Jain Digest 1995 11

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

Page 18

MATRIMONIALS
Hasmukh Shah, Associate Editor
M
ost Indians, and Jains in particular, find their roots in India. Many of them have carried their cultural - heritage with them whether they live in America, Europe, Africa, the Far East or any other part of the world. They endeavored to pass these traditions and culture on to the next generation and enrich them in this valued heritage.
The system of arranged marriages is one of these traditions which has been carried with them that has many wonderful and important qualities - qualities such as: tolerance, dedication, accommodation, trust, stability, value and peace. These marriages are not only a union between a man and a woman but also between their two respective families. Although there are many other marriage systems, the arranged marriage system has survived in India, and to some extent is being continued in the West.
In India, arranged marriages are rooted in the ancient caste system. This may appear to have lost its practical value in modern society however, the system needs to be modified - not abandoned. Many love marriages are prone to failure because of the inexperience of the couples in choosing a mate and their lack of clearly set goals. Many times they do not go beyond the obvious result of physical attraction.
The main causes of inter-religious marriages between Hindus and Jains is the absence of a religious commitment, and the lack of parental guidance in developing their child's understanding of the importance of religion and culture in their lives.
The objective of the Marriage Information Service is to aid in resolving some of these situations by helping Jains arrange marriages - by offering them wider choices for a durable and happy marriage with other Jains that practice the principles of their religion in their daily lives. This is important, so that, the institution of marriage and the family continue to be the basis of our cultural heritage and that the younger generation, particularly those living in the West can continue to participate in this tradition.
Considering the fact that marriage is one of the most important social institutions, and to help sustain and preserve it, JAINA made a decision to help strengthen this aspect of the culture by organizing the Marriage Information Service at the 1989 Biennial Convention in Toronto, Canada. During these past six years, this voluntary, community service has grown steadily by offering assistance to young and older adults alike search for worthy life partners.
At the 1995 Convention, more than 300 marriageable young men and women participated in the Young Adult Get Together. This get together was organized by the MIS to give an opportunity for young people to interact socially in a positive atmosphere. It gave the parents an opportunity to meet these young adults during the first session, and the young adults an opportunity to meet each other and share ideas during the young-adults-only, second session.
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This was the first time that a program like this was conducted during a convention and it was very well received by the young adults and the parents because it promoted interaction in a healthy, responsible and positive atmosphere. In fact, it was so positive that after the second session, parents expressed how fruitful the event was. It gave young men and women from many places around the country the opportunity to meet face-to-face and for many it was a highlight of the convention. In fact, many people were forced to stand outside of the hall because the event attracted so many.
In addition to the "Americans," there were young people from England and India who participated. Many wanted to join the program and the MIS did its best to accommodate them all.
Andrew Herman, reporter for the Chicago Sun Times, was very curious to know about MIS. He interviewed several young adults and asked many questions about the purpose and function of the MIS. He gave full-page coverage of the event in Chicago Sun Times. In his article, he mentioned our effort to preserve the Indian culture, its values, and the religion. In addition, many other newspapers in USA and India highlighted the convention activities of the MIS like the the Gujarat Samachar of Ahmedabad, and the Janmabhoomi and Mumbai Samachar of Bombay. Since then, the MIS has received inquiries from many places, including India.
It is a pleasure to note that in this issue of Jain Digest the MIS is publishing eighty-four ads. This surpasses all records to date. We hope to continue this trend and serve the special needs of the Jain community in North America.
MALE
M143: Handsome, ambitious, outgoing, Gujarati Jain professional, US citizen, vegetarian, non-smoker, non-drinker, born Sept. '57, 5'9", 155 lbs, MS/MBA, (divorced), invites responses from beautiful, educated, family oriented, cultured females 27 to 33. Call: 718/966-0123.
M237: Gujarati parents invite responses for their very handsome, US born son, April, '68, 6'0", MD, currently doing residency. Please send returnable photo with bio-data.
M275: Intelligent, handsome, vegetarian professional, born April, '62, 5'10", 160 lbs, BS (Computer Science), well employed as Network System Engineer at IBM, enjoys traveling, sports, reading and music, seeks suitable match. Call: 905/828-6976.
JAIN DIGEST
Sept./Dec. 1995 www.jainelibrary.org