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CANADA
The Young Jains have organized a camping Roman Catholic Jubilee Celebration
weekend at Lake St. George from Sept.29 Dr. Mahendra Mehta, Regional Editor
Prayer Service led by a 5 year old boy - Jainil to Oct.1. The YJT also had their annual Doshi. picnic on July 29th. The Jain Society Picnic
Samvatsari Pratikraman was celebrated Toronto, ON was held on August 13th at Donald
twice in Edmonton and Calgary. The Toronto Jain Sangh celebrated the M. Gordon Chinguacousy Park.Prakash
Several Christian individuals showed interParyushan Mahaparva of 2000 with great Mody was appointed to the Community piety and dedication. Our Jain centre was
est in learning Jainism in Edmonton & Editorial Board of Toronto Star.
Calgary. buzzing with religious activities almost 24 hours a day from the start of Paryushan to Hamilton, ON Parna and followed by Daslaxana Parva
SOUTHWEST The International Mahavir Jain Mission of which concluded on Tuesday 12thSept.
Jadavji Kenia, Regional Editor Canada (IMJMC) had several activities The spirit of Paryushan started much ear
during the past several months. These were: lier with series of lectures, pujas, screening 1. Bhagwan Rishabdev's Nirvana Mahotsava Houston, TX of video movies and other group activities.
and Acharya Sushil Kumarji's Birthday Summer months were busy months as Diptiben Shah gave daily discourses on sub- Commemoration on June 11 at the Jain our center was blessed by scholars like jects as varied as 'Let us learn our
Centre in Toronto. The program included Tarlaben Doshi, Dr. Atul Shah, Dr. Soneji Mahamantra Navkar' to more related to 3 selected short video segments of several and other dignitaries like Samanjis and daily living as 'Rasoda ni Jayna'. She is a of the Children's Camps, under the spiri- muni Rupchandji who preached to us on
of the Children's Camps, under the spiri- mu popular speaker and her talks were well re- tual guidance of the late Acharya Sushil Jain principles. We are very fortunate that searched; made use of all audio visual aids Kumarji interspread throughout the pro- two of the Samanijis are staying in Housand started and concluded in time. She
gram; a discourse by Muni Amrender ton permanently. Under Samniji's guidance involved the audience in self testing, ques. Kumarji; an address by the Consul-Gen- some locals are going to perform a drama tions and answers. She has good command eral of India, Mr. Bhandari.
called "Chandanbala" at Hermann hall of English and impressed the young as well
Adult Religious Retreat in Niagara Falls. (Rice University) on October 27, 2000. as the elders. The Samvatsari Pratikraman "Thi
This year's annual religious retreat was held Paryushan Mahaparva started on August was conducted for children in English by
at the Loretto Center overlooking Niagara 26th. Samanijis gave us lectures everyday. Meenaben Shah, an early Pratikraman at Falls from July 22 to 23rd. One of the main We celebrated Mahavir Jayanti on Sunday 2pm for those who could not make it in
speakers this year was Dr. Christopher 27th. We had two sets of swapans. Adults the evening for various reasons and the regu
Chapple of Loyola Marymount University did the usual ghee-bolis but the Jain fellar evening Pratikraman attended by almost
in Los Angeles. His talk focused on the topic lowship children participated by pledging 500+ individuals.
of "Ecology and Jaina Tradition". Other points instead of ghee. They earn points by The afternoon program of Sapna and speakers included Dr. Anne Valley of the attending Pathshala, help out in the library, gheeboli was a great success A full page ar- University of Toronto on the topic of "Jain help during Sangh Jaman, help cleaning the ticle on the importance of Paryushan was Ethics"; IMJMC Vice-President, Dr.Kirti center, etc. During Paryushan Dayro group published in The Globe and Mail, a Na- Shah of the University of Waterloo, talked performed Bhavna geet program, which was tional Newspaper
about "Reflections on Jain faith and prac- inspirational as well as enjoyable. Children Earlier in August, Pujya Atmanandji and tice" and Shanti Parakh, former Vice-Chair did their pratikraman (in English) A noteShree Nalinbhai Shah gave a series of talks of the IMJMC and renowned Yoga teacher, worthy and memorable event this year was on Shrimad Rajchandra. Later on a 2 hr.
1. spoke on “Practical Techniques of Reflex-
spoke on “Practical Techniques of Reflex- that under the guidance and encouragement film on Shrimad's life was shown in Jain ology" and led Yoga and meditation on both of Samanijis we had over twenty people parCentre and was attended by a large audi- days.
ticipate in Paushadh on the last day of ence.
Paryushan. As good news - bad news, on Raiendra Kamdar visited Jain Centre and Edmonton. AL
Mahavir Jayanti celebration day, we had gave evening discourses on Karma Theory.
many more people show up than we had Jain families participated in the following Dr. Arul Shah, Editor of Jain Spirit visited
anticipated which was good but it was a very Interfaith Prayer Service: Toronto and made a pitch for his new maga
hot day and our air-conditioning system . Celebration of 100 years of establishment could not maintain the cool temperature zine. He was well received and won many
of Misercordia Hospital founded by the subscribers.
inside, as a result people were a bit uncomGrey Nuns. 10/JAIN DIGEST. FALL 2000
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