__ISSUE 2

1) Sunshine and Dimension: The Role of Senior Citizens
2) Sixth Annual Young Jain Professionals Convention
3) JAINA Donates a Bus and an Ambulance to Vardhman Nagar
4) JAINA to send a delegation to Parliament of World Religions in Barcelona
5) Cherry Hill Jain Sangh Donates $36,000 to Jain Center of NJ
6) Jaina’s first Retirement Community Development
7) Jaina-World Community Services
8) Mahendra Mehta to be honored in Columbus, Ohio
9) US Congressman joins Diwali Celebrations by Jains in New Jersey
10) Interfaith Activities
11) A Message from the President of JAINA
12) From the Editor of JAINA Spectrum

The world still has to recognize the true meaning and worth of ‘Senior Citizens.’ They are generally thought to be a spent life force - graying, ageing and tottering persons who are a burden to their families and society! What the society does not recognize is that Senior Citizens are a vibrant storehouse of knowledge, experience and wisdom. They can be the nation’s richest resource. Professional expertise and acumen accumulated over decades can now be made available for the betterment of the needier sections of the society, and for guidance of the youngsters who are seeking direction in their lives.

Only after a tree has seen all the seasons, particularly the heat of summer, is it able to produce its most luscious and ripe fruits. So it is also with human beings. After years of a tumultuous and eventful life, man also matures into his ripeness, when he transits to being a Senior Citizen. His truly meaningful and selfless contribution to society can be made only at this stage, when he has no other bindings, except to share his ‘worth’ with the needy.

As Buddha sat in silence, a gardener brought him a basket of ripe mangoes, in tribute. Buddha picked a mango and offered it to the gardener, in total silence. The gardener said, “Thank you, but please show me how to live life.” Buddha again picked another mango and gave it to him, in total silence. The gardener was perplexed. He asked again, “Lord, show me how to live life.” As Buddha continued his silence, his disciple said to the gardener, “Don’t you understand what he is saying? He is saying that you must live life in such a way that one day you are as ripe and delicious to the world as your own mangoes!”

Sixth Annual Young Jain Professionals Convention
By Shilpa Shah

The 6th Annual Young Jain Professionals convention was held in San Diego from October 10 to 13, 2003. Jains from the US, Canada, and England convened at the Shelter Pointe Hotel and Marina and participated in scholarly presentations and team building activities for the weekend.

The convention began Friday evening with icebreaker activities. The activities facilitated getting to know each other while challenging our minds. Saturday morning then began with a yoga session, where participants had the chance to warm up for the day, led by Dinesh Shah of San Diego.

This was followed by a presentation by Yogendra Jain on “Re-branded and Re-packaged: Jainism’s Role in Reshaping Future Human Thoughts”. This presentation challenged the notion that Jainism must be taught using traditional methodology and addressed the idea that Jain teachings could be made more appealing and more accessible to a Western population by implementing creative ideas such as a Jain theme park. Although some of the concepts presented might not become reality in the immediate future, discussing such ideas encouraged the audience to think about these issues. The audience was then called upon to meet in small groups later in the day to come up with recommendations on various assigned topics to present the next day. The topics included: Why a mission and vision is needed for Jains, Understanding related trends in North America, Lobbying US/international companies, Messaging and promoting of Jainism to Jains and non-Jains, Analysis and update/modification of Jain practices, Leadership, Public relations, Alcohol and veganism, and Marrying non-Jains. A total of sixteen topics were covered.

Next was a presentation by Prem Jain, senior vice president of Cisco, called “If Ken Lay were Jain… Would we have had an Enron?” This presentation addressed the contradictions many of us face about maintaining Jain values while working and excelling in the business world, such as promoting strengths and hiding weaknesses of products and creating stress in the family when working long hours. This session challenged the notion that Jain values need to be ignored to succeed in business, arguing that principles such as ahimsa, honesty, sincerity, aparigraha, and anekantvada boosts a company’s image and elicits trust from its consumers.

After a break for lunch was a session titled “Creating Inner Balance… Can it really be achieved?” presented by Erik Sowder of Kaiser Permanente. This presentation emphasized the importance of balancing physical, mental, and emotional energies. In this session, Mr. Sowder helped the audience understand the mind/body connection through biofeedback technology. Volunteers were hooked up to a biofeedback device that monitored physiological changes as they performed various mind activities.

Later in the afternoon, the group participated in team building activities organized by Team Building USA. The activities focused on communicating and trusting each other while working together towards a common goal. After enjoying a scrumptious dinner on the beach, many attendees enjoyed the nightlife of San Diego, while some participated in a local garba. Others gathered around a bon fire on the beach and sang songs or discussed Jain philosophy.

