I will never forget the moment my wife told me we were expecting our first child. It was pure magic. Bringing new life into the world is a sacred, joyful moment that every expecting parent should be able to cherish—free from fear, focused only on the health and future of their baby.
My thoughts drift back to the time our baby was conceived. It was just before Christmas, and we had recently moved into our own home. Before that, we had been living with my in-laws after immigrating to Ireland. While we were grateful to have a roof over our heads, the situation came with its challenges—privacy being one of them.
We had to carefully choose our moments for sex, which wasn’t always easy. So, when we finally settled into our own space, it was a relief in more ways than one. It gave us the freedom to reconnect and make love in the way that felt natural and comfortable for us again.
The euphoric moment after sex is often described as a profound state of relaxation, intimacy, and bliss. It’s a confluence of physical and emotional sensations, including:
Physical Relief: A deep sense of calm washes over the body as tension and stress melt away, often accompanied by a warm, pleasant heaviness.
Emotional Connection: Feelings of closeness, vulnerability, and unity with your partner can create an almost transcendental bond.
Neurochemical High: The release of hormones like oxytocin and dopamine floods the brain with pleasure and promotes a sense of well-being, love, and satisfaction.
Timelessness: Time can feel suspended in this moment, as worries and external distractions fade away, leaving only the here and now.
A Moment of Contentment: Many describe it as a state of pure presence, where the mind and body align in total peace and satisfaction.
Although, there were a few nervous minutes at the start, the birth of our first child was beyond magical.
However, what if you want to make love, but you’re haunted by the fear that at any moment, a violent knock at the door could shatter the intimacy? A raid might follow, with the looming threat of arrest, deportation, or even worse consequences casting a shadow over the moment.
The drive for sex and procreation is among the most fundamental of human instincts. This was no different for Annie Troostwijk-Samuel and Abraham Troostwijk, who sought connection and hope despite facing an uncertain and precarious future. Those few moments of intimacy resulted into pregnancy
The couple knew in October 1943 that their baby was due in six weeks.
On March 17, 1941 Abraham informed the Church authorities, in the Netherlands, of his intention to marry Annie Samuel. Although they were Jewish, it was customary for the church authorities to be notified as well. Abraham made this announcement in writing, and the couple were married on April 9, 1941.
In October 1943, they decided to move from Arnhem to Amsterdam, hoping it would offer greater safety and provide a secure place for the birth of their son. They left their one-year-old daughter, Greetje, in a hidden refuge to keep her safe.
Unfortunately, Amsterdam proved to be no safer than their previous location. The couple decided to take a risky chance and boarded a train to Belgium, but they were arrested at the Den Bosch train station and sent to a detention center.
On Saturday, November 13, 1943, a cold day, a small ray of light appeared—little Ivor was born in the prison hospital.
One month later, Annie, Abraham, and Ivor were transported to the Westerbork transit camp. On January 25, 1944, Annie, Ivor, and 946 other Jews were put on a transport to Auschwitz. Even the skies seemed to mourn that day, marked by a solar eclipse.
Three days later, Annie and Ivor arrived at Auschwitz, where they were murdered immediately upon arrival.
While the exact details of Abraham’s fate remain unclear, it is known that he was eventually put on a transport and died on March 28, 1945.
Greetje survived and now lives in Israel.
sources
https://www.joodsmonument.nl/nl/page/152453/ivor-arnold-troostwijk
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