__ISSUE 5

1) Tulsa Jain Sangh Pratistha Mahotsav: A long-awaited dream comes true
2) JAINA Sponsors Ahimsa Center: "Creating a Culture of Ahimsa: Visions and Strategies"
3) Re-launch of the YJP Newsletter, “The New Jain”
4) YJA Convention Needs Your Assistance
5) Summer Shibir sponsored by Veerayatan
6) From the desk of the Editor
7) Keep You Updated On Our Progress: A message from the President of JAINA

May 30th, 2004 is a historical day for the Tulsa Jain Sangh. That was the day a long-awaited dream - by a small Jain community in Tulsa - of having a Jain Temple came true, with inspiration of Pujyashri Chitrabhanuji.

Seven years of hard work and the last five months of planning and preparation made possible to have Pratishtha Mahotsav and Murti Sthapana of Mulnayak Shree Mahavir Swami, Shree Parswanath Swami, Shree Rushbhdev Swami and Gokhla for Navkar Shila, Padmavati Devi and Ghantakaran Mahavir.

More than 500 persons witnessed the glorious Pratishtha Mahotsav under guidance of Shree Gurudev Chitrabhanuji, Swami Devendrakirti Bhattraka and Shreemati Pramodaben.

Participants came from Dallas, Houston, Lubbock, Austin, St. Louis, Wichita, Missouri, West Munroe, Detroit, Chicago, California, Phoenix, and many other small towns. They were hosted by the community of just 32 Jain families of Tulsa and surrounding suburbs. Inspiring discourses by Gurudev Shri Chitrabhanuji, Bhattrakaji and Pramodaben added to the blissful joy of the weekend. Vidhicar Nareshbhai Shah from New York and Narendrabhai Nandu and his group from India performed so well that everybody enjoyed the Devotional Ceremony which opened up the hearts of participants in Gheebolies donations.

Gurudev Chitrabhanu asked one and all the Jains to unite and spread the message of our Lord Mahavir. He spoke of our religion as “Dharma”- as our true inner nature: the one that seeks peace and liberation. The correct phrase to use is: “Jain Dharma“. He cautioned against using the word “Jainism” implies being against something separatism, sectarianism, etc. JAIN DHARMA guides us to get in touch with our true nature: Atma Dharma, to free from “Kashyas“- to attain liberation.

The evening cultural program was also a great success. Local talent and school children from Dallas and Houston performed well within our main play of King Kumarpal. Narendrabhai and his son Kayval explained the importance of the play.

The small Jain community of Tulsa Sangh is a shining example of what a dedicated group of people can achieve when they work together. They waited for seven years but persevered and have built a beautiful Jain Temple. They have 940 square feet of Derasar, 2500 sq. ft of Main Hall, 270 sq. ft Upashray, 160 sq. ft of Library and Classroom. They also have kitchen and shower facilities, and a 1.8 acre lot (for 72 parking spaces), with vast open areas where young people can conduct their various activities.

Visitors were offered free accommodations in motels and they enjoyed the traditional Jain hospitality. President Kantibhai Shah of Tulsa Jain Sangh thanked every one for coming and offered his help to the members of other small Sanghs who wish to build their own Temple.

JAINA Sponsors Ahimsa Center: "Creating a Culture of Ahimsa: Visions and Strategies"

The Ahimsa center held its inaugural conference on “Creating a Culture of Ahimsa: Visions and Strategies” at Cal Poly Pomona from May 14-15, 2004. Prof. Padmanabh Jaini noted that this is the first time that Jain community has come together to support an academic institution. The inaugural conference was named after Madhu & Jagdish Sheth of Atlanta who are the “Ahimsa Sponsors” of the center. The center was established by the efforts of Dr. Tara Sethia, Professor of History and the Director of the new Center housed in the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences at the university. This is the first such center where Ahimsa (nonviolence) will be looked at a deeper than merely in the context of “war & peace.”

The Ahimsa Center’s inaugural conference was highly successful with attendance of over 200 people. It brought together prominent practitioners and scholars of nonviolence from all over the world. The conference was filled with an air of nonviolence energy flowing from the world class speakers and practitioners of Ahimsa. The inaugural conference was opened with a welcoming message by the Cal Poly Pomona President, Dr. Michael Ortiz , who noted that “silent majority of the American population want a nonviolent and peaceful resolution of the conflicts” and this center will promote this wish of the silent majority. The key speakers included A. T. Ariyrante of Sri Lanka,. Padmanabh Jaini, Mary Elizabeth King, Chris Chapple, Dolores Huerta, Samani Sanmati Pragya and Unnat Pragya, Sulak Sivaraksa, Prof. Glenn Paige, D. R. Mehta, Krisna Ahuja Patel, Jagdish Sheth, Jack Duvall, to name a few. These are all heavily involved in promoting nonviolence in public life. The Provost Tomas Morales and Dean Barbara Way thanked all the sponsors for their support and presented Letter of Recognition. For more information on the Ahimsa Center, please visit, www.csupomona.edu/ahimsacenter.

