History of Klein’s Hillside – Camp Gan Yisrael, Parksville
by Shmully Blesofsky
This article contains new information and previously unpublished photographs. I’ve included extensive details about the families involved so that future researchers can benefit from this material. Thank you for all the positive feedback about articles like this.
Samuel & Yetta Grossman – (1904-1907)
On January 15, 1904, The Republican Watchman, a Sullivan County newspaper, reported a dramatic incident in Parksville, New York. Andrew Haley, a disabled traveler who relied on crutches, nearly froze to death during a brutally cold winter morning, with temperatures dropping to 20 degrees below zero. While adjusting the sleigh behind his horse-drawn cutter, the horse moved forward, leaving Haley stranded in the snow without his crutches. Immobilized and exposed to the elements, his life was in grave danger—until Chandler Grant, a local resident, found him and brought him to the home of Samuel Grossman, one of Parksville’s earliest Jewish residents. Grossman offered him care and shelter, likely saving his life.
This would later become the location of Camp Gan Yisroel, New York.
On this very property—and with this act of kindness—began the history of what would become the first overnight camp of its kind.
Jewish settlement in Parksville began in the early 1900s. The Jewish Agricultural Society, founded in 1900, helped Jews obtain low-interest loans and acquire land in upstate New York for the purpose of self-sustainability. By 1907, the growing Jewish community in Parksville had already established a synagogue and a cemetery. During the summer, boarding houses and hotels were advertised regularly.
The area’s development was supported by a nearby train stop, which made Parksville easily accessible from New York City. What began as a few modest Jewish boarding houses expanded into a thriving resort destination. At its peak, Parksville was home to over 100 hotels and guesthouses, most catering to a Yiddish-speaking, kosher-observant Jewish clientele.
According to the 1918 American Jewish Year Book, Parksville had a year-round Jewish population of 425.
The Grossman Family
One of the earliest Jewish immigrant families in Parksville was the Grossman family, led by Shmaryahu or Shmuel “Sam” Grossman (1878–1923), who came to America from Austria in 1894. Sam was a turbulent yet resilient figure who, despite personal and business tragedies, never stopped working and building. Over the course of his life, he ran a bakery, a casino, and a hotel.
In their early years in Parksville, Sam and his wife Yetta Grossman owned a farm and a boarding house where they rented rooms to guests. Yetta Grossman (1875–1908) held the deed to the property.
Not much is known about Yetta, who died of cancer at a young age in 1908. One can imagine that immigrating from Europe and settling in a rural town like Parksville—with Sam’s often difficult lifestyle—posed significant challenges. She and Sam had three children, but tragically, two of them died from rheumatic fever.
The Shedlitz Pogrom and Fundraiser
From Di Vahrhayt, September 16, 1906: Shedlitz (Siedlce), a city in Poland that was 50% Jewish, was under Russian rule in 1906 when a devastating pogrom broke out. A 1906 fundraiser known as the “Shedlitzer Fund” was launched in response to this tragedy. Sam Grossman donated 50 cents—a notable act of charity at the time. The total amount raised was $12.40, equivalent to about $420 today.
In 1907 Yetta Grossman sold the boarding house to Lena and Louis Klein which was the beginning of Klein’s Hillside story.
1908–1933: Grossman Family, Tragedy & Resilience
Not much is written about the early history of Parksville, so let’s trace what became of the Grossman family after selling the boarding house:
Although they sold the house & farm, the Grossmans remained in Parksville. Tragedy continued to strike the family. In 1908, Sam’s bakery in Liberty, NY, was damaged by fire. That same year, his wife Yetta died, and he had already lost two children to scarlet fever.
In 1913, Grossman’s Parksville casino burned down. By 1917, he also closed a saloon he operated.
Despite these hardships, Grossman was a proud and resilient man. He remarried a woman named Rebecca (Beckie), with whom he had five more children: Hyman, Harry, Aron, Leon, and Isidore. He also acquired the Sherwood Hotel, a long-standing landmark in Parksville.
His son Hyman Grossman attended the local (non-Jewish) one room Parksville school. In 1919, a publicized incident occurred where a school principal struck Hyman for vandalizing school property , leading to a fine for assault. By then, newspapers referred to Sam Grossman as a “prosperous businessman.” Hyman Grossman later became an attention in Liberty.
