Jain Digest 2002 12 Vol 21 No 4

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

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MEDIA WATCH / PUBLIC RELATION:
To monitor media for misrepresentation of Jain Faith.
To educate especially Non-Jains about our faith.
To educate our community about civil rights.
To empower to fully realize our rights. To build bridges of Understanding. Accomplishments:
Arrange Jain Pilgrimage exhibit at Smithsonian Museum.
Multi-pronged protest against Sun Micro System in their attempt to use JAIN as their trademark. Speech at Million March in Washington, D.C. to address "Family Based Values".
Represented JAINA at Interfaith Alliances.
Represented JAINA at White House conference on faith based & community initiatives. Organized Jain Prayer at Maryland House of Congress, US Congress and Ohio State House. Future Plans:
To arrange JAINA Prayer at US Senate.
To continue same efforts more vigorously.
MEMBERSHIP:
Accomplishments:
To prepare Constitutional & Educational material for forming a new Center.
To provide a medium for interactions among Jain Centers.
To encourage growth of Jain Centers.
Future Plans:
• To continue fostering and planting seeds.
Chairperson: Dr. Sushil Jain (301) 670-0519
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Now almost all Jain Centers in North America have regular Pathshala or Swadhayay. Have 57 Jain Centers.
PILGRIMAGE:
Chairperson: Dilip V. Shah (215) 561-0581
In October 1998, JAINA had its first ever YATRA to Shri Sammed Shikharji. With its success, JAINA now has a Pilgrimage Committee with a mandate to organize at least one Yatra every year. In January 2001 our sangh had a memorable and enriching Yatra to Jain Tirths in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
Chairperson: Mr. Kamlesh Shah (301) 838-9778
SCHOLOR'S VISITATION:
Chairperson: Mr. Nirmal Dosi (732) 390-0296 • To promote Jainism and spread education program to make our human life successful.
To help local associations with scheduling dignitaries.
Arrange to have scholars guide and grace the Paryushan/Daslaxana celebration.
To help to get dignitaries to come to North America and prepare prior invitations.
To help in Temple Sthapanas at each center from level of Bhoomi Poojan to final stage of the temple.
To promote Jain wedding ceremony by distributing Jain wedding disk prepared with help from our local scholars. Arrange medical checks and help for scholars / monks whenever needed through selfless services for many of our volunteer doctors.
Accomplishments:
To promote donations to needy institute with the help of dignitaries.
Future Plans:
Regularly sponsors and coordinates visit of many Jain scholars, monks, nuns, bhattaraks, artists, and Jain leaders to North America.
To promote scholars visitation for interest to Jain youth.
Provide guidelines for rules to follow when inviting scholars and Munies from India.
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