicated to promoting and featuring Jewish culture and history through activities such as lectures, exhibits, films or performances.
This year, the directors of JHSSA are pleased to again be part of the Beth Tzedec Calgary Jewish Film Festival through the sponsorship of the film “We Met at Grossinger’s”, an enlightening and entertaining documentary that reflects Jay Joffe’s passions for bringing the love of Jewish history and its preservation to the widest possible audience.