Grossman, who spoke Yiddish, insisted on making Kiddush with wine on Shabbos, even during Prohibition. In 1919, he was arrested for possessing liquor, which he claimed was “medicine for the Jewish holidays.” Fined in court, he famously remarked, “I’m only upset I lost my medicine!”
Sam Grossman passed away in 1923 at the age of 46, leaving behind six children who eventually lived across Sullivan County.
In 1940, the Grossman family was still living in Parksville, with 51-year-old Becky Grossman listed as the head of household. She worked as a manager at a bar and grill. Living with her were five of her sons: Hymie (30), who worked as a bartender at the same bar and grill; Harry (27), a lawyer at a law office; Aaron (25), a salesman in the rubber tire industry; Irving (23), a newspaper salesman; and Leon Ab (21), who also worked as a bartender. Their occupations, along with their continued presence in Parksville, suggest the family played an active role in the Catskills’ Jewish resort economy, likely contributing to one of the local establishments that served summer visitors from New York City and beyond.
If you ever had your car repaired at Grossman Automotive on the way to Klein’s Hillside—or later on visiting day at Camp Gan Yisroel New York—that was a descendant of Sam Grossman.
Graves of Sam “Shmaryahu” or Shmuel Grossman (1878–1923) is buried in Parksville, New York, where he operated a boarding house that later became Klein’s Hillside. His first wife, Yetta “Yenta” Grossman (1875–1908), was the original deedholder of the property and played a foundational role in establishing the family’s presence in Sullivan County before her untimely death. After her passing, Sam married Beckie Rivka (Buitbartz) (1882–1967), who became the mother of five of his children and continued to manage the household and business after his death, remembered as the family’s matriarch and a key figure in their enduring legacy.
Klein Family – (1907-1949)
Lena Moskovitz & Louis Klein
Louis Klein’s Hebrew name was Leiser or Yehuda Leib. He was born in Russia in 1872 and immigrated to America in 1890. Five years later, he married Lena Moskovitz, whose name also appears as Lina, Linnie, and in Hebrew, Lea. Lena was born in 1867 in Russia and also arrived in America in 1890. She was five years older than Louis and seemed to take on a leadership role in the family. Lena’s father was Yaakov Moskovitz, and her mother’s maiden name was Kovinsky. She had a younger sister named Dinah (Dinkeh), 1869 -1945.
The couple lived at 82 Chrystie Street on the Lower East Side. Louis worked as a tailor and also at a butcher shop at 89 Chrystie Street. They had four children:
– Ida (1896–1958)
– Nathan “Nachman” (1899–1983), named after Louis’s father
– Yetta “Yachneh” (1901–1920)
– Hyman “Chaim” (1903–1959)
In addition to their children, the household included two boarders and Louis Klein’s sister Fannie Klein “Faigah” possibly. This was typical of immigrant families living on the Lower East Side at the time.
Move to Parksville
The family moved to Parksville, where they purchased a farm and boarding house from Samuel and Yetta Grossman. The deed listed Lena’s name spelled “Lena Klain” as the main signature, with Louis Klein as the second. Louis would identify himself as a farmer in the census.
Louis’s sister Fannie (Faiga) also moved with them to Parksville, but soon after disappears from any records—possibly because she got married and moved away.
On January 2, 1907, Jette and Samuel Grossman sold the boarding house property to Lena Klain (Klein) for $4,525, with an annual interest rate of 5.5%. The first payment of $225 plus interest was due on September 1, 1907.
While the Grossmans ran a boarding house, the Kleins transformed the modest boarding house and advertised it as “one of the best known resorts” in the area.
Many of their guests were Yiddish-speaking Jews from New York City. To book a room, one had to stop by Louis’s butcher shop at 79 Chrystie Street on the Lower East Side. Later advertisements to get a room you would need to write in two days in advance.
The Hebrew Standard, June 1907: first advertisement for Klein’s Hillside. Most of his patrons were Yiddish speakers who lived in New York City. To book a room back then, you would need to stop by the butcher shop where he worked at 79 Christie St on the Lower East Side. (Yiddish: Strictly Kosher)
Forverts, June 1907: “One of the nicest places in Parksville. Strictly kosher. Plenty of milk, butter, eggs, and milk from our own farm. Our place has a good name. For rooms, inquire with Louis Klein.
In 1910, the Kleins purchased 50 additional acres, in the town of Liberty. There may have been a foreclosure notice related to that parcel, which still requires follow-up.