Sunday morning again started with yoga. This was followed by a presentation by Dr. Manoj Jain, a physician specializing in infectious diseases, called “What’s ‘in’ for the 21st Century? Jainism?!”. This session challenged the Cartesian mind/body model and posited the existence of the soul and the existence of vibrations that bring together the mind, body, and soul. It also addressed the notion that many practices common to Jainism, including forgiveness, prayer, meditation, and vegetarianism, are likely to have a positive impact on a person’s health and well-being.

Next came a follow-up to the session “Re-branded and Re-packaged: Jainism’s Role in Reshaping Future Human Thoughts”, where the each of the groups presented their ideas on the topics they had been assigned to. Each group had apparently put a lot of thought into their ideas and recommendations. At the end, Yogendra Jain indicated that these ideas will all be presented to JAINA in hopes of actually implementing them. Thus the activity was not only a thought provoking exercise for the participants, but was also shown to have practical importance.

After lunch, the group headed off to Balboa Park, where we met up with Team Building USA again for another afternoon of bonding activities. At the park, attendees participated in a scavenger hunt, where everyone divided into groups to explore the park and search for various pieces of information. Participants in each of the groups took on roles such as leader, navigator, and encourager in the search process. While some groups diligently searched the park for all the information requested, other groups gave up quickly and spent their time leisurely enjoying the park. After the groups reconvened, participants enjoyed a picnic dinner at the park.

After returning from the park, Amar Salgia, author of Pure Freedom: The Jain Way of Self-Reliance, presented a session on “Balance in Anekantavada”. This session explained the proper meaning of Anekantavada, helped dispel some of the misconceptions about Anekantavada’s meaning and purpose, and clarified ways of actually applying it in our day-to-day lives.

That night, many of the participants stayed up most of the night, enjoying their last hours together before having to go off in separate directions. A few even remained awake long enough to watch the sun rise. Monday, as everyone parted, many looked forward to seeing each other at next year’s YJP Convention.

JAINA has decided to send a delegation to the Parliament in Barcelona and participate actively to promote the teachings of Jainism in this international interfaith event. Naresh Jain and Hema Pokharna of JAINA Interfaith Committee will organize this event. Dr. Pokharna is also on the Board of the Council of the Parliament of World’s Religions in Chicago. Their email addresses are njain52253@aol.com and ahinsa@hydeparkaccess.com respectively.

The Parliament of World’s Religions is an international gathering where people of spirit, faith and goodwill gather for interreligious encounter, dialogue and creative engagement with the critical issues facing our world. It offers an exceptional opportunity to engage in the many facets of the theme: Pathways to Peace: the wisdom of listening, the power of commitment. An anticipated 10,000 social activists, religious and spiritual leaders, educators and performers from over 85 countries are expected to attend the 2004 Parliament in Barcelona. This event will inspire, challenge, and energize people across the world that is committed to peace, social justice, and the international interreligious movement. For more information on the Parliament and its theme, visit its website www.cpwr.org.

We encourage you to become a JAINA delegate and be an ambassador of peace to increase awareness about Jainism and its teachings of nonviolence. JAINA has made arrangement with the Council for the Parliament of World’s Religions, Chicago, to make registrations available to JAINA delegates at the reduced group rates of $375 USD per person even after the expiration of its early bird registration date. Beginning November 2, 2003, the actual cost of seven day registration for US and Canada residents is $495 USD per person (individual rate) or $425 USD per person (group or family rate). We are also working with the official travel agent to arrange for an appropriate travel plan for JAINA group there and so much to see and experience in Barcelona.

We need to know how many families or family members are interested to locate or as 2nd home at this community. We have printed a survey in the upcoming Jain Digest along with the details. A copy of this survey will also be available on our web site. mail the Jain Digest issue survey page back to following address. Dr. Bipin Parikh C/O JAINA Hq P.O. Box 700 Gatesville NY 14068-0700.

Dr. Chandrakant Shah and his team from Surat will be visiting BIDADA Medical Camp on Jan. 4-5-6 to study how to start similar activity in Surat and other places. International Conference of Jain Doctors, Koba On Sunday, Jan.4,2004, Ramesh Shah will make presentations on JAINA’s Hospital Equipment program and how it relates to Jains & Jainism Principles. American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) Dr. Kiran Patel, Past President is meeting with Ramesh Shah on Monday Dec.1 to build closer relationship with JAINA to help 12 AAPI supported clinics in India.

BIDADA New Rehab Center, Kutch-10,000 sq.ft. building facility- is ready to open and all the rooms will be furnished by Rehab Equipment and furniture donated by World Medical Relief, Detroit, MI, USA through JAINA. Sharada Jhatakia Eye Hospital, Gondal has received first installment of Ophthalmology Equipment for furnishing their new12,000 sq. ft. facility. Dr. Sinha, an Ophthalmologist l and Macon County Eye Center, Decatur, Ill are also helping JAINA to get donated equipment. Aashapura Maa jain Hosptal, Ahmedabad, received Dental Chairs and Dental X ray Units to start their Dental department.

