2025 | United States of America, Qatar | Documentary

We Met At Grossinger’s

  • English 104 mins
  • Director | Paula Eiselt
  • Writer | -
  • Producer | Robert Friedman, Paula Eiselt, Bennett Elliott

STATUS: Completed

This film is currently not available.   

We Met at Grossinger’s is a dazzling excavation of cultural memory and mythology. 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 Jackie Robinson and Eleanor Roosevelt. DOC NYC alumna Paula Eiselt 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.

Memory Belonging Identity Nostalgia Community
Playlists