By 1913, their son Nathan dropped out of eighth grade to help run the hotel full-time. In the 1915 census, the Klein family was living full-time at Klein’s Hillside. The household included: Louis and Lena. Their children: Ida (18), Yetta (16), Nathan (15), and Hyman (12). Dora Moskovitz, Lena’s aunt, age 40. Mary Schuska, a 22-year-old servant who had been in the U.S. for three years. Michael Afanashia, a 29-year-old laborer who had arrived in the U.S. four years earlier
Names Over Time
The property would eventually be known by several names over the years, including:
– The High Hillside Farm house
– Hillside Inn
– Klein’s Hillside Inn
– Klein’s Hillside Casino
– Klein’s Farm (possibly)
– And eventually, just Klein’s Hillside
Farm Almanac and Buyers Guide, 1917 The High Hillside Farm House is well known as a summer resort that pleases its guests even more than expected. Large kitchen, airy rooms, open plumbing, gas, hot and cold beds. Shade trees around the house. First class in every respect. Come, get to know us. Write 2 days in advance, we will expect you
Ida Klein
In 1919, Ida Klein, the eldest child, married Isadore Sarinsky and settled in Marlboro, NY.
Yetta -Yachne- “Yettie” Klein – (1901-1920)
Tragedy struck and Yetta Klein was 19 years old; the 2nd child passed away on March 28, 1920. Yetta Klein’s Hebrew name was Yachne and she was affectionately called Yettie as a baby. Her parents buried her in Washington Cemetery In Brooklyn. They lovingly wrote on her gravestone: יאנח ויבכה כל גבר על המות המוטל פה בקבר עלמה רבה צעירה ועדינה כבת תשע עשרה שנה – A lament and bitter cry shall every man utter For this young woman who is buried here For she departed in the prime of her youth and beauty. Unconfirmed that the death was a result of the pandemic in 1920.
Louis Klein – (1872–1922)
In 1922, Louis Klein passed away at the young age of 51 and was buried in Washington Cemetery in Brooklyn, next to his daughter. He was an immigrant, a husband, and a father. Louis began his life in America working as a tailor on the Lower East Side, later becoming a butcher on Chrystie Street, and eventually settling in Parksville, New York, where he became a farmer and helped establish one of the early Jewish guesthouses in the Catskills.
Born in Russia in 1872, Louis immigrated to the United States in 1890, part of a wave of Eastern European Jews seeking safety and opportunity amid rising antisemitism in the Russian Empire. He married Lena (Lea) Moscovitz around 1895.
Though his formal education was limited, Louis was known to be hard-working and quietly ambitious, adapting to multiple trades to support his growing family. He laid the groundwork for what would later become Klein’s Hillside, a well-known Jewish hotel that served generations of summer visitors to Sullivan County.
Despite dying young, Louis Klein’s transition from urban tradesman to rural pioneer reflects the resilience and adaptability of Jewish immigrants in early 20th-century America.
Louis’s legacy lived on through his children, especially his son Nathan, who continued the hotel operation.
In 1922, the same year Louis Klein passed away, a brand new building was completed on the property—equipped with modern plumbing and amenities. That structure, still standing today as the dining room with the moose heads, marked a turning point in the family business. No longer just a working farm, the property officially transitioned into an inn. Later advertisements proudly noted that it was open year-round, signaling its evolution into a full-fledged hospitality destination
Yiddish Newspaper, 1922: “Magnificent modern hotel now finished, with all modern storm facilities, ice and cold water exclusively in each room, shower beds. Sanitary plumbing. Minutes from the station. All kinds of amusements. Bathing, playroom, 2000-foot elevation, strictly kosher. Cooked haimish and delicious.”
Building referred to above. Just under the center window is a sign “Klein’s Hillside”
Brooklyn Daily Eagle, July 1922: In the 1920s, the activities were run out of a space called The Casino, and the main attraction may have been the dance competition where you could win a silver loving (“becher”) cup. Casino was a word for an entertainment venue not an actual casino.
Wedding of Gertrude Weiner and Nathan Klein October 21, 1923: “at home” at The Hillside Inn Parksville, New York
New Ventures by the Klein Family
In the late 1920s, the Klein brothers—Nathan Klein and Hyman Klein—expanded their business interests beyond hospitality in Parksville, New York, into regional finance and transportation.
