Waverley, Woollahra Councils unveil October 7 memorial

A permanent public artwork commemorating the continuing impact of the October 7, 2023 attacks on the Jewish community has been unveiled at Christison Park in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, jointly commissioned by Woollahra and Waverley councils.

The sculpture, titled “In Them We See Ourselves”, was unveiled on Friday by Woollahra Mayor Sarah Dixson and Waverley Mayor Will Nemesh, alongside NSW Jewish Board of Deputies CEO Michele Goldman, who acted as master of ceremonies. Fragments of weathered corten steel rise from the ground and lean inward to form a sheltered space at the centre, which visitors are invited to enter and sit within, the ocean beyond.

Dixson said the park had not been chosen at random. Around 12,000 people had filled Christison Park for the United Together vigil marking the first anniversary of the attack, in one of the largest gatherings the municipality had ever seen.

“People came here to mourn the victims, to stand with survivors and their families, and to call for the hostages to be brought home,” she said.

She said the events of October 7 had not been experienced from afar. “They were deeply personal, touching family members and friends, and the grief and fear that followed has been felt in our streets, our schools, workplaces, and places of worship ever since.” She noted that both the Woollahra and Waverley mayors were Jewish, and that Woollahra Council had been led by a mayor or deputy mayor of Jewish heritage since December 2021.

Dixson said the project began with a resolution of Woollahra Council in October 2024, seeking Waverley’s partnership in commissioning an artwork representing both councils’ ongoing support for those affected by the attack. Four shortlisted artists developed concept proposals, which were assessed by a joint committee comprising both councils’ arts panels, the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies and the mayors.

“In them we see ourselves was selected because it best answered that brief,” she said. “The work speaks of fracture and of protection, of grief and of endurance. It acknowledges what has been broken, and it offers refuge.”

Nemesh said the sculpture would stand as “a quiet but powerful reminder” of the enduring impact of the atrocities and the rise in antisemitism felt within the community. He said the eastern suburbs was home to one of the largest Jewish communities in Australia, with around 16 per cent of Waverley residents Jewish.

“The atrocities of the October 7 marked the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust, and in the weeks and in the months that followed, we saw a disturbing rise of antisemitism around the world, and sadly here in Australia too.”

He said the park, sitting on the boundary of the two local government areas and looking out over the Pacific, was a fitting place for the work. “That view reminds us that while we live in one corner of Sydney, our lives and our hearts are connected to people across the world.” He described the sculpture as “part artwork, part monument, part a place to simply sit and breathe”, designed to be touched, entered and experienced.

The artist has chosen to remain anonymous. Goldman said this was to ensure the focus of the work remained collective, as it was the result of deep collaboration within Sydney’s Jewish community. “The artwork itself is intended to inspire hope, understanding, and moving forward as one community,” she said. “Its placement here at Christison Park will provide a space of healing and reflection for years to come.”

Reflecting on her own experience developing a reconciliation action plan in a previous role, Goldman said there were many similarities between Jewish and Aboriginal cultures — “our connection to land, our value on family, the importance of storytelling” — and expressed hope that strong relationships would continue.

The ceremony opened with a Welcome to Country by Ron Timberry of the La Perouse Aboriginal community, who acknowledged the Bidjigal clan’s connection to the land. He said family and relationships were central to Aboriginal culture, and that research now showed a sense of belonging was important for all peoples. He quoted the late Aboriginal rights activist Faith Bandler: “Why, in the name of creation, should our differences matter? Why is it so hard to find our commonalities?”