Paul Kessler, who died after Thousand Oaks protest, is mourned at synagogue vigil
Editor's note: This story has been updated with information released by the sheriff's office Thursday evening.
Paul Kessler had recently retired and should have been enjoying his golden years, his Rabbi Ari Averbach at Temple Etz Chaim said Wednesday night.
Instead, Kessler's loved ones, friends and supporters of the Jewish community gathered at the Thousand Oaks synagogue at a vigil for the 69-year-old who died Monday from injuries he suffered a day earlier when demonstrators from both sides of the Israel-Hamas conflict gathered in Thousand Oaks.
Averbach said Kessler was a family person who loved his wife and children and went to the Shell station to stand up for his beliefs.
“He wasn’t somebody going from place to place looking for a fight,” Averbach said.
And so audience members packing Temple Etz Chaim stood together and put their arms around each other as they sang at the “Standing Together” service at the Thousand Oaks synagogue where Kessler was a member.
Hundreds of people heard rabbis and others speak in support of the Jewish community after Kessler’s death from Sunday's altercation.
“This week’s news was shocking and appalling, and somehow Jews were not surprised,” Averbach told audience members at the service, where security included metal detectors and sheriff’s deputies.
Averbach noted that this week marked the fifth anniversary of the fatal shooting at Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks and last month for the shooting at Tree of Life Congregation, a Pittsburgh synagogue. He added that this week is the 85th anniversary of Kristallnacht — the Night of the Broken Glass — during which Nazis terrorized Jews throughout Germany and Austria.
But the rabbi also said that despite Kessler’s death, he doesn’t believe Thousand Oaks has become unsafe to the point that people must avoid wearing or displaying anything that indicates they’re Jewish.
He referred to outpouring of support from elected officials and other community leaders.
“Church leaders have reached out in love, condemning the violence of neighbor against neighbor," Averbach said.
During an interview after the service, the rabbi said the support from mosques and churches has meant a lot to the Jewish community.
“I don’t think Paul’s death is a sign of what’s to come,” Averbach said. “The outreach from everyone reminds me we live in a safe and wonderful place.”
As of Thursday afternoon, no arrests had been made, but the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office on Monday searched the home of a Moorpark man in his 50s who is under investigation.
On Thursday evening, the sheriff's office issued an update on the investigation into Kessler's death, noting some had expressed "frustration and anger" that no arrests had been made. The news release noted investigators only have photos and video from before and after the altercation.
"Currently, we do not have any footage of the actual incident taking place, which would be extremely helpful in this case and would undoubtedly show or could even refute criminal culpability," sheriff's officials wrote in the statement.
They encouraged drivers with vehicles equipped with video recorders that may have captured the incident to contact investigators. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Corey Stump at 805-384-4745.
Courage and support
During her address to the audience Wednesday night, Rabbi Michele Paskow of Congregation B’nai Emet in Simi Valley praised Kessler for bravely standing up for Israel at the Thousand Oaks intersection.
“I saw this beautiful picture of Paul proudly holding the Israeli flag. That’s what I’m going to remember,” she said.
Paskow offered a prayer of support for Paul’s wife Cheryl and their family.
Solidarity was stressed again when Rabbi Barry Diamond of Temple Adat Elohim in Thousand Oaks told the audience about the Christian community’s support for Jews after a rock was thrown through the window of a Billings, Montana, home that displayed a menorah.
Diamond noted that the Christian community reacted by displaying menorahs or photos of menorahs at their homes.
In addition to the rabbis, Thousand Oaks Police Chief Jeremy Paris addressed the largely Jewish audience, telling them they're "a strong, resilient people." Both their history and how they conducted themselves since Kessler's death, showed this, he said.
“Although it may seem that many people are against you, there are more that are for you,” Paris said. “I am for you.”
Legislators also spoke.
“When people are feeling unsafe, we come together,” Assembly member Jacqui Irwin, D-Thousand Oaks, told the audience, referring to the Borderline shooting and the 2018 Woolsey Fire.
State Sen. Henry Stern, D-Calabasas, whose district includes eastern Ventura County and who is a member of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus, told audience members they weren’t alone.
“One-sixth of your state Legislature happens to be Jewish," he said. "You have a loud voice in the state of California.”
Stern said later that the state can take more legislative action to protect Jews. He said he would like to make the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which operates as needed to fund protection for synagogues, mosques, schools, immigrant health centers and other nonprofits, permanent among his other ideas to ensure their safety.
“I’m trying to make sure this issue doesn’t get buried,” Stern said. “It’s an easy one to sweep aside, to say it’s a one-off incident or say it’s a singular tragedy. It is systematic.”
Dave Mason covers East County for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at dave.mason@vcstar.com or 805-437-0232.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Paul Kessler, who died after protest altercation, mourned at vigil
