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How a Kentucky lawmaker’s friendship with a Jewish woman helped inspire her viral speech decrying anti-trans legislation
(JTA) — Pamela Stevenson, a Democratic state representative in Kentucky, was chatting recently with her friend Zahava Kurland about one of Kurland’s duties at her Orthodox synagogue: preparing the dead for burial.
“She was trying to explain to me certain things that had to be done,” Stevenson, who is also a Black Baptist minister, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency last week. The seemingly esoteric topic was one of many the two women have discussed over more than a decade of weekly Friday-morning conversations — which cover anything from politics and friendship to faith and being one’s true self.
Stevenson said her conversations with Kurland have made her attuned to Jewish sensibilities. “She’s always listening for and giving me information” about Judaism and Jewish experiences, said Stevenson, who was first elected to the Kentucky legislature in 2020.
So Kurland was not surprised when, in a viral speech on Wednesday decrying her fellow lawmakers for signing off on a law that bans gender-affirming care for trans youth, Stevenson also centered antisemitism.
“First, you hated Black people,” Stevenson said, addressing the Republican lawmakers who voted for the legislation. “Then, you hated Jews. Now, you’re hating everybody. So the question is, when the only people left are you, will you hate yourself?”
Kurland said her friend is a listener and naturally empathetic, so she would be sensitive to how hatreds intersect.
“She’s truly well balanced,” said Kurland. “She truly cares about people.”
Stevenson says she looks forward to her Friday morning talks with Kurland. She said the conversations have helped give her a more expansive perspective on life, which drives her to fight bigotry.
“I really believe that I will never know as much as she knows,” Stevenson said. “But I can develop an appreciation for what it’s like and not use my view of the world as the only view of the world.”
What prompted Stevenson’s floor speech was the overwhelmingly Republican legislature’s override of Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear’s veto of a law that bans a range of medical treatments and practices for trans youth. It outlaws doctors from providing gender-affirming treatment to youth; requires them to cease care if it has already begun; bans conversations in schools about gender identity or sexual orientation; bans school districts from allowing transgender students to use the bathroom aligned with their gender identity; and allows teachers to refuse to use a child’s preferred pronouns.
The bill was introduced weeks after state Sen. Karen Berg’s trans son, Henry Berg-Brousseau, died by suicide. Berg, who is Jewish, said that referring to the anti-trans bill as a parents’ rights bill is an “absolutely despicable affront to me personally,” according to The Washington Post. Stevenson, who has appeared alongside Berg at rallies, called her “phenomenal” and said, “This is infinitely more personal for her.”
Stevenson said that she mentioned anti-Jewish hatred in her speech because she believes hatreds are mutually reinforcing, and she connects the anti-trans sentiment she sees with rising racism and antisemitism.
“If you have a model where you have to hate somebody to win, then you always have to have somebody to hate,” she said. “People say it was out of nowhere, but it’s really out of somewhere. We’ve gone through the cycles of the Native Americans, the Black folks have been hated for a long time, the disabled. Everybody is always on the bottom of that model. And in just recent years, it was the Muslims, then it was the immigrants, and then it was back around the Blacks again. And so because of this overflow of hate, there’s been an uptick in antisemitic actions.”
Stevenson said her mission is to make people cognizant of the roots of hatred. “People want to say that all the attacks against the Jewish temples and the Jewish people in recent times came out of nowhere,” she said, referring to reports of a spike in antisemitic attacks. “No, it did not. We just have chosen not to pay attention to what’s been said.”
Kurland, who is a member of Congregation Beth Jacob in Atlanta, and Stevenson, a retired Air Force Colonel and an attorney who is running to be Kentucky’s attorney general, met in 2006 when Stevenson was serving in the Air Force and Kurland was working as an accountant in Atlanta. They attended a three-day course with Landmark, the personal development program that presses participants to face uncomfortable truths about themselves.
“When we were closer-in logistically she came over very often for Shabbos meals,” Kurland said. “I often invite people for Shabbos meals and the holidays and I love explaining, you know, how Judaism gave more to the world than anything, anybody, any person. Torah, Judaism has given the world its whole structure for society.”
The Air Force started moving Stevenson around. “That’s when we started talking on the phone all the time, because we couldn’t get together,” Kurland said.
Stevenson is “a committed listener, someone who’s going to hear you and call you out on your stuff,” Kurland said. “It’s not a friendship where you massage each other’s egos. It’s a friendship where you hold each other to account for who you say you are.”
They each speak with outrage at the lawmakers who, they feel, would breach the relationship between a parent and a child.
“As a mother, how dare you interfere with one of the most intimate relationships?” Stevenson said two weeks ago during debate on the bill, addressing Rep. Jennifer Decker, a Republican who was its lead sponsor. “We have no right to interfere in the parental rights.”
Kurland agrees. “These are all decisions to be made between a child and his parents or her parents and their doctor,” she said. “It has no place for the government to have anything to do with anything.”
And both Kurland and Stevenson say religion is a key part of their identities.
