1. PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Jai Jinendra!

Thank you for the overwhelming response to JAINA Essay Competition. Rather declaring one winner, we will publish a few best essays. This week, we have included an essay from Mr. Arvind Shah, NJ. Read his essay below.

Attend the Women’s Conference at JAINA Convention 2019 and reduce your carbon footprint! The conference will focus on how to integrate cruelty-free living in 21st-century by. Details are given below.

Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington cordially invites you and your family to Shilanyas on October 5-6, 2019. Read the details below.

JOY group from Jain Center of Greater Detroit organized an outstanding event for Senior Citizens. Read more about the event below.

Warm Regards,
Gunvant Shah
JAINA President
05-25-2019

4. JAINA ESSAY COMPETITION RESULT

Thank you for participating in the essay writing competition and giving such an overwhelming response. We have received a numbers of essays on the topic "Jainism in the 21st Century". Since we can’t decide on just one winner, we will publish a few best essays here. In this newsletter, we are publishing an essay written by Arvind D. Shah from NJ.

He writes...
Jainism has been a prominent religion for ages because of its emphasis on self-purification. Lord Mahavir’s main teaching is ‘Soul is pure and immortal, everything else is situational and temporal’. So, the primary goal of Jainism is Soul purification in order to attain Liberation from the cycle of birth and death. This teaching which was further collaborated by great Gandharas made Jainism more effective right from the beginning. The greatness of Jainism lies in its profound principles like Ahimsa, Aparigraha, and Anekantvad. Our Gandharas and gurus prescribed rituals like Pooja, Samayik and Pratikraman so that the principles are easily followed and practiced in our life. The rituals were very useful and practical when we lived in the vicinity of a temple or Upashraya, and the economy was more agricultural - which is obvious from the Atichar sutra of… Read the whole essay here.

5. JAINA CONVENTION 2019

Attend the Women’s Conference at JAINA Convention 2019 and reduce your carbon footprint! Make a difference in the world and in your spiritual journey. Listen to experts and scholars discuss how to integrate the Jain way of life with 21st-century living. Discover how you can use vegan products in everyday life from vitamins to household cleaning suppliers! Look and feel younger with vegan cosmetics and style yourself in vegan clothes and accessories!

Event Date: July 5, 2019
Time: 1:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Venue: Empire Ballroom B, Ontario Convention Center

6. JAIN CENTERS NEWS

Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington

Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington is proud to announce Shilanyas and cordially invites you with your family and friends to join the Sangh in this auspicious ceremony of Shilanyas from October 5-6, 2019. Shri Narendrabhai Nandu will perform the ceremonies. Assignment of labh will commence from Mahavir Janma Kalyanak celebration on Saturday, April 27, 2019, on a first-come, first-served basis. Please see the invite and program details.

For queries, please email at shilanyas@jainsocietydc.org or contact Pragnesh Shah at 301-305-4261

Jain Center of Greater Detroit

JOY from Jain Center of Greater Detroit organized an outstanding event for Senior Citizens. The event started with Navkar Mantra, Bhaktamar Stotra, Aarti, Mangal Divo. Followed by various games for Senior Citizens, where each team enjoyed playing all games and getting trophies. The event was concluded with lunch prepared by JOY members and Parents. The event was successful.

7. JAIN STORY: BHAGWAN BAHUBALI

8. YJP UPDATE

Mental health and wellness are often taken for granted, where these conditions are stigmatized within the South Asian community, including the Jain community. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and YJP is kicking-off a supporting initiative to help raise awareness and offer resources to those seeking help. Stay tuned for YJP’s Listening Sessions program, including details on how you can get involved and help!

9. QUIZ ANSWER

A 1: Treating the gods and preceptors with contempt, having a deep attachment and hatred to someone or for something, lamenting and weeping over-excitement, and being irritable, and miserable.

A 2: Observe the virtues. If somebody gets angry, you keep cool. If somebody is proud, greedy or a cheat, you be humble, generous or sincere. Do not laugh or cry, too much; do not harm, hurt, make fun of others. Do not be displeased, get irritated or tease others.