When Mia Lazarus and Jenna Caspary saw the opportunity to paint a mural on Bondi Beach’s iconic promenade, they jumped at the chance to bring some light and joy to the spot where such darkness had occurred. Both proud Jewish young women, the artists were profoundly touched by October 7 and the Bondi Beach massacre.
The result is a splash of warm butter-yellow on the Bondi Beach Sea Wall, depicting figures from all walks of life holding hands to form the shape of a chanukiah. Commissioned by Waverley Council, the mural is a tribute to the 15 people killed in the terror attack on the Chanukah by the Sea celebration on December 14, 2025.
The pair responded to a callout from the council, submitted a joint application and spent more than six months planning the work before picking up a paintbrush.
“Being able to leave our mark on one of the biggest sites in Australia and the site of the massacre means we are here, we are proud and we are not scared…” Mia Lazarus
Caspary is a painter based in Sydney’s eastern suburbs who studied Fine Arts at UNSW Art & Design and teaches painting to children. Lazarus was born in Johannesburg, moved to Australia as a child, attended Moriah College and is completing an honours degree in Fine Arts at the National Art School. The two had never met before this project and were connected through a mutual contact.
“We wanted something that brought light back to Bondi, something bright that everyone could walk past and take a moment, a fresh breath, for remembrance, for community and for themselves,” Lazarus told The AJN.
The bright background was a deliberate choice over darker tones. Surrounding the figures are flowers that echo the floral tributes left at Bondi after the attack, including Australian native species and an olive branch as a symbol of peace. Among the smaller details is a bee, a quiet nod to 10-year-old Matilda Bee Britvan, the youngest victim of the attack.
Caspary said the artwork carries a clear message.
“It represents our community and people from all walks of life standing together in unity and supporting each other,” she told The AJN. “The flames represent our light that will keep on burning.”
The pair invited community members to come and leave their own mark on the wall.
“Given the artwork was about community we wanted them to feel involved in the actual artwork too,” Caspary said. “I hope people see the mural and feel loved, supported, honoured, remembered, respected and know they won’t be forgotten. We hope it brings light back to Bondi after the horrific events of 14 December 2025.”
Neither artist had painted a mural before, and both described the experience as a world away from working in a studio.
For Lazarus, the project carried deep personal significance. Her grandmother is a Holocaust survivor and her mother converted to Judaism. She grew up in a home where she was taught to be proud of who she is and where she comes from. After October 7, she lost friends she had made outside of school because of her religion.
“When we live in a time where Judaism has been turned into something that so many people are scared to be loud and proud about, where people are killed for the very religion we share, being able to leave our mark on one of the biggest sites in Australia and the site of the massacre means we are here, we are proud and we are not scared,” Lazarus said.
“We worked on it for over six months so being responsible to make something that represented everyone was super important. We wanted to create something that was respectful and tasteful while still being powerful.”
The response from passers-by took both artists by surprise.
“Painting in my studio in isolation I’m not used to receiving feedback in real time,” Caspary explained. “We were overwhelmed by love and support from all walks of life. People were stopping and saying ‘I see myself in this’, which is exactly what we wanted, for everyone to be united and brought closer together.
“One lady stopped, with tears in her eyes and said ‘this touched me’, which touched us too.”
“I hope people see the mural and feel loved, supported, honoured, remembered, respected and know they won’t be forgotten. We hope it brings light back to Bondi after the horrific events of 14 December 2025…” Jenna Caspary
Children walking past were invited to paint themselves and flowers onto the wall. The artists also painted people’s outfits as they walked by, so those passing felt woven into the work itself.
“People stopped and thanked us because they thought that it was a forgotten tragedy,” Lazarus said. “The feedback was more than I could have imagined and it still is.”
“I hope it means people feel seen. I hope it brings back light and some joy. I want people to be able to stop every time they walk past and see themselves on that wall.”
Caspary said the experience will stay with her.
“It was such a privilege painting something so close to my heart and painting a mural that people felt instantly connected to.”
Paint company Resene sponsored the project, supplying all the paint. The mural can be found on the Bondi Beach Sea Wall.
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