1
Welcome JCSC Connect October 2014, Volume 1 Issue 3 Editor: Dilip Parekh Section Editors: Biren Mehta Hasendra Shah Jayana Shah Dr. Mahendra Shah Reena Shah Shami Shah Sheenika Shah Tarang Shah Advisors: Pallavi Gala Girishbhai Shah Chandrakant Parekh Vipin Vadecha Art and Design: Rishita Dagli Jayana Shah Front Cover: IT Support: Publisher: Contact: Rishita Dagli Narendra Jain Jain Center of Southern California 8072 Commonwealth Ave. Buena Park, CA 90621 JCSC.Connect@gmail.com Editor s Note Om Shri Veetragay Namah Jai Jinendra, The Editorial Team is pleased to bring you the third issue of JCSC Connect. We thank our readers and advisers for their valuable feedback. Our Jain Center continues to be a hub of many activities. The Paryushan celebration this year was the best ever with record tapasyas, daily swadhyay, sadhana, and many other programs. Whether it is a regular pathshala weekend or a puja event or an elaborate celebration such as Paryushan and Das Laxana, one thing that makes all this possible is the volunteering spirit of our members. To recognize the dedication of our volunteer teams, we have added a new section in this issue of the magazine called Spotlight. The spotlight in this issue is on our dedicated audio-video team. In addition, you will be inspired by Jitenbhai Vasa s interview as a pathshala teacher in the Young Generation section. And we believe that Rupa Shah s touching personal story in the Compassion section will motivate you to do your part in helping others. We hope this issue connects us with each other in ways that will help us move ahead on our spiritual journey! Copyright: All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in any language of any material from JCSC Connect in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. In Seva, Dilip Parekh Front Cover: Paryushan Ceremonies at the Jain Center of Southern California. Jubilant Ashokbhai Savla celebrating his tapasya of 45 upavas along with Harshanaben Savla and friends. Photo by Salil Dangi 2
Contents Table of Contents President s Message...4 World Compassion and Vegan Day... 5 Young Generation...6 A Knife of Compassion - How Megharath Became Shantinath Fill in the Blanks - Stuti Jai Jinendra Jiten Uncle! JCYC Committee Selection Process Devotion...10 Bhaktimarg ni Aaradhana Education...12 Learning Through Stories Thursday Swadhyay Summary Compassion...15 A Cup of Tea and a Loaf of Bread Compassion for the Elderly Inspiration... 18 Malala A Symbol of Truth, Fearlessness, Humility and Forgiveness Transformation...20 Reaching the Fountain of Joy within You Recipe - Chocolate Chip Muffins Spotlight... 22 The Incredible JCSC Audio/Video Team Information...24 Paryushan 2014 Celebration at JCSC First Tirthankar Mandir of Eastern Europe, Siddhayatan: Estonia JCSC Ongoing Activities and Lifetime Tithis & JCSC Upcoming Events Thanks for your feedback! & Call for Articles... 29 3
President s Message Jai Jinendra & Michhami Dukudam! I seek your forgiveness, if knowingly or unknowingly, I have ever hurt you due to any physical act, thoughts or words. Anumodana and Congratulations to all the Tapasvis who have undertaken Tapasya during the Paryushan and Das Laxana Mahaparv. It was amazing to witness a large number of Tapasyas this year led by Shri Ashokbhai Savla s record 45 day Upavas. It was an inspiring and heart-warming experience to see so many young Tapasvis, particularly those who did Athai without ever attempting a single Upavas earlier. My hat s off to all of them. It was wonderful to have the presence of dignitaries such as Shri Roopchandji Maharaj, Shri Champakbhai and Shri Rameshbhai with us. The spiritual guidance provided by them was invaluable. The high spirit among the large number of attendees was evident in every single event. We were very fortunate to receive record donations and pledges. The highlight of the Cultural program was the Drama by San Diego Sangh whereas the participation of young JCYC kids in the Swapna Ceremony added a different charm to the Mahaveer Janm Vachan program. This year, the meals for Ekasanas during Paryushan and Swami Vatsalya during Das Laxana Mahaparv, were cooked in the Jain Center kitchen. Over 2500 meals were served. I believe the newly installed AGAM MANDIR is one of a kind in the entire USA. We are very lucky to have such a display of Jain Scriptures in our temple. Such display is very rare even in India. Thanks to many of you, we had a record number of volunteers (100+) from JCYC Students to Young Adult. Adults, and even the seniors, participated in the annual cleaning of the temple. This year we extended this cleaning effort to the entire complex. New JCYC pathshala started with record number of students, teachers and volunteers. This year a Samuh Prathana was introduced by JCYC which was a very wonderful and uplifting experience. We continue to work towards addressing the classroom problem. A new set of AC equipment is being installed in the post office building and will be operating by the time you read this message. We also organized two financial seminars for the benefits to the benefit of the community on Social Security and NRI Tax & Financial issues. The overwhelming attendance in both is an indication that our community is very receptive to new initiatives and would greatly benefit by the knowledge gained. Please continue to patronize your Jain Center and continue to participate any which way you can; as you are the sole reason the center exists! Thanks Sincerely, Virendra Shah 4
