- Jessica Feshbach
-
Jessica Feshbach Born 1976 (age 34–35)
United StatesOther names Jessica Feshbach Rodriguez,
Jessica RodriguezEducation The Delphian School Occupation Scientology official,
Member of Sea OrgYears active 1994-present Employer David Miscavige Organization Church of Scientology International Known for Scientology spokesperson,
Assistant to Katie HolmesParents Joseph Feshbach Relatives Matt Feshbach,
Kurt FeshbachJessica Feshbach (also known as Jessica Feshbach Rodriguez) is an American official within the Scientology organization. The daughter of an influential family within Scientology which gave millions of dollars to the organization,[1][2] she attended The Delphian School in Oregon which uses techniques developed by the movement's founder L. Ron Hubbard.[3] Her father, Joseph Feshbach, was an investor in Palo Alto, California who was profiled in a 1991 article in Time magazine about Scientology.[2]
Feshbach joined the Scientology division Sea Org in 1994,[4] an elite group described by the organization as occupying "the most essential and trusted positions in the senior churches in the Scientology hierarchy".[5] She was characterized in 2005 by MSNBC as a "Senior Scientologist",[6] and by Fox News Channel as "a high-level Scientologist";[7] in 2006 MSNBC described her as "a high-level Scientology practitioner and member of the church's influential Feshbach family".[1]
In April 2005, Feshbach was transferred from her duties within the Sea Org in order to serve as an assistant to Tom Cruise in the capacity of attending to Katie Holmes.[8][9] In this role she traveled with Holmes during publicity for the actresses's film roles, sat in on interviews, and responded to questions about Holmes from journalists.[7][9][10] The cinema production studio Warner Bros. made special accommodations for Feshbach to accompany Holmes during promotion of the film Batman Begins.[11] The two became best friends,[7][12] and Feshbach later attended the wedding of Holmes to Cruise in Italy in 2006.[9] Feshbach with Cruise and Holmes was a guest of honor at a Scientology function the Patron Ball held at Saint Hill Manor, the organization's headquarters in Britain.[9]
By 2009, Feshbach had become a spokesperson for the Scientology organization.[13] In this role, she held a meeting along with representative Tommy Davis in 2009 in Burbank, California with Scientology member actor Larry Anderson, in order to address his grievances about the organization.[14][15] Feshbach represented the organization to Florida newspaper the St. Petersburg Times in 2010, and commented on the expertise of her supervisor, Scientology's top leader David Miscavige.[13]
Contents
Early life and family
Born in 1976,[16] Feshbach is the daughter of an influential family within Scientology.[1][8] She is a devoted member of the organization,[17] and her family, having given millions of dollars to the organization,[2][9][18] are one of the most significant donors to Scientology.[7] Her father was Joseph Feshbach, an investor in Palo Alto, California; he was profiled in a 1991 article about Scientology in Time magazine.[2] Along with his two brothers, Joseph Feshbach worked out of facilitites in California and Clearwater, Florida.[19] Joseph Feshbach and his two brothers are all adherents to Scientology.[20][21] The three brothers have used Dianetics, a philosophy which serves as the base of Scientology methodology, to aid their trading techniques.[22][23] Their firm, Feshbach Bros., utilized Dianetics teachings in managing the company's investment fund, Southgate Partners.[23] In 2005, her aunt was the manager of a Florida-based Scientology center.[2][9] Her uncle, Matt Feshbach, told the St. Petersburg Times newspaper in Florida that a Scientology program titled Super Powers had helped him improve his investing skills.[20] The Feshbachs are noteworthy for gaining wealth through the process of short selling companies on the stock market.[2][19] Joseph and Matt are twins; their older brother Kurt utilizes the same approach to investing.[24]
Feshbach received elementary education from The Delphian School, a private boarding school whose teaching techniques are based on the methodology of L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology.[3] The Delphian School is located in Sheridan, Oregon, and delivers instruction to grades K-8.[3] In 2005, Feshbach went by the name of Rodriguez, her second husband.[7] In 2011, The New Yorker reported that Jessica Feshbach and Tommy Davis are married.[25]
Scientology official
Sea Org
