Jain Digest 1995 04

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

Page 12

attend the Sunday classes on a regular basis. Ongoing activities include Swadhaya classes 2 days a week, and a bhavna program on the last Friday of every month.
San Diego, CA
Jain Society has elected a new committee: Praful Doshi, President; Sukumar Shah, Secretary; Rohit Saraiya, Treasurer; and Deepak Kothari and Lalit Duggad, Executive Committee Members.
A group of 40 took a bus trip to Los Angeles to view the exhibition of The Peaceful Liberators: Jain Art From India and to attend the dance-drama of Sthulibhadra and Kosha. The tour concluded with the Pat Darshan of Kartiki Purnima at the Los Angeles Derasar.
Girish Shah from Los Angeles has started to teach the adult study group once a month.
San Francisco, CA
Jain Center has elected a new committee which includes Praveen Jain, President; Jashwant Shah, 1st Vice President; Kundi Kapadia, 2nd Vice President; Harish Parekh, Secretary; Sunil Shah, Treasurer; Kirit Bavishi, Public Relations; Himmat Dagli, Umesh Danki, Navin Dedhia, Sanjay Gala, Neraj Pungalia, Avni Shah, Datta Shah, Divia Shah, Hansa Shah, Membersat-large; and Manhar Shah, Librarian.
Mahavir Nirvana program was attended by 400 people. The group was addressed by Samaniji Madhurpragnajiand Samaniji Charitrapragnaji. Both Samanijis spent a month in the Bay area delivering lectures and conducting Preksha Dhyan sessions. 45 people participated in a family camp with Samanijis at Camp Gualala.
Other programs at the center included a 12-hours Akhand Navkar Jap every Saturday for four months. Ongoing activities include: Swadhaya for adults and children, Pathshala, Preksha Dhyan classes, and monthly bhavna gatherings. This year's guests will include - Samans for 3 months; Dhirubhai Pundit for 10 days; Manak Muni for 20 days during Paryushan; and Rajendar Kamdar for 1 month.
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Meet Other Members of Various Boards and Committees of JAINA
Anup Vora
Lax Nagda Fund-Raising Canada
Sushil Jain Media Watch
Vijay Jain
Shan Jain Summer Camps
JAIN DIGEST
Bupen Shah Advertising Manager
Charu Jain Volunteer
Manoj Jain Public Relations
"To reject the necessity of temples is to reject the necessity of God, religion, and earthly existence."
THE NECESSITY OF TEMPLES
Temples and images remind us to renew our renunciation and dedication from day to day. The remind us: "Do not forget the original of the idol." I know of no religion or sect that has done or is doing without its house of God variously described as a temple, a mosque, a church, a synagogue, or an agiari. There are million whose faith is sustained through these temples, churches, and mosques. They are not all blind followers of a superstition, nor are they fanatics. Superstition and fanaticism are not their monopoly; these vices have their root in our hearts and minds. To reject the necessity of temples is to reject the necessity of God, religion, and earthly existence.
We, the human family, are not all philosophers. We are of the earth, very earthy, and we are not satisfied with contemplating the invisible God. Somehow or other we want something which we can touch, something which we can see, something before which we can kneel down. It does not matter whether it is a book or an empty stone building or a stone building inhabited by numerous figures. A book will satisfy some, and empty building will satisfy others, and many others will not be satisfied unless they see something inhabiting these empty buildings. continued on page 44
March 1995 www.jainelibrary.org