A remarkable shift is underway in western Massachusetts: the Berkshires are becoming a vibrant Jewish summer home for new generations, one that mirrors the legacy of the Catskills but with a modern, cultural twist. At its heart is the brand-new $12 million Chabad of the Berkshires in Lenox, complete with prayer spaces, mikvaot, guest rooms, and a hub for celebration and learning. 

Situated near Tanglewood, Shakespeare & Company, and leafy resort towns beloved by vacationing professionals, the Chabad center feels like the “Times Square of the Berkshires,” Rabbi Levi Volovik quips, a sign of just how central Jewish life has become here. 

Beyond religious services, cultural programs thrive: the region hosts the Berkshire Jewish Film Festival, Jewish plays at local theaters, and summer retreats by the Jewish Theological Seminary and Hebrew Union College. Jewish donors are deeply involved in funding local arts, film, and educational events. 

And while the community remains largely seasonal, there’s a growing group of young families and remote-working professionals settling here year-round. Events like “Booze & Shmooze” are helping them connect, and plans for summer camps and kosher dining underscore a vision of ongoing community growth.

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Read the full article from the original source:
JTA – The children of the Catskills generation make a new Jewish home in the Berkshires
Source: Jewish Telegraphic Agency, August 2025