Religious/Social Events

Like other Jewish communities, Sosúa’s settlers observed all High Holidays and Jewish celebrations such as Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Passover, Sukkot, and Purim. Despite the religious homogeneity of Sosúa, the settlers did not isolate themselves from Dominican culture. Among the most prominent celebrations were the Dominican Independence Day and the secular New Year. In addition, prior to the assassination of the dictator Rafael L. Trujillo in 1961, the settlers’ presence was required for mass meetings held in his honor. Even most weddings were secular, as Sosúa settlers and their children often married Dominican natives.

Photo Gallery

: Bar Mitzvah: Peter Papernik. Richard Wolf(left) and Moses Arnoldi(right) leading the ceremony

: Bar Mitzvah of Gilad Neumann – Lothar Wolf

: Bar Mitzvah of Gilad Neumann

: Bar Mitzvah of Leo Wachsmann

: Bar Mitzvah of Leo Wachsmann

: Bar Mitzvah of Cecil Hess

: Bar Mitzvah of Cecil Hess

: Bar Mitzvah of Cecil Hess

: Bar Mitzvah of Bernhard Wellisch: Kurt Wellisch, Moses Arnoldi, Manfred Codik

: Bar Mitzvah of Abel Wachsmann – Manfred Neumann, Moses Arnoldi

: Wedding: Ana Julia & Luis Hess

: Wedding: Rosa Reyes and Martin Katz

: Wedding: Scott Kruse and Ruth Cohnen

: Wedding: Herman Strauss & Heidi Milz

: Wedding: Abel Wachsmann & Heddy Fleischmann

: Wedding: Goldstein wedding in Synagogue

: Wedding: Goldstein – June 1945

: Wedding: Margot Codik and VittorioLabi

: Wedding: Margot Codik and Vittorio Labi

: Wedding- Luz Mena and Horst Wagner

: Moses Arnoldi blowing the Shofar

: At the Synagogue: Front row – Joe and Dolly Benjamin; Back Row – Freddy Rothenberg, Heidi Milz, Fritz Rosenzweig, Denny Herzberg

: Purim – Egon Schwarz taking pictures of the Neumann children

: Purim celebration

: Shabbat at the Schwarz’s home

: Shabbat service in the synagogue – Rabbi Moses Arnoldi

: Sign: “Sosúa always with Trujillo”

: New Year party: Front row – Alice Strauss, Hilde Schwarz, Ruth Meyerstein, Frida Rothenberg, Dolly Benjamin; Back row – Richard Strauss, Egon Schwarz,Solomon Echt, Erich Rothenberg, Erich Benjamin

: Political events: Military band from Puerto Plata performing in Sosúa

: School children with Mr. Suero (school teacher) marching on Independence Day

: Political events: Freddy Milz, Cecil Hess, Luis Wachsmann – Independence Day celebrations

: Political events: Trujillo mass meeting. Location is between Colmado Sosúa and the entrance to the Park.

: Gathering at a party – From left Joshi Milz, Walter and Else Biller, Bertha Milz, Trude Buck, Alfred and Hanna Rosenzweig, Sigi Buck, Werner Meyerstein, Lothar Wolf