JAINA through its recently formed committee, Academic Liaison Committee, became a “Charter Sponsor” of the Ahimsa Center (Nonviolence in Thought and Action) by pledging $25,000 to the Cal Poly Pomona for the Ahimsa Center. This was made feasible by the initial support of Asha & Mahendra Pandya, Datta & Girish Shah, and Sarla & Dilip Shah. Members of the Jain community have pledged over $200,000 to support the Ahimsa Center. In congratulating Prof Sethia, Anop Vora, President of JAINA said "JAINA is very pleased to support this noble initiative of Prof.Tara Sethia to promote the concept of non-violence- the fundamental tenet of JAINISM. The long term impact of Ahimsa Center could be enormous."

The Ahimsa Center’s inaugural conference was highly successful with attendance of over 200 people. It brought together prominent practitioners and scholars of nonviolence from all over the world. The conference was filled with an air of nonviolence energy flowing from the world class speakers and practitioners of Ahimsa. . Key addresses in the inaugural conference were named after Center’s “Charter Sponsors” including Madhu & Navindra Jain, Sandhya & Prem Jain, Rekha & Bipin Shah, Neeraj & Parveen Jain. The “Founding Sponsors” of the Center include Savita & Manilal Mehta, Gita & Tulsi Savani, Nitin & Hiten Shah. Center’s “Major Sponsors” include Sunila & Harish Daga, Asha & Sunil Daga, Vimala & Suresh Lodha, and “Sponsors” include Madhu & Ratan Baid, and Roshni & Pramod Patel.

The Academic Liaison committee is actively working to compile a list of Jain studies programs offered at institutions in North America. It urges the readers to inform alc@jaina.org if they are aware of any such programs at institutions in their geographical areas. After creating such a list, the committee will evaluate and support appropriate programs. The committee also urges the community to support this “gyan dan” activity by contributing funds.

Young Jains of America (YJA) is proud to announce that 6th Biennial YJA Convention will be taking place in the Bay Area, California this July 1-4, 2004. Hundreds of young Jains from all over North America, Singapore, India, Europe will gather for our 6th convention. This year's convention is located in sunny Santa Clara at the Westin Santa Clara hotel. Dr. Dipak Jain, Dean of the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University is the keynote speaker.

In order to make this event a success, we need your help. We have three weeks remaining and are in need of your assistance. We still have some spaces available and so if you can encourage any youth who you may know to register and attend this year's convention. Youth can register by visiting www.yja.org. Secondly, we would truly appreciate a tax-deductible donation. Even a small token donation will help us collect nearly $10,000 that we still need. (YJA Convention, 3110 Pablo Picasso Dr, Sugar Land, TX 77479) Arpan Shah, Co-Chair, 2003-2004 Young Jains of America, arpan.shah@yja.org Cell: 281-804-7964

From the desk of the Editor:

The JAINA Executive Committee has awarded the hosting of the 13th Biennial JAINA Convention to the Jain Center of Northern California. The Convention will be held from July 1 – 4, 2005 in Santa Clara Convention Center. The Convention will return to California after 14 years where it was last held in 1991. A multi media presentation was made by Bipin Shah, President of JCNC and Girish Shah, co-convener of the 2005 convention to the JAINA Executive committee meeting in Atlanta on March 13, 2004 on some of the key areas of the convention focus, governance and program details.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Jain Center of Atlanta for hosting the JAINA Executive Committee meeting in March of this year. This was our humble attempt to find out what the community is thinking at the grass roots level. On the flip side, we were able to make the Jain Community in Atlanta aware of what JAINA is all about. We would like to repeat the process at other Jain centers as well. Please contact us if you are interested in hosting any of our future Executive Committee meetings.

We have formed a new committee called “Academic Liaison Committee” to spread the message of Lord Mahavir to the main stream America. At the recommendation of this committee, we have decided to support the Ahimsa Center initiated by Dr. Tara Sethia at the California State Polytechnic University, Pamona, California by becoming its charter member. This is the first time JAINA is establishing a relationship with academic community and could potentially have far reaching positive ramifications. We would like to thank Girish Shah, Dr. Mahendra Pandya, and Dilip V. Shah without whose donations we would not have been able to financially support the project. I am happy to note that some of the members of the Jain Centers of Northern as well as Southern California have also decided to support this Center.

We are also in the process of setting up a Volunteer Bank for JAINA under the leadership of Mrs.Hansaben Shah of Wilmington, Delaware. The objective of this committee is to create a data base of the people who are interested in helping JAINA. The committee will also advertise volunteer opportunities through JAINA Spectrum and JAIN Digest. We believe that this organized effort would bring in new blood into JAINA and make it stronger and more vibrant. Please stay tuned for more details.

YJA Convention planning is going very well. Please help the YJA leaders in their fund raising efforts. If they knock on your door, please support them. We need to nurture and strengthen our youth. Remember they are our future; they are hopes, and aspirations.

Thank you for your time.

Best Regards,
Anop Vora