Vardhaman Nagar Owners’ Assoc., Bhuj received Dental Chairs and Dental X Ray Units to start Dental Clinic in Community Center. Simandhar Swami Aradhana Kendra, Navarangpura received 8,500 Dry Milk Powder Packets for distribution to poor & needy children Bihar Eye Bank, Ranchi has received 2 Phaco Machines, 1microscope, 1 Sterilizer, 1 Yag Laser, and 1 Anesthesia Machine from Dr. Sinha and Macon County Eye Center. JAINA helped in shipping all equipment.

Members of several faiths and ethnic groups joined the festivities dedicated to the needy children of the nearby Asbury Park school. Artist from the Creations Dance Academy gave several performances, and an accomplished singer Shri Ghanshyam Joshi entertained the guests by his melodious voice in the evening program coordinated by Neena Jain (732) 906-0103.

An Interfaith Thanksgiving Program will be held at the Unitarian Universal Meetinghouse in Lincroft, New Jersey on Sunday, November 23, 2003. Several religions will participate including Presbyterian Church, Baha’i faith, Hindu religion, Jainism and many others. A dance sponsored by the International Jain Sangh of New Jersey for ‘World Unity’ based on the famous devotional song ‘Allah Tero Naam, Ishwar Tero Naam’ will be performed by Divya Jain and her group from the Creations Dance Academy. Contact Dr. Ari Jain (732) 842-5805.

Conference of Religions for Peace:

Annual program of the Council of Presidents of the United States Conference of Religions for Peace will take place in Boston, MA, on December 2 and 3, 2003. Arvind Vora, Chairman of JAINA Interfaith Committee and Chairman of the Long Island Multi-faith Forum will represent JAINA in the discussions which will focus on the “Role of Religion in International Affairs for the Council of Presidents” and “What are the implications for Religion Given Current US Foreign Policy positions?” Artist Nancy Burson is working with the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council to include a large peace-focused artwork in the reconstructed World Trade Center area. Plan is to inscribe peace prayers of member traditions on the inside of this unique translucent public art project. JAINA will coordinate with the council to include Jain Peace Prayer in this WTC site remembered forever. Contact: Arvind Vora (631) 269-1167.

Jains for More Accommodation of Religious Communities in Schools and Hospitals:
A two day working retreat organized by the Interfaith Center of New York was held on Nov. 12 and 13 at Stony Point Center in Stony Point, NY, which is located about 35 miles north of New York City. Naresh Jain from JAINA and International Jain Sangh (IJS) of New Jersey coordinated the participation of Jain community in this event attended by 95 delegates from ten religions representing numerous institutions. Deepal Jhaveri, a teacher from Franklin Township Public School represented the Jain Center of New Jersey on the school panel. Dr. Mamta Shaha from the Jain Center of America- New York participated in the health care area.

The issues that surfaced in the session for accommodation in schools included diet, dress code, sex segregation, prayers at set times, and objections to the contents of the curriculum. Deepal Jhaveri in her panel presentation articulately described the connection between the diet of children and the quality of education and that the religion was in fact a part of the multi-culture. Even though her approach had been modest requiring minor modifications in diet rather than a significant change, she is yet to achieve a satisfactory outcome. Based on the success stories discussed, a desirable approach would be to treat the diet as a health issue and connect it to the quality of learning rather than to take a cultural or a religious stand For further info Contact Naresh Jain at (201) 933-8963 or njain52253@aol.com.

The first issue of JAINA Spectrum was received very positively. Many people have commented that this was a giant step in improving the communication with the Jain Community residing in North America. Please accept our sincere thanks for your words of encouragement. I feel this would serve as a source of great inspiration in the days ahead.

JAINA is moving aggressively on many fronts. Patron Program is moving nicely under the chairmanship of Udai Jain. Please support it wholeheartedly to make JAINA financially viable for years to come. Girish Shah and Sunil Jain are in the process of revamping the website. Dr. Bipin Parikh and his committee members are sorting out the details for a senior housing project. Yogendra Jain has started working on a long-term vision of JAINA. Of course, Kirit Daftary is very busy developing the guidelines for the 2005 convention. Naresh Jain and Hema Pokhrana are fine-tuning the delegation JAINA is planning to send to Barcelona next year to participate in the Parliament of World's Religions conference. Please read the next issue of JAIN DIGEST for details. Please continue to provide feedback. That is the only we will be able to improve ourselves and make JAINA meaningful to you.

Best Regards,
Anop Vora