Ambassador Of Israel Visited Sosua

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Ken

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From today's Sosua News. If you want to see a photo of the Ambassador Sos?a-News


Last Thursday morning, October 10 Bahig Masour, the Ambassador of Israel, visited Sos?a. Mayor Ilana Neumann accompanied by Lorenzo Sancassani (Director of tourism), Adolfo Faringthon (relations) and councilors ?ngela de Jes?s and Miguel Fern?ndez received the ambassador at City Hall. In the speeches that followed there were extensive talks about the special ties between Sos?a and the State of Israel. Sos?a was founded by Jewish refugees in the 40s of the last century. The ambassador said that his country wants to cooperate with the municipality of Sos?a in developing agriculture, technology and tourism. Then the group walked to the Jewish Museum and Synagogue where a tour followed.

Then it went on to the Parque Mirador where a memorial is set up in honor of the Jewish population of Sos?a. The tour then went to the park with the flags (Parque de las Banderas) where the Israeli flag waves between 12 other flags. The tour ended with a visit to Luis Hess College. Luis Hess College was founded by the Jewish community in the 40s and is named after former the former principal of this college. The ambassador spoke with several teachers and students. When the ambassador saw a group of students play volleyball he took of his jacket and joined the game as a gifted sportsman. Finally mayor Ilana Neumann reported that Sos?a will be represented in 2014 on the IMTM Fair (International Mediterranean Tourism Market) in Tel Aviv in Israel.
 
frank recktenwald

frank recktenwald

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Too bad though that many Jews who arrived didn't stay, it would have been good for the area/country.
Looking at Panama it's not just the Gringos that made the country in what it is today, the Jews by setting up the Colon Free zone contributed quite a bit to the development of it also.
Yes I'm German ;)
 
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Meems

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The story of Sosua Jews is pretty well known in the Jewish world. There was a major exhibition at the Jewish Museum in New York several years ago that generated a lot of buzz. There have been a couple of (scholarly) books, "Tropical Zion" by Allen Welles and "Domincan Haven" by Marion Kaplan. Israelis are always of the opinion that Israel is the only safe haven in the world for Jews (and they may be right) but American and European Jews usually have a passing knowledge of the Sosua experiement.

As for why the Sosua Jews didn't stay: it was just too hard for them. They weren't farmers--they were cabinetmakers and teachers and musicians--and it was just too hard. They barely had electricity for fans, let alone air conditioning. International aid that had been promised was subsumed by the needs of post WWII refugees, and family by family, as they could get visas to go to the US, they mostly all did. There was also a smaller contingent in the Capital. Some families have maintained closer ties to the DR than others, but there are no Sosua Jews who take their survival lightly and all who were saved have enormous loyalty to the DR.
 
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Gabriela

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Because both my late uncle and grandfather were administrators of the Dominican Overseas Refugee Association, I have all the historical documents for that New York State-based corporation. Only 600 Jews were brought to Sosua, largely because they were so carefully screened (almost a second selection). The New Yorkers wanted to ensure that only healthy, young people were selected and Trujillo had made it clear that he wanted men to improve the amount of white blood in the Dominican population. Jews who went to Santo Domingo before 1940 paid a $500 head tax--a huge sum in those days.
Sosua was supposed to provide a non-Zionist solution for Jews escaping Hitler, and was not very popular with Jews focussed on creating the state of Israel. The exhibits in Sosua provide only a superficial look at the history of Sosua, which had the potential to save thousands. While it is wonderful that 600 Jews were saved, the tragedy is that so many more could have been. Much of El Batey was demolished in the late 1990s and its historical documents lost. I'm glad the Israeli Ambassador has finally come to appreciate the settlement--but it's really too little, too late.
 
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Meems

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The hotel that I manage in Sosua was built by an original member of the Sosua colony, and I have a copy of his unpublished memoir of those early days. We also have a significant cache of photos showing what Sosua was like in 1940-59, and they are just amazing.
 
