A permanent reminder that hope can emerge from hardship

Woollahra and Waverley Councils have honoured the tragedy of October 7th, 2023 and its enduring impact on the Jewish community with a moving memorial sculpture in Christison Park.

On July 24th, Woollahra Mayor Sarah Dixson and Waverley Mayor Will Nemesh hosted an unveiling ceremony along with Michele Goldman, CEO of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies. 

Together, they revealed the sculpture titled In Them We See Ourselves, an interactive and visually compelling space for quiet contemplation and meditation that recognises the ongoing grief felt by the Jewish community.

It was jointly commissioned last year by both Councils to provide the Jewish community with a place of healing and hope.

Inspired by themes of resilience and compassion, the sculpture comprises fragments of weathered Corten steel rising from the earth and learning inward, offering shelter within.

“Its sheer size and steel form that rises from the ground is a symbol of hope and strength and will serve as a permanent reminder of the need for all of us to be united in our opposition to hate and antisemitism,” Cr Dixson said.

The cracks between the steel which lets the light through acts as a powerful metaphor, evoking feelings of fracture and protection, grief and endurance. The memorial is a poignant reminder that hope can emerge from hardship.

The sculpture’s thoughtful and clever symbolism is “deeply moving” and makes it part public art, part furniture and part monument, Cr Nemesh remarked. From the rear, the piece takes the shape of a flame that is only made complete when a visitor sits within it, and their body forms the core. 

Embodying the shared voices of Sydney’s Jewish community, the artist is formally credited as ‘Anonymous’. “In recognition of the sensitivities surrounding this work, anonymity allows the focus to remain only on the community it represents,” the creator said.

Atop the stunning sea cliffs of Vaucluse, the sculpture takes advantage of Christison Park’s elevation and exposure to the sun and wind. Here, the installation sits as a “welcomed place of healing from which to both reflect and look forward,” Cr Nemesh said.