In 1927, they helped launch the Purple Swan Motor Coach Co., Inc., a transportation company based in Liberty, NY. Nathan Klein served as Vice President and Hyman Klein as Secretary-Treasurer. Both were also listed as directors, along with Samuel J. Laskey and Raymond Masten. This venture complemented their hotel operation by providing transportation to and from the Catskills, likely serving both guests and locals.
By 1929, they were prominently involved in the Peerless Discount Corporation, another Sullivan County enterprise. Nathan Klein is listed as President, and Hyman Klein as a Director and Treasurer. Peerless issued its first public stock offering in 1929, with 1,000 shares of 7% cumulative preferred stock and 333 shares of common stock. Its primary business was financing automobile purchases on the installment plan, reflecting the economic expansion and consumer credit boom of the time.
Klein’s Hillside Inn Circa 1931 Yiddish Newspaper: The first building of the hotel featured a wraparound porch where guests could sit and watch the cars passing by on the old Route 17 main highway. This building is now the side entrance to the dining room. Above the second floor windows is a sign that says ‘Klein’s Hillside’. They later built into the wraparound porch when the Fishman’s expanded the hotel.
High Hillside Farm House Circa Today The original inn now sits behind the main building. They put up walls and extended the dining room into the wraparound porch.
Bird’s-eye view of the camp today. For context, the location of the original inn before all the additions.
Circa 1930 — This is the earliest known photo of Gan Yisroel New York, formerly Klein’s Hillside, in Parksville, NY. Pictured is Lawrence Klein, son of Nathan Klein, as a young boy. The building shown is the original structure used for the boarding house, prior to the construction of the main hotel building that would come later. This image offers a rare glimpse into the early days of the property’s transformation from a simple farmhouse into a full-fledged Catskills resort.Picture taken standing at the canteen.
Circa 1930 — A young Lawrence Klein stands at Klein’s Hillside in Parksville, NY. At this stage, the resort was still in its early development. The building on the left, seen in the background, would later become the staff dining room. Today, that structure — along with the one on the right — is connected by the newer main building, which also links to the Beth. This photo captures a formative moment in the evolution of the property that would eventually become part of Camp Gan Yisroel New York. Picture taken standing at the canteen.
Circa 1930 — A young Lawrence Klein stands at with his mother Gertrue Klein’s Hillside in Parksville, NY. At this stage, the resort was still in its early development. The building on the left, seen in the background, would later become the staff dining room. Today, that structure — along with the one on the right — is connected by the newer main building, which also links to the Beth. This photo captures a formative moment in the evolution of the property that would eventually become part of Camp Gan Yisroel New York. Picture taken standing at the canteen.
The Forward, May 1931: By now they had renamed it Klein’s Hillside Inn. “Outstanding result over twenty-five years. -Satisfied guests- modern building in an excellent location. All sport utilities. Dietary laws observed.”
Lena “Lea” Moscovitz Klein (1867–1942)
Founder of Klein’s Hillside, Parksville, NY · Early Jewish Hotelier
Born in 1867 in Russia, Lena Klein (Lea bas Reb Yaakov) immigrated to the U.S. in 1890 and married Louis Klein around 1895. She was the daughter of Yaakov Moscovitz and a mother from the Kovinsky family, and was five years older than her husband—emerging early on as the family’s matriarch.
In 1907, Lena and Louis purchased a boarding house from Samuel and Yetta Grossman in Parksville, New York. The deed, signed first in Lena’s name, reflects her central role in establishing Klein’s Hillside Inn. She managed the hotel’s daily operations and endured the hardships of its early years, including a period so lean that the family reportedly lived on beans.
Her sister Dinah (“Dinkeh”) ran a candy and soda concession on the hotel grounds, while sons Nathan and Hyman later assumed leadership roles. At her passing in 1942, Lena left an estate of $50,000. Her sons inherited the hotel, her daughter Ida Sarinsky received $6,000, and Dinah was granted lifelong rights to operate the concession stand. In tribute to her, Nathan and Hyman donated $3,000 to a local hospital to establish a room in her honor.
Nathan “Nachman” Klein (1899–1983)
The Man of the Farm and Hotel · Photographer · Gardener · Philatelist
Nathan and Gertrude Klein. His fathers (Louis Klein’s) name was written here as Yehuda Leib.
Nathan Klein, born Nachman Klein on Friday, December 1, 1899, in Manhattan, New York, was the eldest son of Louis (Yehuda Leib) and Lena (Lea Moscovitz) Klein. His Hebrew name, Nachman, honored his paternal grandfather Nachman Klein, Louis Klein.. The family lived at 82 Chrystie Street on the Lower East Side at the time of his birth.
