Dominican Haven: The Jewish Refugee Settlement in Sosua, 1940-1945

This is the story of a small group of Jews who fleeing for their lives from Nazi persecution found a welcoming haven in the Dominican Republic. The settlers arrived amid lush tropical vegetation and could only describe this refuge as paradise. But they faced daunting problems. Middle-class urban Europeans they needed to learn a new language and acquire new skills while adjusting to a new climate and worrying about loved ones left behind in Europe. They created a Jewish community with a synagogue built a school and a thriving dairy industry working side by side with Dominicans in an atmosphere that was distinguished by its lack of Anti-Semitism.