New York, NY – Thousands Leave to Catskills for the Summer

New York, NY – Finding a parking place in Brooklyn is becoming considerably less daunting than usual as thousands of Jewish residents head up today to the mountains to spend their summer in the scenic Catskill mountains.

While Brooklyn’s stores are preparing for the summer slowdown, businesses both small and large in the mountains are ready for the annual summer influx of Jewish customers that happens every year.

Although many Brooklyn stores either close completely or relocate to the Catskills, gourmet giant Pomegranate finds the summer busier than ever.

“So many people either fax, email or call in their orders, some of which are quite large,” explained store manager Gabe Boxer. “We have wives placing orders from their upstate bungalows and husbands drive up to the store on Thursday night. We bring the order out to their car in an ice box along with a bowl of cholent.”

In fact, Pomegranate filled so many orders for people going to the mountains that Boxer estimates that the store went through 20,000 ice boxes last summer.

The complexion of the Catskills changes completely during the summer, with the opening of numerous summer-only businesses. Year round establishments such as retail giants Shop Rite and Walmart, both open twenty four hours a day during the summer, are flooded with Orthodox customers and bring in many kosher products for the high season to accommodate their Jewish consumers.

Liberty Police Chief Robert Mir explained that due to the large shopping district in his village, his biggest issue tends to be traffic. In order to avoid long lines at the stores, year round residents have learned to adapt by doing most of their shopping on Friday nights and Saturdays when the stores are significantly less crowded.

“We do step up our patrols to handle the traffic,” said Chief Mir in an interview with VIN News, “but our summer visitors are not a lawless group by any means. It is a well behaved influx of people.”

According to Police Chief Mir, local police departments maintain close contact with community liaisons, hatzala and camp directors, with numerous meetings held before and during the summer to keep the lines of communication open. The next meeting is scheduled for July 10th at the Monticello firehouse.

With the first Shabbos of the summer season coinciding with the always busy July 4th weekend, travelers are urged to leave plenty of extra time for their trek upstate as roads are expected to be even more crowded than usual. In addition, people are urged to wear seatbelts, restrain children under age eight in safety seats, obey speed limits and avoid talking on the phone or texting while driving.

We wish all VIN readers a health and safe summer.

Photos below people preparing their belongings in Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, NY, heading to the mountains. Credit: Eli