Nathan dropped out of the eighth grade to help run the family boarding house in Parksville, New York. According to family lore, he left the one-room schoolhouse to “be the man of the farm,” a role of responsibility shared by few his age. It’s likely he attended the same rural school as the children of Sam Grossman, another pioneering Jewish hotelier in Parksville.
As he matured, Nathan took on full management of Klein’s Hillside, overseeing hotel operations. He likely supervised kitchen staff, arranged repairs and carpentry, managed guest relations, and coordinated with outside contractors. His practical know-how and steady hand became foundational to the inn’s success. In 1923 Nathan Married Gertrude Gurtie Weiner. They had a son Lawrence born in 1929.
Outside his managerial role, Nathan was a skilled amateur photographer. He maintained his own darkroom and is believed to have offered photography services to guests—a serious undertaking in an era when photography was technically demanding. Some of his work may still survive.
He was also an avid gardener and arborist. Each spring, he pored over seed catalogs and cultivated enough produce to feed multiple families. He grafted fruit trees and took pride in his crops. His nephew, Lou Sarinsky, fondly recalled family visits to Marlboro, NY, bonding with Nathan over gardening.
Nathan also founded the Catskill Stamp Company, reflecting his lifelong interest in philately. He built a wide network of mail correspondents through stamp trading—one exchange even involved a scientist working on DDT, who offered to send him a supply to help control pests in the hotel kitchen.
Nathan Klein passed away in Liberty, New York, in 1983. His blend of dedication, ingenuity, and quiet leadership left a lasting imprint on Klein’s Hillside and the generations that followed.
Hyman Klein – (1903-1959)
Based on family recollections and historical documentation
The youngest of all the brothers born in 1903 in New York City on 82 Chrystie Street Hyman Hymie Klein, hebrew name Chaim. Often remembered as a large man with a fondness for cigars and auctions, played a supporting but colorful role at Klein’s Hillside. According to census records, he was listed as an assistant manager of the hotel. Beyond that, he had varied business interests, including involvement with a local bus company and stock trading (further documentation pending). Known for his entrepreneurial curiosity, Hymie once purchased a defunct ice cream factory and a transportation business at auction.
In the 1950s, Hymie served as the informal activities director at Klein’s Bungalow Colony, organizing events such as dance contests and recreational programming. His wife, Freida Klein, helped out by distributing mail and making announcements over the outdoor loudspeaker system. The two were a familiar and beloved presence at the colony.
Hymie died unexpectedly in December 1959 at the age of 56 , presumably of a heart attack. His legacy includes a family reputation for loving auctions and business ventures.
A New Era and Enduring Legacy
In 1949, the Klein family sold the bulk of the property to Ben Fishman for $200,000, ushering in a new era for the site. After the sale, the Kleins retained the adjacent bungalow colony and built homes for themselves nearby.
The descendants of the Klein family remain deeply proud of what their great-grandparents built. They have enthusiastically contributed to preserving the memory and history of Klein’s Hillside.
Daily News 1939: Announcing the construction of a health pavilion. Unknown which building this is today, but assuming it’s where the canteen is today.
Walter Gold Circa late 1940s (Rare Picture) standing in front of the original building. This picture marks the end of the Klein family era just before the Fishman’s purchased the inn and ushered in an era of building expansion and innovation creating the much loved Klein’s Hillside Hotel.
Liberty Register, Thursday, October 26th, 1967
Fishman Era – 1949-1967
Fishman Family
Ben Fishman began managing the hotel in 1932 and purchased Klein’s Hillside in the late 1940s. The Klein family then moved on to establish Klein’s Bungalow Colony in Kiamesha. While they retained the name, the Fishmans ushered in a new era of development and innovation at Klein’s Hillside. The Fishmans constructed much of what the camp is today, including the main building, the Besht, the infirmary, the basketball court, the Debra, the Shul, and the Beth.
Ben Fishman, born in 1895, emigrated from Russia alone before bringing his family over and entering the restaurant business. He was involved in the restaurant unions and served as a head waiter at a famous restaurant. His expertise allowed him to hire top chefs and bakers for Klein’s Hillside. Ben Fishman was a kindhearted, warm and passionate man and known as a deep thinker, and open-minded individual. Ben Fishman passed away in 1979 at the age of 85. Fred Wolfson recalls, “Before we drove back to Brooklyn Ben Fishman would give us bags of rolls and danishes for the trip.” During the year Ben Fishman lived in the Bronx. Ben’s brother, Morris Fishman and his wife Sophie, were also known for their kindness. They owned the canteen.
