Chabad Opens on the Dominican Republic’s North Coast

In the 1930s — when most countries had sealed their borders to Jewish refugees fleeing Europe — the Dominican Republic opened its doors, and a small Jewish community took root in Sosúa. The community has since faded, with most descendants moving abroad or intermarrying. Today, the old synagogue still stands, preserved as a museum and a quiet reminder of the area’s Jewish past.

Now, a new chapter is beginning. With the arrival of Rabbi Daniel and Esther Silco and the founding of Chabad of the North Coast three months ago, Jewish life is returning to this scenic stretch of coastline — home to palm-lined beaches, turquoise waters, and an estimated 150 Jews, including Israelis, Americans, and Canadians. 

For Daniel Suissa, a young Israeli businessman, the arrival of Chabad to the North Coast couldn’t have come at a better time. “We were all waiting for this,” he says.

“Right after they arrived, Chabad hosted a Purim party. It was amazing — over 60 people came. Many of them had never met each other until then. Chabad brought our community together.”

During a recent trip to Israel, Suissa spent time studying in the same yeshiva that the rabbi once attended. “I’ve been trying to deepen my connection to Judaism,” Suissa says. “Rabbi Silco has truly helped me on that journey.”

Since moving to Puerto Plata, the Silcos have turned their home into a hub of Jewish life, hosting a Passover Seder under a massive outdoor canopy, leading weekly classes, and launching a kids’ club. On Friday nights, anywhere from 30 to 80 people — both locals and tourists — gather for Shabbat dinner. Kosher food, which was previously difficult to access, is now regularly delivered with the help of Rabbi Shimon Pelman of Chabad of Santo Domingo.

“People are really thirsty for connection,” Rabbi Silco says. “They want a place to learn, to pray, and to just be together as a Jewish community.”

As the community grows, plans are also underway to establish a permanent space for a synagogue and community center — a place that will give this growing Jewish community a true home for years to come.

Erez Yishai, who has lived in the region for over four years and runs a company employing more than thirty Israelis, says Chabad’s presence has been transformative. “Before, there was no kosher food, no minyan, no Torah — nothing,” he says. “Now we have Shabbat meals, Torah classes, and a community that supports each other.”