Waverley Council awards Keys to the City to heroes of Bondi Beach terror attack

Waverley Council has unanimously agreed to award Keys to the City to three people who intervened during the December 14 terror attack at Bondi Beach, while also resolving to seek posthumous national honours for those killed trying to stop the gunmen.

During an extraordinary meeting on Thursday night, councillors endorsed formal recognition for Ahmed al Ahmed, 43, Gefen Bitton, 30, and Rabbi Leibel Lazarov, 20. Mr al Ahmed was recognised for wrestling a gun from an attacker at the Chanukah by the Sea event. Mr Bitton ran to his aid to confront the gunman, while Rabbi Lazarov used his shirt to stem the bleeding of NSW Police Constable Scott Dyson. All three men were shot and seriously injured during the course of their efforts.

The council will also collaborate on nominations for the Prime Minister’s Special Honours List. This includes recommended posthumous acknowledgements for Boris Gurman, 69, and Sofia Gurman, 61, who were the first two bystanders to encounter the shooters. Reuven Morrison, 61, will also be nominated after he lost his life throwing a brick at a gunman, an act that allowed a mother and her baby to escape to safety.

Mayor Will Nemesh said the decision recognised “selflessness in the face of pure evil”, telling the meeting the courage shown on the night reflected the best of the community at its darkest moment.

The honours formed part of a broader package of unanimously adopted measures responding to the most devastating antisemitic attack in Australia’s history. The meeting ran for two and a half hours and heard emotional testimony from community leaders, first responders, and local residents.

Opening the public forum, Arsen Ostrovsky, head of the Sydney office of the Australia Israel and Jewish Affairs Council, addressed councillors while still recovering from injuries he sustained in the attack. He described a Commonwealth royal commission as “necessary and overdue”, calling for a national examination of how antisemitism is spreading and how institutions are responding.

“Leadership does not come only from the top down,” he said. “It must also rise from the grassroots up. That is why the role of local government is so critical.”

Council formally welcomed the federal government’s decision to establish a royal commission into antisemitism and the Bondi Beach attack. Moving the motion, Nemesh said the community deserved answers after being left devastated by the violence.

“If there are lessons to be learned,” he said, “we owe it to those who lost their lives and those who survived to uncover them.”

Several other speakers from the public gallery including Sandy Hollis of the Sydney Jewish Museum, spoke of the deep and ongoing trauma felt across the Jewish community, saying everyday activities such as visiting the beach, taking children to the playground, or attending synagogue now carried fear and unease.

Others warned against treating the attack as an isolated act, pointing to a rise in antisemitic graffiti, threats, and intimidation in Waverley in the months leading up to December 14.

Former Waverley mayor Sally Betts paid an emotional tribute to one of the victims, Marika Pogany, describing her as a woman defined by kindness, generosity, and quiet service. Betts said Pogany had spent years delivering kosher meals to elderly and vulnerable residents, telling councillors her loss had left “a deep hole in the heart of the community”.

Shua Solomon, president of the Rabbinical Council of NSW, spoke about the importance of memorials that clearly acknowledge Jewish identity. He said public remembrance should honour Jewish life and resilience, describing symbols such as the menorah as expressions of continuity and faith rather than political statements.

Heritage advocates and long-term residents urged caution over permanent changes to Bondi Park, saying decisions made in grief should not permanently alter historically significant public spaces without careful consultation.

Others argued safety and remembrance must come first, stressing the importance of involving victims’ families and the Jewish community in any decision-making.

Council agreed to formally commemorate the victims, inviting public obituaries at its February 24 meeting for the 15 people killed. “This is not about how they died,” Nemesh said. “It is about how they lived, the love they gave and the lives they touched.”

Councillors outlined extensive support already delivered, including $100,000 in grants to community organisations, much of which has already been distributed.

Council has provided pavillion rooms for NSW Health, Lifeline, and the NSW Reconstruction Authority; established a Bondi community hub; and supported the Sydney Jewish Museum and the Australian Jewish Historical Society in preserving thousands of floral tributes.

Lifeline has been granted month-to-month access for up to six months to continue providing mental health support. Council also resolved to hold a civic function to honour first responders, recognise council staff involved in the crisis response at the March staff awards, and work with Local Government NSW to establish a transparent mechanism allowing other councils to make financial donations.

On memorialisation, councillors adopted an interim framework while deferring decisions on permanent structures. A contemporary menorah designed by artist Joel Adler has been relocated to Bondi Beach as a temporary memorial, with a plaque reading: “In their memory, we choose light over darkness.”

Temporary memorial murals will be created along the Bondi seawall, and a reflective visual arts exhibition will be staged in Bondi Pavillion. The NSW government will lead consultation on a permanent memorial with families, the Jewish community, council, and residents.

Finally, councillors turned to the future of the Bondi Park pedestrian bridge, in particular the one used by the shooters during the terrorist attack. Nemesh stressed that no decision had been made and that any determination would follow consultation with families, the Jewish community, and residents.

The council noted a 2024 engineering report finding both heritage-listed pedestrian bridges are nearing the end of their useful life and will require replacement or major restoration within several years. Further advice on costs, approvals, and options will be commissioned. The report recommended replacement within several years.

Council will now investigate whether replacement of the northern bridge could form part of a permanent memorial. Officers will prepare a report examining costs timetables, and approvals for either replacement or restoration.

Closing the meeting, Nemesh said the council’s responsibility was to lead with unity and care. “We will never forget what occurred at Bondi Beach on December 14,” he said. “But we will not allow hatred or violence to define who we are as a community.”