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JAIN DIGEST Winter 2007
From the President.....
Jai Jinendra:
JAINA has made tremendous stride over the past six months on humanitarian, political and educational fronts, at home and in India. This was possible because of your generous support and encouragement. The following are just a few of our activities to promote our vision of "To Live and Promote a Jain Way of Life": 24 Computer systems to Katrina impacted school - JAINA provided 24 Dell laptops and printers to Katrina affected Fischer elementary school in Algiers, Louisiana. This school received the least of the federal funding and has historically had a high number of students from needy families. Mr. Santosh Shah, the President of Jain Society of Southern Louisiana had selected the project when he was given a check of $25,000 from Katrina disaster fund. In addition to the computers, the school received 400 backpacks for students, a JAINA plaque as well as books on Jainism and the Essences of World Religion. Santosh Shab impressed students with Jain Values; non-violence and tolerance to show compassion and accept others viewpoint in his speech. We were quite content to see the look of excitement and happiness in students' eyes as they began to work on their new laptops. Unlike most of their friends at other schools, these children now had access to some of the best laptops on the market today. JAINA Donates $ 89,000 to Indian Tsunami Victims - During the ceremonial function held by JAINA at the Indian Merchant Chambers office in Mumbai, World Community Services handed over $89.000 from the Tsunami fund to build a rehab center in Guntur (Tsunami affected Andhra Pradesh area). Ratananiddhi trust, an active member of JAINA will work with them on mobility camps. Medical Services Committee Formed - Vijaybhai Chedda from Jain Center of Southern California, who is also a trustee of the Bidada Sarvodaya Trust, has been appointed Chairperson of the newly formed Medical Services Committee of IAINA. Mahendrabhai Mehta, the chairman of Ratananiddhi Trust in Mumbai, who has also been very active in the Mobility camps, is also a member of this committee. JAINA will now be able to offer more medical services camps in Gujarat and Kutch area and also take an active part in Mobility Camps for the handicapped. JAINA also participated in 33" Bidada Medical camp. Gujarat 30 Bill: JAINA took a delegation from the US and India to meet with Mr. Amit Shah, Mayor of Ahmedabad, Mr. Narendra Modi, Chief Minister of Gujarat and Mr. Naval Kumar Sharma, the Governor of Gujarat. We had a warm welcome from all of these government officials and meaningful discussion on Gujarat 30 bill of 2006 and other matters. We will update you on its outcome when we hear more on this. New Jain Center in North East PA: With its 67 members, the Jain Sangh of North East PA of Shavertown is now the newest addition to JAINA family. If you know of any other Jain Communities that have more than 10 families but are not yet part of JAINA, please encourage them to join the organization. JAINA Recognition: JAINA EC has officially recognized Hira Ratan Manek for spreading Jain values through the non traditional method of HRM phenomenon, otherwise known as Sun Gazing. HRM has been to most every center and his workshops/sessions at all our past convention have been well attended. He is very popular among lains and Non-Jains. Read more on him in this issue. Training Jain Leaders: JAINA had the first of its JAINA 2020 Leadership Training conducted in Edison, NJ. Several directors and executive members from various Jain Sanghs of North East participated to exchange ideas and create stronger working relationship among these Sanghs. This was led by Yogendra Jain and Chintan Shah and assisted by Dr. Sushil Jain, Nitin Talsania, Jaymik Shah, Minina Dalal and others. It was such a success that that this Leadership program will be conducted at Detroit, Atlanta, Houston and LA/SF area. Read more about this in this issue. Young Jains of India Convention in New Delhi - Prem Jain and Parveen Jain from Jain Center of Northern California joined me in representing JAINA at the YJI convention in Delhi in November 2006. We spoke about Jain Values, career counseling and other important topics. Two things worth noting were that 300 attendees vowed not to take dowries for their marriage and not be part of any abortion. This was Jain Values in action, compassion and respect for all souls. JITO: JAINA participated in JITO (Jain International Trade Organization) exhibition and Conference from January 4oh-7, at National Exhibit center in Mumbai. Over 250,000 people attended JITO exhibition. The highlight of the exhibition was Ashtapad, where they displayed over 72 idols made of precious and semi-precious stones. A selection of these idols will soon be on display at the Jain Center of America in New York). At JITO, JAINA also displayed and sold over 150 sets of Pathshala books and freely distributed
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