Jerry Fishman
Jerald ‘Jerry’ Fishman, the eldest son, was exceptionally bright, very funny, and warm. He attended college at the age of 16. Gifted and intuitive, Jerry made friends with everyone he met and was well-loved by all. Jerry grew up going to Klein’s Hillside, worked as a waiter, and then eventually became camp director.
Ben had another son, Ron, who had a daughter named Beth. The Beth building was named in her honor. Jerry had two daughters, Debra and Susan, who both had buildings named in their honor. During the year Jerry Fishman lived in Bayside Queens.
Ben Fishman was also a sports fanatic and Klein’s Hillside was the first hotel to host sporting events. “Rumor has it that guests at the Hillside come first for basketball and then for their food and other pleasures,” writes Haskel Cohen in The National Jewish Post. Jerry Gold who was there in the 50s and 60s explains that this was linked to the payola scandal where players were paid to throw games.
Overview of the building names: The Terrace Cottage is now The Baal Shem Tov, The Susan Cottage is now The Infirmary, The New Yorker became Eric’s House, and the Playhouse is The Shul. The Debra and the Susan were named after Jerry Fishman’s children Debra and Susan, and The Beth was named after the daughter of Jerry’s brother Ronnie Fishman.
Bird’s-eye view of Klein’s Hillside Circa 1950s: Before The Debra was built, there was a tennis court. This picture was taken before the main building was remodeled and The Playhouse (The Shul) had several structures. The New Yorker (Eric’s house) was originally a much taller cluster of buildings. You’ll also notice the uniformity in the design of all the buildings painted with gray roofs. Bottom right corner of the picture you can see the horse stable across the street.
Bird’s-eye view of Klein’s Hillside circa early 1960s: This picture was taken after they built the Debra but before they built the Beth. On the far left of the picture on the bottom is the home of the owner Jerry Fishman built by his father Ben Fishman. Across the street and the bottom right of the picture would be a gate for horses.
Bird’s-eye view of Klein’s Hillside, 1965: By then the Debra and Beth were built and the main building and The Playhouse were remodeled. The yellow house on the bottom was built by Ben Fishman for his family. Aside from The New Yorker, this is how the camp looks today.
Main building. Built just around 1950 the first hotel extension became known as the main building which is how it’s referred to until today. Guests could drive up, unload, and park their cars. Postcards was a way Ben Fishman was innovative in advertising his hotel.
Klein’s Hillside Main building Circa 1950s. As soon as he purchased the inn Ben Fishman built a new building ushering in the new hotel era at Klein’s Hillside. Proud of his first new addition he printed postcards showing off the new building and advertising the hotel’s new look.
The main building today. Built in 1949 the main building was remodeled several years later with a modern open glass view in the front windows. It has remained untouched since.
The main building circa 1954. Facebook Catskill Memories. The Newler family stands in front of the original main building.
Postcard 1960 picture of the main building front lobby after its remodeling with a big modern open look. This is where guests checked into the hotel.
Postcard depicting the Ronday Room. It may have been named Ron-day for Ronnie Fishman, Jerry’s younger brother. This is in the basement of the main building, directly under the lobby, one floor down. It was used for late-night shows with jokes not suitable for children (although they would sneak in sometimes). Camp used it as a banquet hall for several years.
‘Klein’s Hillside Athletic Field
Klein’s Hillside Athletic Field circa 1960. Note the bleachers.
Ben Fishman built a professional basketball court on top of the hill with bleachers to watch the much-anticipated games. Other hotels quickly caught on to this trend and many hosted their own sports teams. Klein’s Hillside, however, became a formidable team, “kings of the mountains,” that even some non-Jewish hotel teams refused to play against. These summer games at Klein’s Hillside in the 1950s were spoken about for years.
In those days, professional basketball players were not paid like they are today, so many of them would take summer jobs. The basketball players worked as wait staff and, much like today, they would get paid with tips. Imagine Michael Jordan (#1995) being your waiter. When the salary for professional basketball players went up, they no longer needed summer jobs, and the sports teams dissolved.
The basketball Court Circa Today built by Ben Fishman and remains the same except for Camp Gan Israel repainted over Klein’s Hillside.
