Jessica Feshbach
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Jessica Feshbach, also known as Jessica Feshbach Rodriguez and Jessica Davis (born December 18, 1975), is an American former official within the
Church of Scientology The Church of Scientology is a group of interconnected corporate entities and other organizations devoted to the practice, administration and dissemination of Scientology, which is variously defined as a cult, a scientology as a business, bu ...
organization. The daughter of a family with a long tradition in Scientology, she attended The Delphian School in
Yamhill County, Oregon Yamhill County is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 census, the population was 107,722. The county seat is McMinnville. Yamhill County was named after the Yamhelas, members of the Kalapuya Tribe. Yamhill Cou ...
, a Scientology school. At age 19, Feshbach joined the Church of Scientology's
Sea Org The Sea Organization (also known as the Sea Org) is a Scientology organization, which the Church of Scientology describes as a " fraternal religious order, comprising the religion’s most dedicated members". All Scientology management organizatio ...
, a group described by the organization as occupying "the most essential and trusted positions in the senior churches in the Scientology hierarchy". She was characterized in 2005 by
MSNBC MSNBC (originally the Microsoft National Broadcasting Company) is an American news-based pay television cable channel. It is owned by NBCUniversala subsidiary of Comcast. Headquartered in New York City, it provides news coverage and political ...
as a "Senior Scientologist", and by
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as "a high-level Scientologist"; in 2006 MSNBC described her as "a high-level Scientology practitioner and member of the church's influential Feshbach family". Feshbach is most well known for her stint as
Tom Cruise Thomas Cruise Mapother IV (born July 3, 1962), known professionally as Tom Cruise, is an American actor and producer. One of the world's highest-paid actors, he has received various accolades, including an Honorary Palme d'Or and three Gol ...
's assistant, and for her friendship with Katie Holmes during the couple's engagement. 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.
Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
made special accommodations for Feshbach to accompany Holmes during promotion of ''
Batman Begins ''Batman Begins'' is a 2005 superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan and written by Nolan and David S. Goyer. The film is based on the DC Comics character Batman, it stars Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne / Batman, with Michael Caine, Liam ...
'', and she attended Holmes' wedding to Cruise in
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in 2006. Feshbach was later a guest of honor at Scientology's Patron Ball, held at the organization's headquarters in
Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...
. By 2009, Feshbach had become a high-ranking spokesperson for the Scientology organization.


Early life and family

Born on December 18, 1975, Feshbach comes from an influential family within Scientology. She is a devoted member of the organization, and her family, having given millions of dollars to the organization, are one of the most significant donors to Scientology. Her mother is Lucinda Horn Feshbach and her father was Joseph Feshbach, an investor in
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; he was profiled in a 1991 article about Scientology in ''
Time magazine ''Time'' (stylized in all caps) is an American news magazine based in New York City. For nearly a century, it was published weekly, but starting in March 2020 it transitioned to every other week. It was first published in New York City on Mar ...
''. Feshbach has a twin sister, Melissa, and an older brother Kurt. As of 2005, her aunt was the manager of a
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
-based Scientology center. Along with two brothers, Joseph Feshbach worked out of facilities in
California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
and
Clearwater, Florida Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, United States, northwest of Tampa and St. Petersburg. To the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and to the southeast lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2020 census, the city had a populat ...
. The Feshbachs are noteworthy for gaining wealth through the process of
short selling In finance, being short in an asset means investing in such a way that the investor will profit if the value of the asset falls. This is the opposite of a more conventional "long" position, where the investor will profit if the value of the ...
companies on the
stock market A stock market, equity market, or share market is the aggregation of buyers and sellers of stocks (also called shares), which represent ownership claims on businesses; these may include ''securities'' listed on a public stock exchange, as ...
. The brothers are all devout adherents to Scientology. Some critics question their short-selling methods. Feshbach attended
elementary education Primary education or elementary education is typically the first stage of formal education, coming after preschool/kindergarten and before secondary school. Primary education takes place in ''primary schools'', ''elementary schools'', or firs ...
at the Delphian School, a private Scientology
boarding school A boarding school is a school where pupils live within premises while being given formal instruction. The word "boarding" is used in the sense of "room and board", i.e. lodging and meals. As they have existed for many centuries, and now exten ...
. The Delphian School is located in
Sheridan, Oregon Sheridan is a city in Yamhill County, Oregon, United States. Platted in the 1860s when it received a post office, the city was incorporated in 1880. A major fire burned much of the city in 1913, and a flood covered much of the city in 1964. The po ...
, and delivers instruction to grades K-8. In 2005, Feshbach began going by the name Rodriguez, her second husband.