“Judaism is the center part of my life,” said Kurland. “It’s what I am, it’s who I am, it’s what I’m about. And as a Jew, you cannot sit by and let another one of God’s human beings [be excluded]. I mean, when we honor other people, we are doing God’s work. We are honoring God. When we cut people out, then we’re not “
Stevenson likewise calls herself “a woman of faith.”
“I believe what is required, in almost every faith that I know of, is to love one another and take care of the people around us,” she said.
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The post How a Kentucky lawmaker’s friendship with a Jewish woman helped inspire her viral speech decrying anti-trans legislation appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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Iranian Nobel Laureate Hospitalized Twice After ‘Violent Arrest,’ Say Family
An empty space showing that Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi was not present during the award ceremony at Oslo City Hall, Norway, Dec. 10, 2023. Photo: NTB/Javad Parsa via REUTERS
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi was taken to the hospital emergency room twice after suffering blows from security forces who arrested her on Dec. 12, her family told the Narges Foundation on Monday.
The human rights activist won the award whilst in prison in 2023, following her three-decade campaign for women’s rights and the abolition of the death penalty in Iran.
She was re-arrested on Friday – having been released late last year – after denouncing the suspicious death of lawyer Khosrow Alikordi.
Mashhad prosecutor Hasan Hematifar had told reporters on Saturday that Mohammadi and Alikordi’s brother had made provocative remarks at the lawyer’s memorial ceremony in the northeastern city of Mashhad and encouraged those present “to chant norm‑breaking slogans” and “disturb the peace.”
The family-run Narges Foundation said Mohammadi had made a call to her family late on Sunday.
“Narges Mohammadi said in the call that the intensity of the blows was so heavy, forceful, and repeated that she was taken to the hospital emergency room twice … Her physical condition at the time of the call was not good, and she appeared unwell,” the foundation said in a post on X.
Mohammadi had been released in December last year from Tehran’s Evin prison after the suspension of her jail term to undergo medical treatment.
She told her family she was accused of “cooperating with the Israeli government” and received death threats from security forces, prompting her to request her legal team to file a formal complaint against the detaining security body and the violent manner of her arrest.
There was no immediate comment from the Iranian authorities.
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‘Hero’ Who Disarmed Bondi Gunman Recovers in Hospital as Donations Pour In
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns visits Ahmed al Ahmed, who was identified on social media as the bystander who hid behind parked cars and seized a rifle from one of the gunmen during the deadly shooting at Bondi Beach, at a hospital in Sydney, Australia, Dec. 15, 2025, in this picture obtained from social media. Photo: @ChrisMinnsMP via X/via REUTERS
Donations for a Sydney man who wrestled a gun from one of the alleged attackers during a mass shooting at Bondi Beach have surged past A$1.1 million ($744,000), as he recovers in hospital after surgery for bullet wounds.
Forty-three-year-old Ahmed al Ahmed, a Muslim father-of-two, hid behind parked cars before charging at one of the gunmen from behind, seizing his rifle, and knocking him to the ground.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Ahmed’s bravery saved lives.
“What we’ve seen in the last 24 hours was the worst of humanity in a terrorist act. But we also saw an example of the best of humanity in Ahmed Al Ahmed running towards danger, putting his own life at risk,” Albanese told state broadcaster ABC News.
He was shot twice by a second perpetrator, Albanese said.
Ahmed’s family said he was hit in the hand and arm.
Australian police on Monday said a 50-year-old father and his 24-year-old son carried out the attack at a Jewish celebration on Sunday afternoon, killing 15 people in the country’s worst mass shooting in almost 30 years.
HAILED A HERO FOR DISARMING THE GUNMAN
Ahmed’s father, Mohamed Fateh al Ahmed, told ABC News in an interview that his son was an Australian citizen and sells fruits and vegetables.
“My son is a hero. He served in the police, he has the passion to defend people.”
“When he saw people lying on the ground and the blood, quickly his conscience pushed him to attack one of the terrorists and take away his weapon,” Mohamed Fateh said.
Jozay Alkanji, Ahmed’s cousin, said he had had initial surgery and may need more.
AHMED PICTURED IN HOSPITAL
Tributes have poured in from leaders both abroad and at home.
Chris Minns, the premier of New South Wales, where Sydney is located, said in a social media post he visited Ahmed at St George Hospital and conveyed the gratitude of people across the state.
“Ahmed is a real-life hero,” his post said. “Thank you, Ahmed.” A photo showed Minns at his bedside, and Ahmed propped on pillows with his left arm in a cast.
US President Donald Trump called Ahmed “a very, very brave person” who saved many lives.
A GoFundMe campaign set up for Ahmed has raised more than A$1.1 million within one day. Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman was the largest donor, contributing A$99,999 and sharing the fundraiser on his X account.
SUPPORTERS THANK AHMED FOR SAVING LIVES
Outside St George Hospital, strangers came to show their support.
Misha and Veronica Pochuev left flowers for Ahmed with their seven-year-old daughter, Miroslava.
