By: Marcia Abramson
She didn't have to change the cooking pots or the eating utensils, nor did she have to thoroughly clean the house, find and remove every bread crumb and trace of leavened food. There was no need to make the house Passover pure. All she had to do was assemble and pack the appropriate eight-day elegant resort wardrobe for the family. Today, all that remains of those two magnificent macro Sullivan County resorts are three 18-hole par 72 fairways and one 9-hole course. The Concord Resort and Golf Club at Kiamesha Lake has two of the championship courses. One is aptly called the Monster because of its wide sweeping fairways framed by trees, large contoured greens, strategically placed bunkers, lots of water hazards and local free ranging wildlife unfazed by golfers. The other one is known as the International. The Monster Club House has 42 guest rooms and facilities for meetings. The Big "G" at the Grossinger Country Club in Liberty has a par-71, 18-hole course that has hosted the New York State Open, the Head Pro Open and other major tournaments. It also has the Little "G," a nine-hole course. The fairways at both resorts are open to the public and do not require memberships. There are more than 46 professional golf courses in the Catskills Region of Sullivan, Ulster, Delaware and Greene Counties.Herb Clark of the Sullivan County Visitors Association told me the Passover tradition is still alive and well in many of the Catskills Region Resorts. The Villa Roma, the Raleigh and Kutsher's, to name a few, strictly observe "Pesach." I also learned from Peter Carofano of the Ulster County Tourism Office that the Nevele Grande Resort & Country Club (Nevele is spelled eleven backwards) was actually named by a group of 11 teachers from New York City who traveled upstate in search of the ideal summer retreat. The name stuck and is a popular golfing resort destination with a kosher and non-kosher kitchen. However, the kitchen becomes strictly kosher for Passover with the traditional Seders and religious services. The Catskills Region becomes especially intriguing to me during these difficult travel times because of its proximity to Nassau County. It is just about a two-hour drive and offers a wide diversity of year-round attractions for the family. particularly enjoy the spectacular scenery of the region's grand resorts and the luxurious pampering experience is to die for. There is nothing to compare to the superb sauna and spa services and the panoramic mountain and lake views of the world-famous Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz. If you prefer a more intimate luxurious atmosphere it is the 24-room Emerson Inn & Spa in Mount Tremper or the 20-room Copper Hood Inn & Spa in Shandaken. The New Age Health Spa in Neversink is the perfect retreat for relaxation through yoga and meditation and the holistic approach to rejuvenation. Only natural foods, rope courses and workshops on nutrition and fitness are on your agenda during your stay. Greene County's Round Top NV European Health Spa offers a program of massage treatments, mud wraps, yoga, aerobics, anti-aging techniques and alternative medicine.But there is much more to this area than the myriad types of accommodations and activities for the traveler. The history, which dates back to the early settlers of the 1700s from Holland, England, Italy, Germany, Spain and the Ukraine, is fascinating. I learned that the name "Catskill" originates from the Dutch meaning "wildcat stream" and can be attributed to the beautiful lakes and rivers of the region. Also, that the Gomez Mill House in Marlboro is the oldest surviving Jewish homestead in North America, and that Philadelphia can no longer make that claim. For cultural buffs a visit to the home of Thomas Cole, the founder of the Hudson River School of Painting is a must. He began painting the beautiful scenery in the 19th century and led the way for many other artists to glorify nature's landscapes here. Is there any literary devotee who hasn't read the famous American author Washington Irving's "Rip Van Winkle," which was written in the same time period? This nap of 40 winks or 20 years could only happen in this serene Hudson Valley, according to Dutch legend. Believe me that there is much more to this locale than the legendary "Borscht Belt" of the mid-1900s.
© Copyright by Marcia AbramsonE-mail:mascribe@aol.com for some of the delicious Grossinger recipes
