Jain Digest 2005 07

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

Page 24

REGIONAL NEWS
was celebrated on Saturday, April 23 in released.
president Ashok Daftary at 972-596the presence of more than 650 people. The evening witnessed the lively 5555, email: acdaftary@yahoo.com. The program began with Snätra Poojä dances by children and Society's young JSNT website is www.dfwjains.org. and ended with Shänti Kalash. women members. Another highlight was Approximately 30 youths (age range 6 to the singing of Maitri Bhavana and recita17 years) chanted the prayers and recitals tion of Chattäri Mangalam Stuti by
i by WEST during the event. They actively participat- American women members of The ed in reciting Stavans, Shanti Kalash and Lighthouse Center of Ann Arbor, MI. Chandrakant Parekh, Regional Editor v led in performing Chaityavandan. A meeting of the Society's mem
LOS ANGELES, CA bers was held on that occasion and the SOUTHWEST celebration ended with Swamivätsalya
Jain Center of Southern Other highlights of Members' Meeting Jadavji Kenia, Regional Editor
California (JCSC) is now proceeding were as follows:
with Phase II of its expansion plan that A Temple Maintenance fund NORTH TEXAS (Dallas Area) includes a religious complex with the drive conducted by the Board of Trustees
Derasar and an Aradhana Hall. In prepaand several volunteers, resulting in about Dignitary visits started early this ration for the construction activities, the 100 members signing to help offset the year with Swami Shrut Prajnaji spending Derasar idols will be moved temporarily Temple's annual maintenance cost for the over a week at JSNT from March 19 from the existing location to the new next three years.
through March 27, 2005. He covered building which was inaugurated on • Announcement of major various topics such as Dhyan, Aatm- March 25, 2005. To accomplish the bequest donation of $50,000 by the fam- Svabhav, Dukh-Sukh, Anekant, Jeevan move, a chalit sthapan vidhi will be ily of Late Prakash Jain, who (until mid- and Family relationships. The next big directed by Vidhikar Narendrabhai 2004) was an active Society volunteer, event was Mahavir Jayanti celebrated on Nandu on July 8-9. member of Board of Trustees, and organ- April 24, 2005 with Mahavir Pooja at the
A 15th Annual Health Fair izer of monthly Digambar Poojä. Jain Center in Richardson, Texas followed sponsored by JCSC, Jain Social Group
• Introduction of the Temple's by usual Aartis. Then everyone moved to and Anekant Community Center was new fulltime Pujari couple, Shri the larger Fun Asia complex nearby. organized. This popular annual event Pankajbhai and Smt Rakshaben Shah of Childrens' program was conducted in one attracted approximately 250 participants Ahmedabad, who began working on of the theaters and later lunch was served of various cultures and ethnicities - Jains, April 1.
in one of the other halls. The young Indians, Bangladesis, Caucasians, African About 100 members participat- group 1B of Pathshala children presented Americans, Latinos, Chinese, Koreans, ed in a Bone Marrow Donor Drive to a lot of one-liner facts about our religion. and others - who took advantage of a free support a seven-year old child, Rajan Group 1A performed a drama about screening and checkup offered by a team Vyas, stricken with leukemia.
Ilachi Kumar. Group 2 made a slide pres- of experts including family practitioner, The Society's 30th Anniversary entation about the Kaal Chakra and facts pediatrician, internist, cardiologist, allerCelebrations were held from May 13 to about 6 Aaras. High school age children gy & asthma, rheumatologist, gastroen15 in the presence of Gurudev of Group 3 presented a variation of terologist, psychiatrist, nephrologists, Chitrabhanuji, Samani Jayant Pragyaji Jeopardy game covering Mahavir's life nutritionist, dietitian, physical therapist, and Samani Sanmari Pragyaji. An year- and a lot of Jain principles. Mr. Bhal etc. Buena Park City Mayor Pro Tem by-year photo-poster and memorabilia Daulat , Chairperson of the Temple Arthur Brown and his wife thanked the Exhibition was presented
Committee (for the new Jain Center) volunteers for their invaluable time in On May 14, the day's events gave status of their progress and some rel- making this event a great success. began with a Snätra Poojä. In the late ative data of some of the other centers in
Mahavir Jayanti was celebrated afternoon there was the program of com- North America.
in the new cultural complex on April 24. memorating the Society's history, mile Four weekly Swadhyay sessions, The Pathshala students presented a culstones and the temple construction, hon- monthly poojas, other meetings and tural program that included Navkar oring three key founding members Pathshala classes are continuing as usual. Mantra Jaap, stuti, dramas, bhajans, and (Arvindbhai-Ramilaben R. Shah, Pathshala children population has grown dances set to devotional music. Sharadbhai-Naliniben R. Shah and quite a bit now and class room space Following the program, two Jain digniMahendrabhai-Sarojben J. Shah) for their shortage has become significant. We are taries addressed the audience. initiatives and vision in starting regular looking forward to many dignitaries start- Satishkumar, a Jain scholar from UK, Poojä, Pathshala Classes etc. It was ing with Subhamji from June 2-10, fol- talked about the three dimensions of the attended by about 500 members, lowed by H. Bharillji from June 13-19, non-violence. Dwarko Sundrani, a colMichigan State Legislators, City of Pandit Dhirajbhai during the Paryushan league of savant-saint Vinoba Bhave from Farmington Hills Mayors and several dig and others whose dates are not fixed yet. India, talked about compassion, the founnitaries. A formal souvenir magazine was
JSNT contact is our current dation of Ahimsa. Jain Education Intemational 22. Jain DIGEST • SUMMER 2005