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Gurabo444

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Meems said:
The hotel that I manage in Sosua was built by an original member of the Sosua colony, and I have a copy of his unpublished memoir of those early days. We also have a significant cache of photos showing what Sosua was like in 1940-59, and they are just amazing.
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Could you post these pictures or the memoir? It would probably be an interesting read.
 
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PaGuyinDr

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Ken said:
From today's Sosua News. If you want to see a photo of the Ambassador Sos?a-News


Last Thursday morning, October 10 Bahig Masour, the Ambassador of Israel, visited Sos?a. Mayor Ilana Neumann accompanied by Lorenzo Sancassani (Director of tourism), Adolfo Faringthon (relations) and councilors ?ngela de Jes?s and Miguel Fern?ndez received the ambassador at City Hall. In the speeches that followed there were extensive talks about the special ties between Sos?a and the State of Israel. Sos?a was founded by Jewish refugees in the 40s of the last century. The ambassador said that his country wants to cooperate with the municipality of Sos?a in developing agriculture, technology and tourism. Then the group walked to the Jewish Museum and Synagogue where a tour followed.

Then it went on to the Parque Mirador where a memorial is set up in honor of the Jewish population of Sos?a. The tour then went to the park with the flags (Parque de las Banderas) where the Israeli flag waves between 12 other flags. The tour ended with a visit to Luis Hess College. Luis Hess College was founded by the Jewish community in the 40s and is named after former the former principal of this college. The ambassador spoke with several teachers and students. When the ambassador saw a group of students play volleyball he took of his jacket and joined the game as a gifted sportsman. Finally mayor Ilana Neumann reported that Sos?a will be represented in 2014 on the IMTM Fair (International Mediterranean Tourism Market) in Tel Aviv in Israel.
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Mazel tov!
 
S

Salsafan

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Aug 17, 2011
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A few years ago I visited Tel Aviv. Extrem beautiful girls. But the evenings were boring. I prefer Sosua.
 
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sonrisa

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The Jewish Museum and Synagogue in Sosua are well worth a visit. I've been twice and the story that is told through photos and documents is most interesting, even touching as a great story of the human spirit. There are also some interesting dynamics with the politics that went on to make Sosua a refugee location. On some afternoon, instead of going to the beach, visit the museum. You can still get to the beach in plenty of time afterwards. Also take a trip down to the new park in front of Playa Alicia and see the beautiful Star of David in the landscape architecture of the park. Very nicely done and the view of the ocean and the mountains next to Puerto Plata is equally beautiful. The new park and the Jewish Museum are two special places that make Sosua special.
 
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wrecksum

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Sep 27, 2010
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One can only imagine His Excellency's awe and wonder upon gazing on the new road markings and Willy's wonderful windows......
 
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Hkaye

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Gabriela said:
Because both my late uncle and grandfather were administrators of the Dominican Overseas Refugee Association, I have all the historical documents for that New York State-based corporation. Only 600 Jews were brought to Sosua, largely because they were so carefully screened (almost a second selection). The New Yorkers wanted to ensure that only healthy, young people were selected and Trujillo had made it clear that he wanted men to improve the amount of white blood in the Dominican population. Jews who went to Santo Domingo before 1940 paid a $500 head tax--a huge sum in those days.
Sosua was supposed to provide a non-Zionist solution for Jews escaping Hitler, and was not very popular with Jews focussed on creating the state of Israel. The exhibits in Sosua provide only a superficial look at the history of Sosua, which had the potential to save thousands. While it is wonderful that 600 Jews were saved, the tragedy is that so many more could have been. Much of El Batey was demolished in the late 1990s and its historical documents lost. I'm glad the Israeli Ambassador has finally come to appreciate the settlement--but it's really too little, too late.
Click to expand...

My husband's uncle was one of the original settlers. Check out www.forgivingmaximorothman to learn more. Thank you
 
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