Klein’s Hillside Athletic Field circa 1950s. Fred Wolfson Wolfson with his father playing ping pong. (Full circle: Fred Wolfson’s grandchildren are now campers in Gan Yisroel).
The Playhouse
As with most Borscht Belt hotels the small casino style entertainment led the the bigger facility known as a Playhouse which catered to their upwardly mobile jewish clientele. The Playhouse was central to the resort’s social life, hosting shows, dances, and other fun events. In the late 1950s, the building had been remodeled to include modern amenities and a large, polished hardwood dance floor. The Coffee Shop (canteen) was adjacent to the playhouse. Legend has it that the couches in the canteen have never been updated since its inception.
Postcard depicting the original building of the Playhouse pre remodeling. Today the Playhouse is the same building as the shul.
The Playhouse Circa Today. After remodeling this is how the Playhouse looked, and it is now the camp Shul. Notice the original cement pathways laid down by the hotel’s owners and are still used by the campers to get to learning class, on time.
Inside the Playhouse Circa 1959. The shul has the same set up today except for the wooden benches.
Circa 1973. Reportedly the camp still used the chairs for another 20 years. Notice the blue wooden awning still there from the Klein’s Hillside era.
Another angle of the Playhouse (pre remodeling) depicted in a postcard issued by Klein’s Hillside.
The Shul Circa Today. The playhouse was remodeled and expanded in the late 1950s to what it looks like today. The canteen on the right was called the Coffee Shop, where they would sell food to people coming out of the late-night shows across from the Ronday Room. For many years the Tumbler (MC in Yiddish) was Freddy Owens. The coffee shop closed anytime between 11 PM and 2 AM. Coffee was 10 cents, and the food was “technically” kosher.
The Debra
In the late 1950s, Jerry Fishman invested in his popular hotel by constructing a new luxury building at Klein’s Hillside. This was the first brick structure on the property with air conditioning and featured two floors of carpeted double hotel rooms with high ceilings. Lovingly named after his youngest daughter, Devora, who was born in 1955, The Debra became the crown jewel of Klein’s Hillside, offering the most luxurious and expensive rooms in the hotel. The ‘Deluxe Debra’ held the it’s crown status until the Beth was built.
Circa the early 1950s, before the construction of the Debra, the family had already built the Terrace and the Susan. There was a tennis court to the right of The Susan (the Infirmary), where they later constructed the Debra.
Postcard depicting the Debra built in the late 1950s it was the newest most luxurious building at Klein’s Hillside. Debra Fishman from The Debra is now Debra Philips who lives in Queens with her husband Mark and was delighted to hear that the building is still called in her name.
The Debra Circa 1959.
The Debra Circa Today.
Circa early 1950s. The Wolfson Family in front of The Susan Cottage.
The Beth
The Beth Circa Today
In 1964, anticipating the legalization of gambling, the hotel invested heavily in a state-of-the-art, three-story building with an indoor swimming pool and steam rooms. At a cost of $325,000 and designed to compete with larger resorts like Kutchers and Grossingers, this addition became the crown jewel of Klein’s Hillside. It featured the most expensive rooms at the resort and aimed to usher in the next phase of the Borscht Belt, which would include legalized gambling.
The Liberty Register, December 3rd, 1964
Klein’s Hillside had evolved significantly over the years, transitioning from room houses to a small inn, adding casino entertainment, building a bigger playhouses, horse back riding, and finally establishing nightclubs. Legalized gambling was seen as the next chapter in this progression.
Brand new indoor swimming pool in the Beth. Looking at this picture I still smell chlorine and suddenly feel fearful of a well known bal tzedakah living in Florida named Reb Tzvi Bogomilsky.
However, the legalization effort was rejected, leaving Jerry Fishman financially overextended. “We’re going to have the largest mortgage in the mountains,” Fishman told a New York Times reporter, highlighting the financial strain caused by the failed gamble on gambling legalization.
Hotel Advertisements Circa 1962. Rooms were allocated based on affordability hierarchy. Beth was the top tier, followed by Debra as the next highest. Susan Cottage and Saint George were higher tier but not as exclusive as Beth or Debra. Rooms in the main building were middle tier, while the New Yorker was considered a lower-level option. The term “Adjoining Buildings” is unclear which building it is referencing.
Yossel The caretaker
Before there was Eric there was Yossel the caretaker. The Fishman’s hired a family friend named Yossel who in the winter wore a long wool overcoat and spoke mostly Yiddish. He managed the Klein’s Hillside property.
