Earlier that year, thousands of miles away in Boston, Massachusetts, David Cohen—a wealthy, devoted husband and doting father of two sons—stood beside the obstetrician as they observed the ultrasound examination of his four-month-pregnant wife, Deborah.

  “Congratulations! It appears you’ll have to get a Barbie doll this time,” remarked Dr John McGregor, MD, a renowned obstetrician and a family friend of the Cohens.

  “John, are you saying we’ll have a daughter?” David asked, clutching Deborah’s hand. They both focused intently on the image, engrossed in watching their unborn baby on the ultrasound screen.

  “Are you certain, John? Is she? Is she well?” Deborah heard herself utter. She ought to have felt jubilant exhilaration; an overwhelming feeling of anxiety and nervousness left her bewildered.

  “She is fine, and what a bonnie lass she is,” replied Dr. McGregor as he gently wiped the gel off Deborah’s belly with a paper towel after completing the examination.

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  The baby’s due date was sometime in early December, and as Deborah stepped out of the hospital building in the open, she suddenly felt immense contentment and pride, as if she had fulfilled an age-long obligation.

  “Tom, take this change and grab a cab home,” David told the chauffeur. “I’ll take Mrs. Cohen home.” The Cohens got into their black Cadillac Seville and headed to their favorite spot on the hill, which overlooked a small park.

  “Are you okay?” David asked, kissing Deborah’s hand.

  “I’m so happy,” Deborah said, her eyes welling up with tears. “I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but I’ve never felt this much joy during my other pregnancies.”

  Once they got home, Deborah bathed and went to the private synagogue inside their grand house on Commonwealth Avenue. It was set up by her mother, Leah Goldstein, who lived in London but often came to visit. The place was filled with an impressive collection of artifacts and relics passed down through the family, reminding them of their faith and struggles throughout history.

  Deborah, a modern Jewish woman who had received a liberal education, would reserve her visits to the synagogue for solemn occasions. However, David observed that his wife began praying for extended periods in their synagogue as the pregnancy progressed.