Sosúa
Encyclopedia
Sosúa is a small town in the Puerto Plata province of the Dominican Republic
. Located approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) from the Puerto Plata International Airport (POP), the town is accessed primarily by Camino Cinco, or Highway 5, which runs much of the length of the country's North coastline. The town is divided into three sectors: El Batey, which is the main section where most tourists visit, Sosúa Abajo, and Los Charamicos.
Rafael Trujillo offered to accept up to 100,000 Jewish refugees; about 800 German
and Austria
n Jewish
refugees received visas by the Dominican government between 1940 and 1945 (see Dominican Jews) and settled in Sosua. The government provided them with land and resources with which they created a dairy and cheese factory, named Productos Sosúa, still in existence today. Descendants of the original settlers still live in Sosua, where they maintain a synagogue
and a museum.
The town was little known until tourism took off in the island in the mid 80's.
and Playa Dorada.
The Barrio of Los Charamicos is situated between El Batey and Abajo, and is a densely populated urban area known for its nightlife, dancing, and bar scene. In 1988 actor George Rose
was murdered here by his adopted son and the son's uncle.
The North Coast of the Dominican Republic has been a top tourist destination for Europeans for nearly three decades. There is a very large expatriate community in Sosua, which consists of mostly German, British, American, and Canadian expats.
Sosua Bay attracts many water sports enthusiast, including snorkelers and divers because of its sheltered, calm waters, diverse species of fish and intricate reef structures. In the winter, whale watching is also a popular tourist activity in Sosua Bay.
Recently, naturally occurring beach nourishment
has created a new beach just north of Sosua Bay, depositing sand where there were previously only sheer rock cliffs. The beach bears both the names Playa Alicia, and Playa Casa Marina because of the hotel in close proximity that bears the same name.
There are several other beaches, Sosua Beach, which is a crescent-shaped bay protected by coral formations and clear waters for divers and snorkelers. Sosua's other beaches are Waterfront (also called cul de sac), Paradise beach (actually shifts on and off every several months), Playa Imbert and Playa Chiquita. Waterfront beach is only 9 years old, created after a storm around 2002. There is also sport fishing. A very large population of expatriots share their culture and mingle with locals and foreigners.
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
. Located approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) from the Puerto Plata International Airport (POP), the town is accessed primarily by Camino Cinco, or Highway 5, which runs much of the length of the country's North coastline. The town is divided into three sectors: El Batey, which is the main section where most tourists visit, Sosúa Abajo, and Los Charamicos.
History
At the 1938 Evian ConferenceEvian Conference
The Évian Conference was convened at the initiative of US President Franklin D. Roosevelt in July 1938 to discuss the issue of increasing numbers of Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi persecution. For eight days, from July 6 to July 13, representatives from 31 countries met at Évian-les-Bains, France...
Rafael Trujillo offered to accept up to 100,000 Jewish refugees; about 800 German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n Jewish
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
refugees received visas by the Dominican government between 1940 and 1945 (see Dominican Jews) and settled in Sosua. The government provided them with land and resources with which they created a dairy and cheese factory, named Productos Sosúa, still in existence today. Descendants of the original settlers still live in Sosua, where they maintain a synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
and a museum.
The town was little known until tourism took off in the island in the mid 80's.
The town
Sosua Abajo, which translates roughly to "Lower Sosua", is located on the western side of Sosua in a valley nearby a river that flows into Sosua Bay. Mainly a rural area of Sosúa, Sosua Abajo houses many of the workers who commute to the El Batey area, nearby Cabarete BayCabarete Bay
Cabarete Bay is a bay on the northern coastline of the Dominican Republic. The bay is formed by a barrier coral reef and is a popular destination for surfers and divers. Increased development of the city of Cabarete and deforestation of upland regions has resulted in increased urban and sediment...
and Playa Dorada.
The Barrio of Los Charamicos is situated between El Batey and Abajo, and is a densely populated urban area known for its nightlife, dancing, and bar scene. In 1988 actor George Rose
George Rose (actor)
\...
was murdered here by his adopted son and the son's uncle.
The North Coast of the Dominican Republic has been a top tourist destination for Europeans for nearly three decades. There is a very large expatriate community in Sosua, which consists of mostly German, British, American, and Canadian expats.
Recently, naturally occurring beach nourishment
Beach nourishment
Beach nourishment— also referred to as beach replenishment—describes a process by which sediment lost through longshore drift or erosion is replaced from sources outside of the eroding beach...
has created a new beach just north of Sosua Bay, depositing sand where there were previously only sheer rock cliffs. The beach bears both the names Playa Alicia, and Playa Casa Marina because of the hotel in close proximity that bears the same name.
There are several other beaches, Sosua Beach, which is a crescent-shaped bay protected by coral formations and clear waters for divers and snorkelers. Sosua's other beaches are Waterfront (also called cul de sac), Paradise beach (actually shifts on and off every several months), Playa Imbert and Playa Chiquita. Waterfront beach is only 9 years old, created after a storm around 2002. There is also sport fishing. A very large population of expatriots share their culture and mingle with locals and foreigners.
External links
- Tropical Zion: General Trujillo, FDR, and the Jews of Sosúa by Allen Wells
- Sosua Villas
- Perla de Sosua Economy Vacation Rental Apartments
- Jews in Sosua
- Museum of Jewish Heritage
- History of Sosua
- Portal for Expatriates Living in Sosua
- http://www.dr-luxuryrealestate.com/sosua.html