________________
JAIN DIGEST
is a will, there is a way." For the first time I helped perform a Jain marriage in North America according to Jain tradition.
I am proud and pleased to offer my services to all Jains anywhere in North America. JAIJINENDER.
Since, we the youth are the focus of the convention, we would like your input on the activities in which you would like to participate during the convention. Please call or send us your ideas for the conventions by the end of February 1991. Tushar Shah
Minesh and Seema Bhimani 382 Bluefield Dr. 55 St. James Place San Jose, CA 95136 Piedmont, CA 94611 (408) 281-1668
(415) 482-0860
Anand Kumar Jain, 342 Stevens Drive, West Vancouver, B.C., Canada, V7S1C6
Language barriers solved
Dear Editor:
The Jain Society of Rochester has started doing something constructive about a problem that has existed with us for quite some time but never found the time to do anything about it. The problem is one of a language barrier between us and our children when it comes time to expose them to Jainism. We realized that although the children were coming to our monthly meetings, they did not understand a word of what we were singing or chanting. It was no different than Chinese to them!
We have started translating the stavans (prayers) and presenting to them the through use of an overhead projectors once a month. Each line of stavan is shown in three different ways: (a) In Gujarati or Hindi, (b) In English phonetically, (c) in English showing the exact meaning in simple terms the kids can understand. We are asking the parents to use this material at home and plan to use it over and over again in future meetings for reinforcement. The concept is very simple: if the kids understand what we are chanting, they will show an interest and motivation in Jainism, offering us a much better chance if maintaining our cultural heritage.
Suggestion: Why can't we have about 10 Jain Centers/ Societies assume the responsibility for translating 4 stavans each and sharing the material with all Jain Societies in North America. Perhaps we can do this job in six months jointly. If we did it on our own as we have been, it will take us 40 months! May I ask JAINA to coordinate this effort. We will be very glad to share our material.
(The following is an excerpt from a similar letter)
...We need to ensure that the convention is a success in the eyes of the Jain community. We are finally receiving an opportunity to unite, to come together as one in representing Jain youths from all areas of the globe. Thus, it is crucial that we take advantage of the convention.
Secondly, we must come forth to repay an obligation. Our parents have done a masterful job in teaching us the fundamentals of Jainism and the history of our culture. We, the second generation of Indo-American Jains, must unite and make an effort to retain our religion, heritage, and culture. We must ensure that the values our parents have tried so hard to raise us with do not disintegrate in the American melting pot. We are gaining a chance to preserve and protect our inveterate Jain heritage and culture for ourselves as well as our posterity, and we must utilize the opportunity. 20 years from now, we will be the leaders of our Jain community and the Jain youth committees will be comprised of our children. How can we be so sure that the future will be as strong as the present? This July, we must answer the questions and prove to ourselves that we will retain our religion and heritage, for ourselves as well as our posterity.
Mintu Turakhia Co-chairman, Jaina Convention youth committee
Anop Vora
Jain scholars visit North America to form
education project
Youth Comer
rofessor Malukchand R. Shah of Ahmedabad. Dr. N.L. P Jain of Rewa, and R.K.Jain, IAS of Delhi are working on
the youth education project. All three Jain scholars are To the Jain Youths in North America
retired and are working full-time for the cause. They will be The Youth Committee of the Jain Center of Northern
visiting North America for four months in June 1991 and California cordially invites all youths to attend the 6th Bien
Jains should be encouraged to invite them to local centers so nial JAINA convention to be held on July 4-6, 1991, at Stan- that they could have a gainful exchange of views and ideas ford University in the San Francisco Bay area. The theme with local youth. This would help them to understand the of the convention is Extending Jain Heritage to the Next present environment and the needs of Jain youths. Those Generation. The convention will focus on ideas and issues
interested in participating in this project should contact Dr. related to Jainism and today's youth.
Gada at the Jaina Library.
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