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FEZANA JOURNAL PUBLICATION OF THE FEDERATION OF ZOROASTRIAN ASSOCIATIONS OF NORTH AMERICA Vol 30 No 1 Spring / Bahar 1385 AY 3754 Z 9 25 39 44 02 Editorial Dolly Dastoor 50 Appeal from Funds and 106 Inauguration of Arbab Finance Committee Rustom Guiv Dar e Mehr, 03 Message from the New York President 51 6th World Zoroastrian Youth Congress,- New 109 Personal Profiles 05 FEZANA Update Zealand 112 Interfaith /Interalia 09 COVER STORY 59 FEZANA Scholarships Kurds and their 113 Milestones Zoroastrian Roots 80 Chothia Scholarships 44 Connection between 114 Matrimonials Judiasm and 81 Vakhshoori Schoalrships Zoroastrianism 115 Obituary 85 Zoroastrian Young Adults 49 OZCF plans to build well being 121 Books and Arts consecrated Atashkadeh (Agiary) with Atash 88 IN THE NEWS Adaran Fire Editor in Chief: Dolly Dastoor, editor(@)fezana.org Technical Assistant: Coomi Gazdar Consultant Editor: Lylah M. Alphonse, lmalphonse(@)gmail.com Language Editor: Douglas Lange Graphic & Layout: Shahrokh Khanizadeh, www.khanizadeh.info Cover design: Feroza Fitch, ffitch(@)lexicongraphics.com Publications Chair: Behram Pastakia bpastakia(@)aol.com Columnists: Shazneen Rabadi Gandhi: rabadis(@)gmail.com; Teenaz Javat: teenazjavat(@)hotmail.com; Mahrukh Motafram: mahrukhm83(@)gmail.com Copy editors: Vahishta Canteenwalla, Yasmin Pavri, Nazneen Khumbatta Subscription Managers: Arnavaz Sethna: ahsethna(@)yahoo.com; Kershaw Cover design Feroza Fitch of Lexicongraphics Khumbatta: Arnavaz Sethna(@)yahoo.com Photo copyright Shirin Kumana Wadia Summer 2016 Fravadin – Ardibehesht – Khordad 1385 AY (Fasli) THE FESTIVAL OF MEHREGAN Avan - Adar – Dae 1385 AY (Shenshai) GUEST EDITOR Adar- Dae- Behman 1385 AY (Kadimi) FARIBORZ RAHNAMOON Opinions expressed in the FEZANA Journal do not necessarily reflect the views of FEZANA or members of the editorial board. All submissions to the FEZANA JOURNAL become the property of the publication and may be reproduced in any form. Published at Regal Press, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada www.fezana.org FEZANA Journal Vol 30, No 1 ISBN 1068-2376 (USPS 021-495) published quarterly by FEZANA 8615 Meadowbrook Dr., Burr Ridge, IL 60527. Periodical postage rate is paid at Oakbrook, IL 60523 and at additional mailing offices. Annual subscription $25 (US) ; $25 (Canada) and $50 (air) for other countries; details on subscription Form. POSTMASTER: send changes to Fezana Journal, 8615 Meadowbrook Drive, Burr Ridge, IL 60527. FEZANA Journal - Spring 2016 1 A Word from the Editor EditorialEditorial Images of destruction and ravages of bombardments in Mosul, Aleppo,Tikrit, Kirkuk, Suleimani, Sinjar, flood our TV screens and newspaper headlines, devastation of life and property. But those are people far away we feel sorry for them and then turn the channel or turn the page of our tabloid to more entertaining reading. But did we stop to think who these people may be? They were middle eastern people fighting each other!!! Slowly news started to trickle in that the among the Kurds and the Persh-m erga fighters there may be Zoroastrians trying to claim back their original religion: the Zoroastrian religion. Dr Daryoush Jahanian of Kansas started looking into the religious scholarships of Houston, the Fali Chothia scholarships, connection of the Kurds to Zoroastrianism more the Vakshoori scholarships and this year has been no seriously and deeply. He made contact with two exception. Rejoice in the achievements of our next Kurds Pir Luckman Haji Karim in Kurdistan and Pir generation. We have even published the research of Andaz Hawazi, in Sweden. Frank and open dialogue the 2014 Kheradi Scholar on the mental health of young was established which was not always easy because Zrathushtis. Our money is well invested!! of language barriers. We thought we had enough material to explore this subject and make it a cover The 35 young adults who had received FEZANA story for the spring issue of the Journal. Dr Jahanian subsidies to attend the 6th World Zoroastrian Youth volunteered to be the guest editor of this issue and it Congress in New Zealand sent an exhaustive report was a pleasure to work with him. which is included in this issue. We have articles from Zarathushtis who have lived in With the advent of spring the Zarathushtis of the Tri Iraq and who had first hand knowledge of the Kurds state area have much to celebrate. Their $5 million in that area, Prof Adi Damania who lived in Aleppo dollar new Arbab Rustam Guiv Dar-e Mehr was and Adi Davar who visited that area in his capacity as inaugurated on March 26. What a spiritually uplifting Chief of the World Bank’s Middle East & Afghanistan experience it was!! (Pgs106-108) Congratulations Division, describe their encounters. Prof Kaveh ZAGNY, IZA and DMZT. Your hard work has paid off. Farrokh who is married to a Kurd, gives a perspective of Kurdish history. In addition we were fortunate to This winter FEZANA lost two past presidents of the have two well researched articles by Lara Fatah, a member associations, Ervad Darab Unwala of the global fellow of