Memories of Yossel The Caretaker:
“My only memory of Yossel is he was the caretaker, an old man who mostly spoke yiddish. I don’t know his last name, I wish I could tell you more. The few times I saw him was during the off season,
I was in the big old kitchen of the New Yorker (Eric’s house) and he would come in from the cold hunched over in his long wool over coat and my grandma would tell him to sit down for a nice hot cup of coffee (probably a glass of coffee!) and something to eat. As I mentioned to you on the phone my grandma (Anna Fishman) was an amazing cook, everything she made was delicious, even the simplest things like a cup of coffee and scrambled eggs and onions…and her stuffed cabbage, to die for!”
-Debra from The Debra
“I am wondering if he was the guy who peeled potatoes at Klein’s. He was basically below the kitchen and was in charge of the storeroom. I served him at the staff waiter but he never spoke just did his thing in the basement…. Yes it was the coat that got me thinking about him. Even in summer he wore like a coat or sweater.
It started out that Ben ran the kitchen, Jerry the front office and Ron was the maintenance man. Ben had the heart attack in 1964 and Ron took over running the kitchen. My roommate Ron Auerbach was being trained to do maintenance that summer but he enlisted in 1966 so someone else (Eric) did it and that person may have started with Camp Gan in the beginning years.”
–Jerry Gold
The Beth, Circa 1970. Renamed after being purchased by Gan Yisroel. Left to right: on the right is Rabbi Aaron Blesofsky, Camp Gan Yisroel’s first general manager, who despite instructions from Issac Mintz to do otherwise, stayed at the Beth all summer long, and to the left is Rabbi Yehuda Hakohen Blesofsky, the camp chef, which according to some historians was a lot scarier than Shoime Futerfas.
The Beth Circa 1972
Siberia
Bird’s-Eye View of Siberia, Circa Today. At the other end of the hotel is an area known as Turkey. Originally consisting of three buildings, one was later torn down. Once considered the cheaper far off affordable part of the hotel, it eventually became the staff quarters, with one building for men and another for women. Reportedly, this was pre 1965.
The Belmont Circa today. The camp never named the buildings in Turkey. Perhaps someone in camp can start a really useless campaign to reinstate this building as it was originally called.
The Saint George Circa Today. In the background is the Belmont. The Saint George was connected to an adjacent building called the Ritz via a walkway. The Ritz was later torn down.
In 1969 Camp Gan Yisroel was looking for new grounds. The previous year camp location required crossing a road to get to the pool, which the Rebbe disapproved of. When the Klein’s Hillside property became available, a small group of Hasidic upstarts who survived communism during WWII, led by Avremul Shemtov, purchased the property, and Camp Gan Yisroel Parksville, New York, was born.
The camp inherited a gorgeous full functioning property with everything intact. The maintenance man the first year told me that all the keys to all the rooms are perfectly in order.
Due to its budget constraints in its early years, not much was altered. As time went on, Camp was able to build bunks on the way up the hill, and in 1996, built a brand new outdoor pool. If my memory serves me correctly, I recall that year R’ Yochanan Brook was the camp general manager, but would moonlight as a personal assistant to Mrs. Lipsker.
THE LIBERTY REGISTER, October 26, 1967 Foreclosure notice for Klein’s Hillside.
Conclusion
Klein’s Hillside stands as a testament to the resilience and ingenuity of Jewish immigrants in America. From its humble beginnings as Yetta Grossman’s farm & boarding house, the Lena Klein’s High Hillside Farm House, to its peak as a vibrant hub in the Borscht Belt, the hotel served as both a sanctuary for Jewish families and a vital thread in the cultural and social fabric of upstate New York.
Today, its legacy lives on — the buildings and memories continue to evoke deep nostalgia and pride among those who spent their formative years at Klein’s Hillside Hotel. The property now known as Camp Gan Yisroel New York serves as a source of electric recollections and untethered nostalgia for those who live in Brooklyn and in countries across the globe – boys who, having once called Parksville their summer home, now help shape the world through the thousands of Chabad centers they’ve built, spreading Yiddishkeit and Jewish pride nation by nation.
Copyright (c) Shmully Blesofsky all right reserved.
Sblesof@gmail.com for permission
Thank you very much to Dr. Wayne Klein, Allan Kushner, Fred Wolfson, Debra Fishman-Philips, and especially Jerry Gold for your contributions to the article.
