Innovative Jain Projects in North America 24. Yatra Games - Spiritual Games for the Whole 30. Religions for Peace, North American Interfaith Family Youth Network Hemendra Momaya [email protected] Khushbu Vora [email protected] Yatra Games has developed The Freedom Puzzle and Jain Religions for Peace is a coalition of religions communities working for peace and justice. Through this mission, the North Fundamentals Flash Cards. The Freedom puzzle reflects each Atma/Soul’s ongoing journey through various cycles of birth American Interfaith Youth Network (NAIYN) is involved in the and death (realms). The object of the Jain Fundamentals flash Arms Down! Campaign for a non-violent future. card game is to gain knowledge about Jainism’s basic tenets. 31. Volunteering at Veerayatan 25. Bringing Jainism to the Mainstream Malhar Teli [email protected] Dr. Vastupal Parikh [email protected] Veerayatan is a non-profit organization that works to provide Dr. Parikh is dedicated to popularizing Jain principles and opportunities for those less fortunate. Several Jain students practices through his books, lectures, and research. Two of from the US have contributed to the efforts of the organization his popular books are displayed here. These books lucidly with enormously positive experiences. explain Jain principles and inspire our youth to work for the betterment of our planet through Ahimsa, Anekantevad, and 32. Boy Scouts of America Jain Religion Emblem Aparigraha Awards Program Eshaan Jain [email protected] Jainism is a religion and a way of life. For 26. Non-Violence - What it Means and How to Use Innovative Jain Projects in North Begin the adventure: Bring the best of both Jain principles and thousands of years, Jains have been practicing It. Lessons for Youth scouting experiences together to share the strengths for America -Poster Presentation Dr. Manoj Jain [email protected] developing youth with confidence, character and excellent vegetarianism, yoga, meditation and Sponsored by: How do young students explain to their friends that they attitudes. Register now. Join Today. environmentalism. JAINA and Jain Center of Greater Boston believe in nonviolence? What is nonviolence anyways? This booklet shows that nonviolence is a continuum to respect 33. IAAMJV (International Alumni Association of Jains have three core principles: ourselves, all people (even our enemies), and the Shri Mahavira Jain Vidyalaya) JAINA and Jains in North America have done environment. Non-Violence is compassion and forgiveness in Ramesh Fofaria [email protected] tremendous work in sharing and educating us on thoughts, words, and deeds towards all living beings. 27. Overcoming Fundamentalism: An Answer to Founded in 1991, IAAMJV is a non-profit, tax-exempt Jain philosophy and Jain Way of Life. This work is organization dedicated to professional education in the Jain For this reason, Jains are vegetarians. Terrorism- Lessons for Youth community. It has initiated three interest-free Loan Scholarship Non-Absolutism is respecting views of others. Jains reflected in over 35 inspiring projects which are Sapna Jain [email protected] Programs averaging $90,000 per year available to any Jain encourage dialog and harmony with other faiths. being exhibited at the JAINA Convention 2011 Conflicts surround us. The root causes are simple: poverty, student irrespective of sect or region. injustice, inequality and fundamentalism. The solution is Non-Possessiveness is the balancing of needs and and on www.JAINA.org. The leaders of these simple: adopting Non-Absolutism (Anekantevad) and desires, while staying detached from our possessions. 34. Jain Food: Compassionate and Healthy Cooking projects welcome volunteers to continue adjusting our thinking to dissolve fundamentalism. This Laxmi Jain [email protected] expanding and promoting the projects in North booklet will teach about Jain principles of Anekantevad. Jain Food: Compassionate and Healthy Eating, will enlighten These core principles will help us manage our anger, America among Jains and Non-Jains. Volunteer you about a unique Jain way of life diet. This book also answers 28. Ahimsa Center ego, deceit, and greed. Jains believe in existence of soul your time. Furthermore these projects need your many questions about Jain food in the context of traditional – in each living being- which is eternal and divine. The Prem Jain [email protected] practices and contemporary lifestyles. financial support. Your generous donations will Jain Way of Life (JWOL) respects and honors all living Ahimsa Center is aimed at interdisciplinary teaching and support and accelerate these projects. Thank you. learning about nonviolence and nonviolent social change. 35. Jain Scriptures Swadhyay in your Temple beings. We are all independent and, by living a JWOL Rakhi Jain [email protected] we can bring peace and spirituality to our lives and 29. Greening The Detroit Jain Center In addition to Murti darshan, now visitors to Jain temples can those around us. This project exhibition was jointly sponsored by Vishal Mehta [email protected] do a quick Swadhyay of the scriptures. Non-Jain visitors can JAINA and Jain Center of Greater Boston. Project Since 2009, the Jain Society of Greater Detroit has adopted learn about Jainism. 