The Caribbean retreat: Mapping wellness, memory, and Israeli connection in the Dominican Republic
He shared his vision for a Sephardi–Portuguese-style kibbutz in the Dominican countryside, including olive groves, a mikveh fed by natural springs, and an archive of Judeo-Spanish poetry.
Over the past nine months, my family and I have embarked on a transformative journey across more than 60 retreats, resorts, and properties – from the frozen wilderness of Alaska to the tropical jungles of Costa Rica.
Under the banner of the Bedein Agents of Hope Shlichut, our mission has been to explore how the world’s most impactful wellness sanctuaries can inform Israel’s own path to healing – particularly for soldiers bearing the unseen wounds of trauma. As our nation faces one of its most painful chapters, my family and I travel in solidarity, seeking to weave global wisdom into the fabric of Israeli resilience.
When we received an invitation to explore the Dominican Republic as a rising hub of Caribbean wellness tourism, we expected another meaningful stop on our journey. And indeed, we discovered an island whose legacy of sanctuary and vision for holistic healing resonates deeply with Jewish peoplehood and Israel’s evolving story. From Dominican president Rafael Trujillo’s 1938 offer of refuge to Jewish families fleeing Nazi Europe to today’s visa-free travel and cultural exchange, Quisqueya – the country’s nickname meaning “mother of the lands” – remains a steadfast symbol of compassion and connection.
OYA – The retreat-wellness capital of the Caribbean
When most people envision the Caribbean, they think of turquoise waters, sun-soaked beaches, and postcard-perfect palm trees. But just 25 minutes inland from Cabarete – the Dominican Republic’s iconic kite-surfing town – lies a hidden sanctuary: a lush mountain jungle cloaked in mist, edged by cloud forest, and pulsing with the quiet rhythm of transformation.Founded by Israeli entrepreneur Mayan Metzler, the OYA Wellness Eco Resort & Retreat is more than a retreat. It’s the flagship prototype of TerraLux – a visionary movement reimagining how we live, heal, and connect with the Earth. TerraLux is building the world’s most futuristic homes, combining bio-geometric architecture with natural building methods and cutting-edge innovation.
More than a brand, TerraLux is a regenerative blueprint for “New Earth” civilization – rooted in sacred land development, wellness innovation, and soul-aligned community design.
During our visit, I experienced OYA as one of perhaps only a handful of retreats worldwide – maybe one in 50 – that truly facilitate deep personal transformation and couple intimacy in profoundly unique ways.
Metzler expresses the vision with inspiring clarity: “OYA isn’t just about retreats. It’s a prototype – a healing model for the Caribbean and beyond, rooted in Jewish vision and global stewardship.”
As a wellness tourism photojournalist who has documented transformational destinations from the remote Yukon in Canada to the sacred shores of Lake Atitlán in Guatemala, I can confidently say: OYA is without equal.
Spanning 88 acres of pristine Dominican wilderness, it fuses ancestral ritual with modern bio-hacking. While built to host immersive group journeys, its most intimate power lies in its quiet sanctuaries – secluded cabañas, forest pools, and riverside clearings – designed especially for couples seeking reconnection and spiritual renewal.
With its bold commitment to ecological regeneration, cultural authenticity, and AI-integrated healing, OYA by TerraLux stands as a beacon of transformational travel. For those seeking not just rest but rebirth, it offers a rare and radiant gateway into the heart of the New Earth.
Celebrating Passover in Santiago: Rekindling Sephardi–Portuguese roots
Leaving the jungle behind, we traveled to Santiago, the Dominican Republic’s second-largest city, to celebrate Passover with Rabbi Dr. Yehonatan Elazar-DeMota, his family, and members of the local Jewish community. A direct descendant of Sephardi-Portuguese Jews expelled from Spain in 1492 and Portugal in 1496 – whose descendants found refuge throughout the Caribbean – Rabbi Elazar is now at the forefront of reviving and re-rooting this rich ancestral legacy.At the Seder table – set with matzah, bitter herbs, and native Caribbean fruits – he shared his vision for a Sephardi–Portuguese-style kibbutz in the Dominican countryside. This bold initiative includes olive groves, a mikveh fed by natural springs, and a living archive of Judeo-Spanish poetry.
“Too often, memory is preserved only in texts and rituals,” he said. “Now it must be embodied in daily life – a sustainable community that honors our past and builds our future.” With land already secured and plans underway for eco-tourism lodges and cultural workshops, remembrance is being transformed into a vibrant, living expression of Jewish peoplehood.
