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JAINA
Chicago, IL
2005
34
Jain Education International 2010_03
issues by individuals and advertisements. It is notable that the very first advertiser, JAYA Travel, has remained steadfast in its support of JAINA evidenced by the fact that for all of the 20 years they have been advertising in JAIN DIGEST continuously. Over the years, JAIN DIGEST has become a very important part of JAINA by reporting news and events of JAINA. The initial issues of JAIN DIGEST were 5 1/2" x 8 1⁄2". Issues were hand typed and about 500 copies were printed. Someone had to pickup the issues from Canada and mail approximately 20 copies to each of the centers in the USA. In 1989, after a devoted effort to start a mailing list, JAIN DIGEST was being delivered to 7,000 homes. The expanded mailing was made possible by the generous donation of Pramod Zhaveri of the Jain Center of Cincinnati and Dayton. All the while editor S. A. B. Kumar laboriously produced JAIN DIGEST on a shoestring budget. Circulation had reached over 5,000 copies and more importantly, the magazine had become a well-read and respected Jain magazine in many parts of the world. The initial commitment of free distribution to every known Jain family in North America has been preserved to this date when circulation has passed the 10,000 mark. JAIN DIGEST, as a voice of JAINA, has done a lot to build JAINA's image here and abroad.
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In 1987, the fourth JAINA Convention was held. Earlier the Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago had bought 15 acres of land for a very ambitious temple project at an estimated cost of one million dollars. Michael Tobias' documentary, "AHIMSA," was shown to the 700 attendees of the convention. Gurudev Shri Chitrabhanuji, Shri Davendrakirti Bhattarak, Sri Laxmisena Bhattarak and H. C. Bharil were the prominent speakers. This year also marked the groundbreaking cere monies for the Jain Center of Southern California and Siddhachalam. The temple in southern California was the first JAIN temple in North America built from ground up. In July 1988, both the Jain Society of North Texas and the Jain Center of Southern California held inaugurations for the temples.
Extending Jain Heritage in Western Environment
1989 was a good year for Jains in North America. The Jain Society of Rochester organized a forum for young Jains. Both the Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington and the Jain Society of Greater Detroit bought land to build temples and the Jain Sangh of South Jersey purchased a building for converting into a temple. Statue of Bhagwan Shri Mahavir was installed at the Hindu Jain Cultural Center Edmonton, Canada. Additionally in Canada, the Toronto Star carried exclusive coverage on Jain religion in its Saturday Magazine, coinciding with the Birthday Celebration of Bhagwan Shri Mahavir. Visits by a group of three Jain monks, known as "Triputi Bandhu"was sponsored by JAINA. JAINA published "JAIN STAVANS" in English. That year, the 5th JAINA convention was held in Toronto from July 1st to July 3rd. From this point, the convention dates were permanently changed to the long weekend in July to synchronize with US-Canada holidays and encourage the participation of children during the summer school holidays. Attendance at this con
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