In September 2024, the Faces of October 7th exhibition opened in Jerusalem, offering a poignant reflection on the victims and survivors of the October 7, 2023, attack, Israel’s deadliest massacre in recent history. Two years after the assault, the exhibition revisits the faces and stories of those affected—some who returned from captivity, others brought home for burial, and families still coping with loss.
The exhibition first came to life as an impromptu response by graffiti artist Benzi Brofman. On October 6, 2023, Brofman was set to paint live at the Unity Festival in Re’im but left before Shabbat. The following day, that location was transformed into a site of tragedy. In the aftermath, Brofman shifted from commercial art to creating powerful, intimate portraits of victims, hostages, and fallen soldiers, in collaboration with their families. Each portrait captures the subjects with a direct and arresting gaze.
These visual tributes encompass a wide array of individuals: festival-goers who did not return, families murdered in their homes, civilians who died attempting to rescue others, members of the Israel Defense Forces lost in combat, as well as hostages released from captivity. Each image represents a life defined by love, dreams, and everyday hopes now overshadowed by trauma.
Beyond commemorating these individuals, the exhibition highlights the broader impact of the October 7 attack in Israel and worldwide. Its consequences extended far beyond physical damage, provoking a parallel struggle over collective memory, truth, and narrative. Widespread misinformation, denial, and conspiracy theories emerged internationally, complicating efforts by victims and their families to share their experiences and grief.
Advocacy groups such as StandWithUs play a significant role in addressing these challenges by countering falsehoods and providing educational resources worldwide. Their work supports informed dialogue about Israel, emphasizing the importance of starting discussions grounded in fact and recognizing the humanity of those affected, despite political differences.
The 2024 exhibition augments the individual portraits with video, interactive installations, and a virtual reality experience inviting visitors to engage deeply with the stories behind the faces. By urging attendees to pause and reflect, the display aims to resist the tendency to forget or move quickly to new crises, affirming that memory requires active effort to sustain.
The Faces of October 7th exhibition runs through October 8 at the StandWithUs Katz Education Center in Jerusalem. Organizers encourage the public to attend, look into the eyes of those portrayed, and commit to preserving the truth and memory of the lives altered by the events of October 7, 2023.