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From the President
JAIN DIGEST
Winter 2009 • Vol. 28, No. I
Jai Jinendra: We are all happy to see the year 2008 behind us. The economic tsunami drenched many and the terrorists in Mumbai wounded our collective souls. The eagerly awaited dawn of 2009 must have witnessed more prayers than any other year in recent history. These times demand that we all do our part to heal our world through time-tested principles of Ahimsa, Anekant and Aparigrah
In this Issue: From the President JAINA Offices & Committees 2 Committee News Campaign for JAINA Guest Articles Pratishtha Reports Regional News Voices of the Next Generation of Jains Social Cohesion Jaipur Pre-Parliament Report 26
Signs of rejuvenation are everywhere. In just the last few months Jains in North America got to participate in four grand Pratistha Mahosavs, the 2009 JAINA calendar with spiritually uplifting pictures of various Temples has reached our members, Pilgrimage Committee of JAINA is embarking on Shri Samet Shikarji Yatra in the New Year, JAINA Directors have voted for a new constitution to make JAINA more transparent and more responsive to the needs of the community and the convention committee is working diligently – preparing for the 2009 JAINA Convention with the theme Ecology - the Jain Way. Our weekly TV show MANGALAM has moved to the Sahara networkexpanding viewer-ship in America and now also reaching Canada. With our Campus Outreach Committee we hope to reach hundreds of our youths on college campuses and provide a Jain umbrella to them as they are away from their homes. Other committees of JAINA are also working hard to serve the community in various ways.
Jain Diaspora
Young Jains of America
Anekant Community Center 31 Shatavdhani Munishri Ajitchandrasagarji Maharaj Hindi Article Matrimonials Jain Milan 4/2009 15th Biennial Jaina Convention 42 Distinguished Scholars & Speakers Youth Events Sponsorship Opportunities 45 Additional Information Form 46 Registration Form
This issue of JAIN DIGEST has many new features. We have a new editor-Dilip Punatar of Ohio and this current issue was composed and designed in Mumbai by Vakil's - a reputed publishing house. You will find in this issue a stirring appeal for Veganism by Prof. Gary Franceone - a foremost advocate of Animal Rights, an article on Shatavdhan in Gujarati and a Hindi article by Dr. Shugan Jain. There are detailed reports of activities of various Jain centers including reports of the Pratistha Mahotsavs in LA, Atlanta, Tampa Bay and Phoenix. Please let the editor know how you like these articles and the recent changes in JAIN DIGEST.
JAINA accomplishes all of the above by hard work of the volunteers. The Jain community in North America looks to JAINA to provide even more services and it can be argued that Jains have the healing touch that is sorely needed in these times. I am appealing to each one of you to contribute in a meaningful way to the one and only JAIN organization in North America serving all the Jains. JAINA needs your Time, Talent and Treasure. Please see the appeal made by Dr. Sulekh Jain, Past President of JAINA, in the inside pages.
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Let us make 2009 the best year ever!
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DILIP V. SHAH President
Jain Digest Winter 2009
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