Sosúa: Where refuge became resilience
Our next stop was Sosúa, a coastal town whose very existence attests to courage and compassion. In 1938, when so many nations closed their doors to Jewish refugees, president Trujillo opened his country’s gates, offering homes and farmland to nearly 800 individuals. Walking along Alicia Beach, beneath the Star of David monument erected in the refugees’ honor, my family and I reflected on their perilous crossing and the fresh start they found here.At a solemn Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony in Santo Domingo, Israeli Ambassador to the Dominican Republic Raslan Abu Rukun reminded attendees that “when the world shut its doors, the Dominican Republic opened its arms.”
My wife, Adi, founder of the Network for Innovative Holocaust Education, spoke of today’s urgent need to keep Holocaust memory alive against the rising tide of antisemitism. In the Dominican Republic, history isn’t distant; it’s the foundation on which new stories of resilience and hope are built.
The Singing Horse Foundation: Healing on four hooves
A short drive from Sosúa brought us to the Singing Horse Foundation, where equine therapy transforms trauma into healing. Founded by Angela Grifo Cruz, a Jewish equestrian from Spain, the ranch began as a sanctuary for abused horses and evolved into a therapeutic haven. Children with disabilities, trauma survivors, and American war veterans work alongside these majestic animals, forging bonds that transcend words.
The ranch is adorned with Israeli flags and hand-carved “Shema Yisrael” plaques – symbols of the land’s historical welcome to Jewish refugees and its current role in global healing. “These horses carry the past’s pain and offer a path to renewal,” Grifo Cruz explained. As the pounding of hooves soothes frayed nerves, visitors rediscover trust, purpose, and connection.
Veterans Village: A blueprint for trauma recovery
Nestled along the tranquil coast of Costambar Beach, the USA DR Veterans Village blends tropical calm with cutting-edge trauma rehabilitation. Founded by Dr. Gary Deutchman and Fidelio Sanchez, the 20-acre retreat offers a comprehensive 30-day healing program that integrates psychotherapy, acupuncture, neurofeedback, aqua and physical therapy, and equine-assisted sessions at the nearby Singing Horse Ranch.Each participant is supported by a dedicated case manager and an individualized treatment plan – eliminating the delays and fragmentation typical of many veterans’ healthcare systems.
Manny, a staffer who endured long waits for care in the US, said, “Here, we heal mind, body, and spirit without delay – restoring dignity and purpose.”
With an estimated 18 American war veterans lost to suicide every day, and IDF veterans facing similar trauma and bureaucratic barriers, the Veterans Village offers a timely and transferable model. Currently in dialogue with the Israeli Embassy in Santo Domingo, the team is preparing to host Hebrew-speaking cohorts by late 2025, featuring therapist exchanges and culturally adapted protocols – offering hope and healing that transcend borders.
Weaving the threads: Memory, healing, and peoplehood
From OYA’s jungle innovation to Sosúa’s memorial shores, from Sephardi-Portuguese revival in Santiago to equine therapy barns and the visionary Veterans Village, the Dominican Republic presents a tapestry where ancestral memory and modern wellness converge. Each initiative reflects a chapter of Jewish and Israeli history – echoing our people’s resilience and our nation’s solidarity.None of this would have been possible without Ron Dominican, an Israeli expat who has become the Caribbean’s unofficial wellness ambassador. He owns a nationwide car rental and property rental company, known for its reliable prices and VIP services. His Hebrew-language travel guide – a PDF that maps kosher markets, hidden waterfalls, and retreat coordinates – paved our way. But more than that, it was his passion for the island’s healing essence that opened the door to its soul.
A vision for Israel’s healing future
As we move forward, the Dominican Republic’s model offers Israel a living blueprint: trauma recovery embedded in community, ecological stewardship grounded in heritage, and healing practices that honor both memory and modern science. I look ahead to mapping these possibilities around the Dead Sea – our planet’s oldest healing spa – and to sharing Israel’s own sanctuaries with the world.The Bedein Agents of Hope Shlichut continues, carrying these lessons home. For our soldiers, for our communities, and for all who seek renewal, this journey has shown that healing thrives where history and hope meet – be it in Caribbean palms or on our own shores.
The writer is a travel photojournalist specializing in wellness tourism and nature conservation, currently on a family emissary mission across North and Central America with Bedein – Agents of Hope.