Scientology official


Sea Org

In 1994, Feshbach joined the
Sea Org The Sea Organization (also known as the Sea Org) is a Scientology organization, which the Church of Scientology describes as a " fraternal religious order, comprising the religion’s most dedicated members". All Scientology management organizatio ...
, a division within the organization. ''
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'' characterized the Sea Org as "Scientology's senior management". In their book ''Cults and New Religions'', Douglas E. Cowan and
David G. Bromley David G. Bromley (born 1941) is a professor of sociology at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA and the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, specialized in sociology of religion and the academic study of new religious movements ...
wrote, "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'." The Sea Org has been described as a paramilitary organization and as a private naval force, having operated several vessels in its past and displaying a maritime tradition. Some ex-members and scholars have described the Sea Org as a totalitarian organization marked by intensive surveillance and a lack of freedom. ''Rolling Stone'' notes, "Sea Org members staff all of the senior ecclesiastic positions in the church hierarchy". As of 2010, there were 5,000 members in the Sea Org. Feshbach told the
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...
, "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.'" As part of her ascent within the church's hierarchy, Feshbach completed multiple paid Scientology courses including "Security Checker Internship," "False Purpose Rundown Auditorship" and "Clear Certainty". In 2005,
MSNBC MSNBC (originally the Microsoft National Broadcasting Company) is an American news-based pay television cable channel. It is owned by NBCUniversala subsidiary of Comcast. Headquartered in New York City, it provides news coverage and political ...
characterized Feshbach as a "Senior Scientologist", and
Fox News Channel The Fox News Channel, abbreviated FNC, commonly known as Fox News, and stylized in all caps, is an American multinational conservative cable news television channel based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is owne ...
called her "a high-level Scientologist" within the organization. In 2006, MSNBC described Feshbach as "a high-level Scientology practitioner and member of the church's influential Feshbach family".


Assistant to Cruise and Holmes

Feshbach soon began working as an assistant to Scientologist actor
Tom Cruise Thomas Cruise Mapother IV (born July 3, 1962), known professionally as Tom Cruise, is an American actor and producer. One of the world's highest-paid actors, he has received various accolades, including an Honorary Palme d'Or and three Gol ...
. In April 2005, she transferred from her Sea Org duties to serve as a personal "handler" to his then-fiancée, Katie Holmes. Soon after beginning her relationship with Cruise, Holmes fired her long-time manager and agent, and Feshbach became her new "best friend". Feshbach tutored Holmes in Scientology methodologies, traveled with Holmes when the actress was interviewed during publicity events. In one cover story for
W Magazine ''W'' is an American fashion magazine that features stories about style through the lens of culture, fashion, art, celebrity, and film. W was created in 1972 by James Brady, the publisher of sister magazine ''Women's Wear Daily'' (''WWD''), ori ...
, journalist Robert Haskell wrote that 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." Holmes simply characterized Feshbach as her best friend, and Feshbach said the same. During the interview, however, Feshbach intervened multiple times to answer questions posed to Holmes. Feshbach additionally accompanied Holmes to promote her film ''
Batman Begins ''Batman Begins'' is a 2005 superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan and written by Nolan and David S. Goyer. The film is based on the DC Comics character Batman, it stars Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne / Batman, with Michael Caine, Liam ...
''.
Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
, the studio that distributed the film, released a statement to ''
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'' that denied reported friction with 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." Later that year, along with Cruise and Holmes, Feshbach was a guest of honor at the Patron Ball, a Scientology event held at
Saint Hill Manor Saint Hill Manor is a Grade II listed country manor house at Saint Hill Green, near East Grinstead in West Sussex, England. It was constructed in 1792 and had several notable owners before being purchased by L. Ron Hubbard and becoming the Britis ...
, the organization's British headquarters. In 2006, Feshbach attended Holmes' wedding to Cruise in
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
.


Organization spokesperson

By 2009, Feshbach had become a public spokesperson for Scientology; she continued to serve in this capacity in 2010. Feshbach and Scientology official Tommy Davis held a meeting on February 27, 2009, in
Burbank, California Burbank is a city in the southeastern end of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Located northwest of downtown Los Angeles, Burbank has a population of 107,337. The city was named after David Burbank, w ...
with actor Larry Anderson. Anderson, who had previously starred in the Scientology introduction film ''
Orientation Orientation may refer to: Positioning in physical space * Map orientation, the relationship between directions on a map and compass directions * Orientation (housing), the position of a building with respect to the sun, a concept in building de ...
'', asked Feshbach and Davis to give back money he had donated to the Scientology organization. Anderson recorded the 90-minute discussion and it was made public by the ''
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''.


Life After Leaving Sea Org

In 2009, Feshbach married Scientology executive Tommy Davis in a small private ceremony. The pair divorced in 2018. They have two children, Chloe and Delilah. Feshbach acquired a Texas realtor's license in July 2013 and worked as a realtor in Austin, Texas before moving to California.Austin gains some prominent Scientologists , www.statesman.com
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See also

*
Gold base Gold Base (also variously known as Gold, Golden Era Productions, Int Base, or Int) is the ''de facto'' international headquarters of the Church of Scientology, located north of San Jacinto, California, United States, about from Los Angeles. The ...
*
Office of Special Affairs The Office of Special Affairs (OSA), formerly the Guardian's Office, is a department of the Church of Scientology International. According to the Church, the OSA is responsible for directing legal affairs, public relations, pursuing investigation ...
*
Scientology and celebrities Recruiting and retaining Scientologist celebrities and getting them to endorse Scientology to the public at large has been important to the Church of Scientology since its early days. The organization has had a written program governing celebrit ...


References


Further reading

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External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Feshbach, Jessica American Scientologists Living people 1976 births Place of birth missing (living people) Scientology officials American real estate businesspeople People from Austin, Texas