12 or 24 posters have been developed. team includes Yogendra Jain (Chairman JAINA environmentally-friendly practices in its office operations and The posters are available online on www.JAINA.org. large community events (800-1000 attendees). Major www.JAINA.org An online Jain community to Long Range Planning, JCGB Director), Khushbu practices were implemented in waste avoidance, waste source 36. Jain Paintings CONNECT-COMMUNICATE-COLLABORATE Vora (YJA, JCGB), Shashank Jain (JCGB), Kripi reduction, recycling, and reuse to reduce our carbon footprint. We encourage all Jain centers to go lean and green. Shubhra Jain [email protected] Chabbra (Jain Society of Houston) and Rohan These samples are just a few of the many hand Volunteer for these and other projects Lathia (JCGB). Also, thanks to many other paintings inspired by Jain philosophy and practice. Shown here are paintings of Guṇasthāna (“levels of Growth”). Contact: [email protected] volunteers, project leaders and committee members for their support. Innovative Jain Projects in North America JAINA Committee Projects 13-23 1. What is JAINA 7. Elevator Pitch 13. Material for Pathshala (Sunday School) 18. The Coffee Table book Lata Champsee [email protected] Naman Jain [email protected] JAINA Education Committee Ambika Pandya [email protected] The Federation of Jain Associations in North America (JAINA) is When Jains are asked the question "what is Jainism" – most Pravin K Shah [email protected] The Jain Tirth Yatra Coffee Table Book is a project under the an umbrella organization of local JAIN Associations (Sanghs) in answers are garbled, confusing, and wrong! After hundreds of JAINA Education books provide a lively introduction of Jainism JAINA Calendar committee. It features detailed descriptions of USA and Canada. JAINA’s mission is to preserve, practice and hours of work, the JAINA team has developed a short “elevator to our children. These full-color books uniquely connect Jain ancient Temples throughout India. It focuses on their promote Jain Dharma and Jain Way of Life. pitch” on Jainism. We have also created a video on YouTube that principles to everyday life through stories from scriptures and architecture and structural significance to Jainism. The book has received over 50K hits. The goal is for all Jains to develop a more modern parables. Also included are the practical views of is in the process of being ready to launch in the coming year. 2. Jain Mentorship Program common, clear, concise, and accurate response to this question. Jainism, such as yoga, healthy nutrition, non-attachment to Jigar Vora [email protected] These pitch cards are available on request. consumer goods, and respect for the environment. 19. Mangalam the Jain TV Show The Jain Mentorship Program (JMP) is a project led by members Media Production Committee of YJP and YJA. Our mission is to unite Jains by facilitating 8. JCGB/JAINA Directory Project 14. Charting the Future of Jains and Jainism in NA- Dr. Mamta Shaha [email protected] mentor-mentee relationships to foster growth in career and Chandrakant Vora [email protected] With its 100th episode recently broadcast, Mangalam is the personal development. All Jains high-school level and up can Long Range Planning Committee Jain Directory published by Jain Center of Greater Boston, has only nonsectarian Jain TV show. It focuses on youth-related sign-up. Please visit http://www.jaina.org/mentorship. Yogendra Jain [email protected] been a huge success in social and marriage networking. The first programming. edition was published in 1979 listing 900 families. Subsequent The LRP committee developed a vision/mission for JAINA (to 3. Jain World editions were published in 1987, 1992, 1997, and 2005 with Live and Share a Jain Way of Life), an elevator pitch, the Jain Dish Network (U.S.) Channel 797 Saturday at 9:00AM and Tuesday at 11:00AM Vinod Daryapurkar [email protected] 8000 families. Way of Life Handbook, and Jain Leadership sessions. It also manages the www.JAINA.org membership management portal. Jain World is the most visited Jain website. Developed and Sky Digital (UK & Ireland) Channel 817 Sunday at 9:00 AM Our next major goal is to strengthen our infrastructure by maintained by only volunteer effort, the team now offers 24L: 9. Prarthana and Samayik Books and Audio CD World TV (Europe) Channel 5 Sunday at 9:00 AM Jain World in 24 different world languages. developing a strong and professionally staffed JAINA office and Pankaj Shah [email protected] continue supporting the many Jain projects taking place in NA. Rogers Cable (Canada) Channel 580 Saturday at 9:30AM The Jain Prarthanas and Samayik Sutra books and accompanying 4. JAINA Office Manager audio CD are essential materials for youth born in NA.