Jain Digest 1999 01 Vol 15 No 01

SR No.: 527074
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA
Publication Year: 1999
Total Pages: 40
Language: English
Classification: Magazine, USA_Jain Digest, & USA
File Size: 7 MB

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JAIN DIGEST
SPRING 1999 VOL. 15, NO. 1 CIRCULATION: 7,500
In this issue
Meet the new committee chairpersons......
Headquarters News
International News
Regional News
Committee News 10
Affiliate News......
12 JAINA & the United Nations 13 Veerayatan Appeal...........
Parliament of the World's
Religions Application....... 15 Teacher's Workshop Report 16 JAINA Essay Competition..... 17 The Jain Shala of America.... 20 Life Members Update .......... 22
22
General Fund Update Happy Occasions
JAINA Current Financial. Statement....
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Matrimonials
.7
JAIN DIGEST Circulation
Federation of JAINA
8
V.R. Gandhi Fund Update ... 22
JAINA Appeal Young Minds...
P.O. Box 700
Getzville, NY 14068-0700
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MIS Information.. 28 MIS Registration Form ......... 29 For Our Health. 31 For Your Information.......... 31 Letter to the Editor... 31 JAINA Convention Update and Registration Form
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Moving? Receiving duplicate copies? Send your address corrections to:
27
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
"JAINA at its best"
JAINA's new mission statement, "From cradle to cremation - JAINA is there" was not just a hollow promise or political rhetoric. JAINA is delivering on that promise every day.
Let me inform you what has happened since that statement.
JAINA's North American Family Assistance program committee under the leadership of Ilaben Mehta of Toledo, Ohio was helping a family in San Jose where a woman was dying of cancer and also helped raise funds for a Jain woman, Ms. Vijaya Kumat from Jaipur-India, who is here for bone marrow transplant.
Pravin Shah, Chairman of E.B.B. service organised a teacher's workshop with the financial assistance from JAINA and helped fifty plus teachers, so that they can use their experience at the local level and teach our children our religion, our heritage and our way of living in a better way.
As JAINA President, I signed an appeal letter, addressed to all Jains to contribute for the temple being built by Jain Centre of Northern California.
The Pilgrimage committee under the chairmanship of Dilip V. shah of Philadelphia is planning a second Jain Sangh to the places of pilgrimage in Rajasthan and Gujarat after first successful Jain Sangh to Sametshikhar.
The interfaith committee under the chairmanship of Dr. Rashmi Gardi of Chicago is organising Jain delegation to world parliament of Religions to be held in Capetown, South Africa. JAINA is one of the cosponsor of the conference.
JAINA and Veerayatan are trying for $400,000 grant from U.S. AID under the child Survival Program to save the lives of thousands of children under five in Nalanda District of Bihar where 125 out of 1000 children per year are dying because of malnutrition, diseases, lack of vaccinations and unhygienic conditions. Our goal is to reduce mortality rate by 50%. This will make difference in the lives of thousands of families and bring hope of survival to those who would have otherwise died prematurely.
JAINA has decided to be Founder member of Jain Academies International Federation headquartered in Ahmedabad, India. Someday, we hope to fund a chair of Jain Studies at a prestigious university in North America.
JAINA and the Jain Centre of Southern California under the leadership of Dr. Manibhai Mehta of L. A. has raised $65,000 and took 48 doctors and volunteers to Bidada medical camp and treated 18,000+ patients who had no other access to medical care. These volunteers gave their time, talent and treasure for those who needed the most. Endeavours like this are a great inspiration to future generations. U.S. ambassador Richard Celeste visited the camp and praised the humanitarian works of JAINA volunteers.
At the same time, World Community Services volunteers, Vijay Chheda of L.A., Keerti Shah of Chicago, Meetaben Shah of New Jersey, Kantibhai Shah of L.A., Dr. C. Haria of Cleveland, Dr. Pravin Mehta of Buffalo, Popat Savla of L.A., myself and many others participated in ground breaking ceremony of houses, temple and tubewells in villages of Ragha and Shekhadia, adopted by JAINA for rehabilitation after deadly cyclone had destroyed these villages on June 9th, 1998.
Newly formed Jirnodhar Committee under the leadership of Kirit Daftary of Dallas, TX has already completed its first project by sending funds to NAVKAR MANDAL of Ahmedabad to help them in their ongoing project of providing medicine to 1100 Sadhu-Sadhvijis.
In this continent, under the leadership of Dr. Mahendra Pandya of New York and host Samarpan Jain Sangh under the leadership of Devendra Peer are getting ready for 10th Biennial Continued on page 3
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