In 1994, Feshbach joined the division of Scientology called the Sea Org,[4] an elite unit within the organization.[9][26] 3 News characterized the Sea Org as "Scientology's senior management".[27] In their book Cults and New Religions, Douglas E. Cowan and David G. Bromley describe the Sea Org writing, "Described by the Church as 'a fraternal religious order,' members of the Sea Org 'occupy the most essential and trusted positions in the senior churches in the Scientology hierarchy'."[5] Rolling Stone notes, "Sea Org members staff all of the senior ecclesiastic positions in the church hierarchy".[28][29] In 2010, there were 5,000 members in the Sea Org.[30] Feshbach commented to the Associated Press about her view of serving in the Sea Org, "When you sign up as a Sea Org member, you're signing up as a member of a religious order. You're a volunteer. You sign a contract that says, 'I'm not going to be paid minimum wage and I know that.'"[4]
In 2005, MSNBC characterized Feshbach as a "Senior Scientologist",[6] and Fox News Channel called her "a high-level Scientologist" within the organization.[7] In 2006, MSNBC described Feshbach as, "a high-level Scientology practitioner and member of the church's influential Feshbach family".[1] She completed Scientology courses including "Security Checker Internship," "False Purpose Rundown Auditorship" and "Clear Certainty".[7]
Tom Cruise assistant
Feshbach began working with assistants to celebrity Scientology member and actor, Tom Cruise,[31] in April 2005; she attended to Katie Holmes.[8] She transferred from her Sea Org duties in order to serve in this capacity.[9] Soon after beginning her relationship with Cruise, Holmes fired her long-time manager and agent and acquired a new "best friend", Feshbach.[32][33] Holmes was tutored by Feshbach in Scientology methodologies.[34] Feshbach traveled together with Katie Holmes,[35] when the actress was interviewed during publicity events, including an interview in W magazine.[7] Robert Haskell, who wrote W magazine's cover story on the actress, said Feshbach "was described to me as Holmes's 'Scientology chaperone' and it was clear that she would be on hand during our interview despite my protests."[10][36] This was in contrast to Holmes's earlier press, which noted approvingly she "arrives without the ubiquitous PR person in tow."[37] Holmes characterized Feshbach as her best friend;[7] Feshbach as well stated to W magazine the two were "just best friends".[12][38] Feshbach intervened multiple times to answer questions posed to Holmes during the W magazine interview.[39][40]
Feshbach accompanied Holmes as she helped to promote the film, Batman Begins.[41][42] Warner Bros., the studio that distributed Batman Begins, released a statement to New York Daily News denying reported animosity between the film studio and Feshbach, "There's no discord between us and Jessica. We, in fact, made Jessica's hotel reservations for her and brought her along on our plane. If she's someone Katie wants to travel with, that's fine. The people who made the tour made every effort to accommodate her. It's a very amicable situation."[11] Along with Cruise and Holmes, Feshbach was a guest of honor at a Scientology function the Patron Ball held at Saint Hill Manor, the central management location of the organization in Britain.[9] She attended the 2006 wedding of Holmes to Cruise in Italy.[9]
Organization spokesperson
By 2009, Feshbach had become a public spokesperson for Scientology;[13] she continued to serve in this capacity in 2010.[4][43] Along with Scientology official Tommy Davis, Feshbach held a meeting February 27, 2009 in Burbank, California with Scientology member actor Larry Anderson.[14][15] Anderson, who had previously starred in the Scientology introduction film, Orientation, recorded the 90-minute discussion; it was made public by the Florida newspaper the St. Petersburg Times.[14][15] Anderson requested of Feshbach and Davis to have money he gave to the Scientology organization returned to him.[14][15] In June 2009, Feshbach commented on the expertise of Scientology leader David Miscavige to the St. Petersburg Times, regarding his experience in the methodology of the organization and his ability to monitor a controversial case involving the death of Scientologist Lisa McPherson.[13] Feshbach asserted, "He is an expert in every field."[13] In July 2010 the Church of Scientology International publicized a "Scientology Newsroom" website tailored for members of the media;[44] Feshbach was one of four international representatives for Scientology listed as "Spokespersons".[45]
See also
References
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- ^ a b c Rowlands, Ted (August 11, 2005). "Scientology vs. Psychiatry; Scientology Explored". Anderson Cooper 360 (CNN). http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0508/11/acd.01.html. Retrieved 2010-10-18.
