Episode 20

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Published on:

20th Nov 2020

#20 - Raymond Holcomb, FBI Special Agent, Counterterrorist, & Homeland Security Advisor

This week, we’re bringing you an extra special episode of the podcast with former FBI Special Agent Raymond Holcomb, president and managing director of 1st Watch Global. 

Ray has over 30 years’ experience as a law enforcement and intelligence officer. He served for over 23 years as an FBI Special Agent; 8 as a Strategic Planner with the US National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), and 4 as a state Homeland Security Advisor. 

His FBI career included 15 years investigating foreign espionage, major drug trafficking organizations, organized crime and National Security matters. He also served as a member of the FBI’s New York office SWAT team and was appointed Commander of the team from 1998 to 2001. Under Ray’s leadership, the NY SWAT team assumed an expanded role, being involved in high risk domestic arrests and providing overseas security and enhanced investigative capability for FBI teams deploying internationally in response to terrorism.

Together with Ray, we take a serious and at times unsettling dive into the following topics:

·        The FBI during the Cold War

·        Moles, rogue agents, and defectors from the USSR

·        Existent and new threats posed by the axis of Russia, China, and Iran

·        Marxist/Anarchist influence in social justice movements and academia

·        Antifa: its history, foreign financing and control, KGB-playbook organizational tactics, and the mainstream media’s reticence to cover the facts

·        The Proud Boys & ‘lone wolf’ operators

·        Foreign gaslighting of broad sections of the public to advance political aims and cover up the truth

·        Hate and extremist groups in America

·        1st Amendment issues

·        Censorship

·        Conspiracy theories and their effects on American culture

·        Ray’s service abroad in countries identified and classified to conduct counterterror ops

·        Al Qaeda and the bombings of the USS Cole and the US Embassies in Kenya Tanzania

·        9/11 – stories of victims & survivors, including that of his former commander John O’Neill who retired from the FBI to become the director of security at the World Trade Center who tragically died in the attacks after warning of the threat of Al Qaeda for many years

·        His team’s interrogation of Saddam Hussein

·        America’s retreat from the world stage

·        A final message and warning about the future

Links:

1st Watch Global – Ray’s internationally-renowned security consulting firm

Buy Ray’s book ‘Endless Enemies – Inside FBI Counterterrorism’ TODAY on Amazon

 

As always, make sure to subscribe to Jewanced on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

 For more information, visit us at http://www.jewanced.com

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About the Podcast

Jewanced
A nuanced exploration of Israel, the Jewish world and beyond
Jewanced is hosted by Dan Feferman and Benny Scholder, two guys who grew up in America and live in Israel.
They're curious. They want to discuss. They want to challenge popular conceptions, they want to think critically, examine independently, and most of all, they crave nuance.

Each episode features a different guest. All interesting and original people who strive to break boundaries. Together with Dan and Benny, take a deep dive into politics, foreign affairs, religion, science, technology, food, the arts, business – you name it. Explore the nuanced crossroads of Israel, the global Jewish experience, and beyond.

What's the goal? To create a daring platform where people share their stories, insights, creations, and visions. Jewanced has no talking points, no script, no agenda...just a deeper nuanced understanding of our existence.

Join them on a journey as they explore, think, debate and discuss …. And most of all, listen.

About your hosts

Benny Scholder

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With over a decade of experience in Israel's tourism industry, Benny has managed sales, marketing, travel content, digital content, and the operations aspects of tour companies and travel agencies. Today, he is the Director of Sales-North America at Kenes Tours, Israel's leading provider of incoming tourism services, where he is proud to deliver transformative, custom-crafted Israel travel experiences designed to exceed expectations.
Originally from Minneapolis, Benny fell in love with Israel as a young adult, moving to the country in 2004. He has an extensive background in everything Israel-travel related, having completed Israel's intensive tour guide course in 2010. His career spans both logistical, content-related, and sales management positions with major and boutique Israeli tour companies alike. Benny lives with his amazing wife Maayan and two incredible children in the charming village of Gedera. In addition to his passion for transformative travel experiences, he's super passionate about food, modern & ancient history, politics, addictive TV, and game-changing podcasts. Contact him at Benny@jewanced.com

Dan Feferman

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Dan Feferman is a Major (res.) in the Israel Defense Forces. For almost a decade, he served as a foreign policy and national security analyst, strategist and adviser in the IDF General Staff; as a special assistant to the Deputy Chief of the General Staff; and a commander in an elite intelligence unit of AMAN's Research and Analysis Division.

He is a fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute, a think-tank focusing on issues of importance to Israel and the Jewish people, where he researches religious pluralism in Israel, trends in Jewish identity and Israel-Diaspora relations. He is also a political and strategic consultant and publishes and speaks widely on the Middle East and Israeli defense and political matters.

He is the author of Rising Streams: Reform and Conservative Judaism in Israel, and of a soon-to-be-published book on the changing face of American Judaism.

Dan holds a BA in International Politics and Middle East Studies from the American University in Washington DC and an MA in National Security Studies from Tel Aviv University.

Originally from Indiana, Dan moved to Israel in 2005. He is married to Elisheva, has three amazing kids, and lives in Rehovot. When taking a break, Dan stays busy with Crossfit, martial arts and cooking.