Jain Digest 1993 07

Author(s): Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA

Page 10

— Jain Digest Dr. Sulekh Jain's visit to Honolulu Jains
Understanding Our Youth In America - A Parent Forum
Last October, Dr. Sulekh, Jain, past president of JAINA visited Hawaii and met with the local Jains. He reviewed various JAINA activities. This meeting was attended by Dr. Standing, L to R: Padam Dhakad, Prof. Cromwell Crawford, Amond Jain and Dr. Sulekh Jain, Prof. Jagdish Sharma, Mr. Trilok Jain, Dr. his parents, Mr. Amod Jain. and Mrs. Trilok Siting, L to R: Mrs. Padam Dhakad (Madhu), Mrs. Trilok Jain, Jain, Mr. and Mrs. Sulekh Jain (Ravi) Mrs. Padam S. Dhakad, Dr. S. Cromwell Crawford, Chairman of the Department of Religion, University of Hawaii, Dr. Jagdish P. Sharma, Professor, Department of History, University of Hawaii, and Dr. Glen D. Paige, University of Hawaii.
Society of Hawaii holds Mahavir Jayanti
The goal of the forum on "Understanding Our Youth In America" organized at the Jain Bhavan, Buena Park, CA on March 7, 1993, was to assist the Indian parents to achieve a better understanding of their children growing up in America. The forum moderated by Sailesh Jain, one of the teachers at the Jain Center, was attended by over 100 parents. A panelist of eleven young professionals representing doctors, engineers, accountants, and business owners, Indian youths who had spent most of their young adult life growing up in America and are now established in their profession here, fielded the questions posed by the parents. The questions covered a wide range of topics including challenges of growing up in the midst of two vastly different cultures, the desire to teach and preserve the Indian culture and rituals, the emphasis on learning to read, write and speak the Indian language, the role of the parents in helping to select a career, concerns and opposition to inter-racial marriages, accountability for privileges and responsibilities, and lack of open communication and frequent interaction between parents and the youths. Through their answers to these questions, the young panelists provided the parents an excellent insight to the formidable challenges of bringing up our kids in America.
The opinions and experiences shared by these young professionals tend to conclude that open communication, frequent interaction, mutual respect, and an element of trust are the key ingredients to foster a successful youth-parent relationship in America. Following the success of this meeting, the young professionals have agreed to field the questions from the teenage students of the Jain Center
April 4, 1993 marked the first time Honolulu Jain families gathered to celebrate Mahavir Jayanti. Mr. Trilok Jain started the celebrations with puja and bhajans. Dr. Jagdish Sharma, a scholar on Shri Hemchandra addressed the group on Bhagwan's life, teachings and experiences. A ten year old youth, Aashish, read a paper on Bhagwan Mahavir's life and teachings.
The following were elected as committee members: Mrs. Premal Shah (Youth Affairs); Mrs. Bharti Ghatalia (Women's Affairs); Mrs. Mira Jain (Yoga & Meditation); Mr. Om Prakash Jain (Food Committee); Mr. Pritam Mehta (Library & Pathshala); Mr. Praful Shah (Samayak Committee); Mr. Vijay Shah (Entertainment); and Mr. Vasant Sheth (Snatra Puja).
Gabhara Renovations & Murti Sthapna
Canada - - - Dr. Mahendra Mehta, Regional Editor
Toronto elects new executive committee
The Jain Society of Toronto's new center is located in Etobicoke, a western suburb of Toronto. The construction of the new and formal ghabara has now begun and will be completed in summer 1993. Sthapna and opening of the new gabhara will be on July 24 and 25, 1993.
Gurudev Shri Chitrabhanu and Bhattarak Devendra Kirtiji have accepted the society's invitation to come to Toronto on the occasion.
All are cordially invited to attend and the society will be pleased to facilitate your stay during the cer
The Jain Society of Toronto conducted its annual elections and the following members were elected: Mrs. Bhadraben Kothari (President); Mr. Arhant Jain (Vice President); Mr. Hiten Makim (
Gen. Secretary); and Mr. Shashikant Shah (Treasurer).
Jain Education Intemational