- ^ a b c d Flaccus, Gillian (Associated Press) (March 29, 2010). "Scientology lawsuits draw attention to work of 'Sea Org'". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2010-03-29-scientology-sea_N.htm. Retrieved 2010-10-18.
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- ^ a b Bonné, Jon (August 8, 2005). "When enough is enough". MSNBC (msnbc.msn.com). http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8475464/site/todayshow/ns/today-entertainment. Retrieved 2010-10-18.
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- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Morton, Andrew (2008). Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography. St. Martin's Press. pp. 268, 273, 276, 279–282, 287, 291–294, 303, 310. ISBN 0312359861.
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- ^ a b c d Childs, Joe; Thomas C. Tobin (January 24, 2010). "Larry Anderson, star of Scientology's 'Orientation' film, wants his money back". St. Petersburg Times (www.tampabay.com). http://www.tampabay.com/news/scientology/article1067720.ece. Retrieved 2010-10-18.
- ^ Recchia, Philip (June 19, 2005). "Scientology 'princess' is a spooky shadow on kooky Katie". New York Post: p. 004.
- ^ Tauber, Michelle (April 24, 2006). "The Private World of Katie Holmes". People magazine (www.people.com) 65 (16). http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20157316,00.html. Retrieved 2010-10-18.
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- ^ a b "He's getting rich betting stocks will drop". Miami Herald: p. 1F. October 1, 1989.
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- ^ Groves, Martha (October 14, 1990). "Short Road to Success Investing: The Feshbach brothers of Palo Alto have made a fortune betting that stocks will go down. But some critics question their short-selling methods.". Los Angeles Times: p. 1; Business, part D.
- ^ Wright, Lawrence ( February 14, 2011). "The Apostate: Paul Haggis vs. the Church of Scientology," The New Yorker; http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/02/14/110214fa_fact_wright?currentPage=18
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- ^ Gardner, David (March 28, 2010). "Scientologists make their followers 'work as slave labour', according to lawsuits by two former members". Daily Mail (www.dailymail.co.uk). http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1261386/Scientologists-make-followers-work-slave-labour-according-lawsuits-members.html. Retrieved 2010-10-18.
- ^ Erin (July 19, 2010). "Scientologists Unveil 'Scientology Newsroom'". Crushable (b5media inc). http://crushable.com/other-stuff/scientologists-unveil-scientology-newsroom/. Retrieved 2010-10-28.
- ^ "Church of Scientology International Contact Information". Scientology Newsroom (Church of Scientology International). 2010. http://www.scientologynews.org/contact.html. Retrieved 2010-10-28.
Further reading
- Hartwig, Renate (1995) (in German). Scientology: das Komplott und die Kumpane. Renate Hartwig. p. 203. ISBN 3896230492.
- Nordhausen, Frank; Liane von Billerbeck (2008) (in German). Scientology: Wie der Sektenkonzern die Welt erobern will. Links Christoph Verlag. p. 46. ISBN 3861534703.
External links
- "Church of Scientology International Contact Information". Scientology Newsroom (Church of Scientology International). 2010. http://www.scientologynews.org/contact.html. Retrieved 2010-10-28.
Categories:- American Scientologists
- Living people
- 1976 births
- Scientology officials
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