“My husband is Russian, my father is Jewish, my grandpa is Muslim. This is not only about Bondi, this is about every person,” Veronica said.
Yomna Touni, 43, stayed at the hospital for hours to offer assistance on behalf of a Muslim-run charity also raising funds for Ahmed.
“The intention is to raise as much money as possible for his speedy recovery,” she said.
($1 = 1.5047 Australian dollars)
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Western Cities Boost Hanukkah Security After Antisemitic Massacre in Australia
Police officers gather at the scene of a shooting incident targeting Jews celebrating Hanukkah at Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia, Dec. 14, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Izhar Khan
Major cities across the Western world are buttressing security around synagogues and Hanukkah events following an antisemitic massacre at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia over the weekend which claimed the lives of at least 15 people, including a child and a Holocaust survivor, who were attending a celebration of the start of the Jewish holiday.
Police officials said that a father and son opened fire on Jews celebrating the start of Hanukkah, hospitalizing dozens of people in addition to those who were murdered. Investigators told Australian media that they identified the mass shooters as Sajid Akram, 50, was killed at the scene, and his son Naveed Akram, 24, who was in critical condition in a hospital. The younger suspect reportedly came to the attention of Australia’s domestic intelligence agency in 2019 for his ties to a Sydney-based cell of the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group.
Following the tragedy, several cities have decided to ramp up their security around Jewish sites as Jews celebrate the eight-day holiday of Hanukkah this week.
“At this time, there is no known nexus to New York City, and we are not tracking any specific, credible threats related to Hanukkah events here,” New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Jessica Tisch posted on social media. “Out of an abundance of caution, the NYPD has significantly increased security around Hanukkah celebrations, menorah lightings, and Jewish houses of worship across all five boroughs.”
Tisch, who noted that the NYPD has been in “continuous contact with our law enforcement partners in Australia,” explained that “New Yorkers will see an enhanced uniformed presence, specialized patrols, counterterrorism resources, and additional protective measures deployed where appropriate. We are actively following up on tips, leads, and intelligence, and marshalling all available resources to keep New Yorkers safe.”
New York City Mayor Eric Adams added that residents will see an extra law enforcement presence to protect Hanukkah events.
“We will continue to ensure the Jewish community can celebrate the holiday in safety — including at public Menorah lightings across the city. Let us pray for the injured and stand together against hatred,” he said on X. “Out of an abundance of caution, we are surging our police presence, and our teams will be visible at menorah lightings and synagogues across the city. We will not let what happened in Sydney happen here.”
In Germany, local law enforcement was taking similar precautions.
“Even though there are currently no concrete indications of a threat to Berlin following the alleged attack in Australia, we remain vigilant and alert,” the Berlin Police said in a statement on Sunday. “The Berlin Police is in close exchange with the security authorities at the federal and state levels and continuously adjusts its measures to the situation. The comprehensive protection of the Hanukkah event this evening at [Brandenburg Gate] has been planned for some time.”
The Berlin Police continued, “In light of the events in Sydney, we will intensify our measures once again and be present there with a reinforced deployment of forces.”
London’s Metropolitan Police similarly said it had increased security but did not elaborate.
“While there is no information to suggest any link between the attack in Sydney and the threat level in London, this morning we are stepping up our police presence, carrying out additional community patrols and engaging with the Jewish community to understand what more we can do in the coming hours and days,” it said in a statement.
Polish police also moved to boost the presence of law enforcement in the wake of the Bondi Beach attack.
“Due to the geopolitical situation and the attack in Sydney, we are strengthening preventive measures around diplomatic missions and places of worship,” a press officer for Poland’s National Police Headquarters told Reuters, explaining this meant “intensified preventive measures in the area of diplomatic and consular missions, religious sites and other institutions related to Israel and Palestine.”
Armed security was doubled at Warsaw’s main synagogue for an event on Sunday evening, when Hanukkah began.
Antisemitism has spiked globally, including in Australia, since the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre across southern Israel. This has included acts of terrorism such as the attack on a UK synagogue on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur in October.
Before that, two Israeli diplomats about to become engaged were gunned down in Washington, DC in May. Less than two weeks later, a lone terrorist attacked a pro-Israel rally in Boulder, Colorado, hurling Molotov cocktails into the crowd while yelling “Free Palestine.” In that incident, the perpetrator injured more than a dozen people and killed Karen Diamond, 82.
Commenting on the Bondi attack, Adams described what transpired as “targeted antisemitic terrorism” fueled by “Islamic extremism.”
“It’s exactly what it means to ‘globalize the intifada,’” Adams continued, referring to a controversial phrase echoed by anti-Israel activists that has been widely interpreted as a call for violence against Jews and Israelis. “Words have consequences, and we must condemn the slogans that incite violence and fuel extremism without equivocation.”
Tisch added that “Jewish life will not be driven into the shadows.”
A majority of American Jews now consider antisemitism to be a normal and endemic aspect of life in the US, according to the results of a recent survey commissioned by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the Jewish Federations of North America.
Follow Dion J. Pierre @DionJPierre.