the Project for Study of the 21 century Zoroastrian Association of Florida and Mrs Moti Rusi (PS 21) and Saad Salloum of Al Monitor who gives Balsara, of the Zoroastrian Society of Ontario. May us an insight into the present situation with the Kurds. their souls rest in peace. Their hard work on behalf of I thank Zenobia Ravji, a freelance journalist who had their constituencies was much appreciated. been stationed in Israel, for her contacts with these journalists. We have a new president of the World Chamber of Commerce, Edul Daver of New York. Read about him The cover story will give you a different perspective in the personal profile section . of that region, the hardships the Kurds are facing in wanting to revert back to their original religion and I wish you all the best of health and happiness this their determination against all odds to do so. Very Navrooz !! similar to the story of Iranian Zarthushtis after the fall of the Persian Empire with the defeat of Yazdegerd III. The spring issue each year covers the achievements of our scholarship winners in academics, sports, performing arts for FEZANA, the ZSBC, scholarships, the Legacy 2 FEZANA Journal –Spring 2016 A Message from FEZANA President EditorialEditorialEditorialEditorial Dear Zarathushtis y term as President of FEZANA ends on MApril 30, 2016 and as I look back at the past four years I consider myself very fortunate to have participated and represented FEZANA domestically in USA & Canada and also worldwide at Zarathushti religious and cultural events. It has been a very interesting, challenging & thought- provoking journey for me these past years as I rose through the ranks of FEZANA as Secretary, Treasurer, Vice-President and then President. It has been an inspiring, exciting and challenging experience to govern a Federation consisting of 26 member associations, 14 corresponding members and 25 committee chairs across the U.S.A & Canada. I would like to thank my colleagues on the FEZANA Executive, Presidents and Representatives of FEZANA’s 26 member associations and 14 corresponding members as well as the 25 Committee Chairs for their help, coordination and efforts as well as garnering the support and participation of their community members The activities undertaken by FEZANA and its and fellow Zarathushtis in promoting the various members and committees are showcased in the activities and causes supported by FEZANA. monthly FEZANA Bulletin and the quarterly FEZANA Journal. Refer to www.fezana.org. I would like to personally thank my friend, mentor FEZANA was founded with the purpose of giving and role model, Dr. Dolly Dastoor, Chair of the the growing North American Zarathushti community a FEZANA Academic Scholarships Committee, as well united platform to plan and control its future. FEZANA’s as the judges & members of this Committee for their mission is to preserve our religion on the North efforts in reviewing, evaluating and rating applications, American continent by providing a cohesive force. their continued efforts in revising & updating this Our core values are being recognized and enhanced process, automating it, making it user friendly and through a strong emphasis on education, economic transparent. I would also like to thank our generous stability, and volunteerism. As we nurture a love for donors who have contributed funds and encourage humanity and promote our Zarathushti way of life, we them and other prospective donors to continue to are increasing awareness of our religion and culture contribute to FEZANA and help us to award academic, domestically and globally. This is the vision we are religious education, sports, and performing & creative promoting to instill pride in our future generations. arts scholarships. Let us celebrate charity and honesty within our FEZANA maintains a collaborative approach communities, socialize with our loved ones, and towards other Zoroastrian associations in India and remember to live our lives as dictated by Ahura around the world, respecting their autonomy while Mazda. As we nurture a love for humanity and at the same time coming together to celebrate our promote our Zarathushti way of life, we are increasing commonalities. In that collaborative and cooperative awareness of our religion and culture domestically and spirit, FEZANA has been an active participant in globally. This is the vision we are promoting to instill the Global Working Group (GWG) of the worldwide pride in our future generations. Zoroastrian organizations. FEZANA Journal –Spring 2016 3 FEZANA and its member associations have Let us make a promise to dedicate just one supported the teaching of our religion, history, and hour per weekEditorialEditorial from our overly busy lives to involve culture to the children of the community for decades. ourselves in Zarathushti community activities, and There are associations in North America now where thus empower ourselves to work towards a Happier, the second generation of children is now attending Healthier, Unified and Knowledgeable Zarathushti religion classes, many of them in the same Dar-e- community in the years ahead.