World Compassion and Vegan Day on Saturday, November 1, 2014 JAINA World Compassion and Vegan Day will be held at Jain Centers througout North America. On Saturday, November 1, from 11am - 3pm. JCSC will host a 4-hour seminar featuring video clips from various documentaries, a vegan and Jain lunch, and speakers covering a range of topics including diet, health, fashion, and environment. World Compassion and Vegan Day was started to share stories and inspire others to learn and engage in a plantbased lifestyle. Please LIKE our Facebook page for more information! https://www.facebook.com/jainaworldveganday/ For all questions, please email Sheenika Shah at sheenikashah@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing you there! 5
A Knife of Compassion - How Megharath Became Shantinath - By Biren Mehta One day, Indra, the king of heavenly Dev, was praising the compassion of King Megharath (who lived on Earth) and he stated that King Megharath would not hesitate to give up his own life to protect those who came to him for protection. Two of the heavenly Dev doubted what Indra said, so Indra asked them to go to Earth and see for themselves. Since they could not appear on Earth in their heavenly forms; one of them decided to take the form of a pigeon, and the other took the form of a hawk. 6 Down on Earth, King Megharath was sitting in his court surrounded by his courtiers. Suddenly a pigeon flew in through an open window and started circling the hall. To the king s surprise, it landed on his lap and was shaking uncontrollably. The king realized that the pigeon was shaking with fear and had flown into the palace to seek refuge. At that very instant, a hawk flew into the king s court. He said to the king, This pigeon is my food. Let me have him. The king stated that he would not give the pigeon, but could provide some other food. He ordered his servants to bring a basket of fruits and vegetables. However, the hawk said, I need meat (flesh) for my food. The king said, Let me give you my own flesh instead of this pigeon s flesh. This pigeon has sought refuge and it is my duty to protect it. At the same time, it is also my duty to see that no one else is harmed in the process. Therefore, I will give my own flesh to the hawk. With these words, he took out his knife and cut off a piece of flesh from his thigh and offered that to the hawk. However, the hawk said to the king, Oh king, I want the same amount of flesh as the pigeon. Therefore, a weighing scale was brought to the court. The king put the pigeon on one side and a piece of his own flesh on the other. The king kept adding more and more of his flesh on the scale, but it was not enough. Finally, the king got ready to put his whole body on the scale. The court was stunned that the king was giving up his own life for the bird. Nevertheless, the king considered his duty to protect the bird to be above everything else. He sat in the scale on the side opposite the pigeon, closed his eyes, and began meditating. As soon as the king began meditating, the pigeon and the hawk assumed their original divine forms. Both Dev bowed to the king and said, Oh great king! You are blessed. You deserve all the praise given by Lord Indra. The whole court resounded with cheers of joy, Long live King Megharath. Later on, the soul of King Megharath became the sixteenth Tirthankar, Lord Shäntinäth.
Below are selected stanzas from Pathshala Prayers. See if you can fill in the blanks: Sungh Gurudev Jogi Sampada Pamiye Tribhuvan paap nara daan poojiye swarg Darshanam dev devasya, darshanam nashanam; Darshanam sopanaam, darshanam moksha saadhanam. Prabhu darashan sukh,prabhu darashan nava nidh; Prabhu darashan thi, sakal padarath siddh. Bhave bhavana bhavie, bhave dije ; Bhave jinavar, bhave keval gyan. Om Mangalam, Omkaar Mangalam; Guru Mangalam, Mangalam. samare, bhogi samare, samare raaja runk, Teesari aarati deva, Teesari aarati tribhuvan deva, Soora,, indra, kare tori seva Ama gher mangalik, tum gher mangalik, Mangalik chaturvidha ne hojo 7
Jai Jinendra Jiten Uncle! Biren Mehta had the privilege to speak with one our veteran JCYC Pathshala teachers. Jiten Vasa has been teaching at JCYC since 2006. Currently he teaches the 11year olds about Jainism. Q: Before we get into teaching, can you tell us about your family and profession? A: I have been married to my beautiful wife, Harshida Vasa, for 36 yrs. I have two lovely children, Payal and Ankit. Payal is married to Dr. Raj Vashi and my son, Ankit J Vasa, DDS recently got engaged to Niti Saini, DDS. I am a practicing General & Cosmetic Dentist in Lakewood, Ca. since 1983. I love what I do because I help people smile. Q: Your kids completed the JCYC pathshala program. What impact do you see it having in their lives? A: This is a great question. I see the positive influence of the pathshala program every time I interact with them. They both believe in non-violence and selfcontrol. They are vegetarian and they understand why it is important to respect all beings. Through pathshala they improved their Gujarati reading, writing and speaking skills. It was very important to instill all these positive beliefs at a young age and that is what pathshala did. Q: What s motivates you to continue teaching in JCYC year after year? A: The students! Seeing them learn, watching their eyes light up when they understand something and then apply what they have learned into their daily lives It makes teaching a JOY. Each year we come up with newer and more innovative ways to teach Jainism. As we teach the students, the students teach us. Q: What s been your most memorable moment as a teacher? A: There are so many memorable moments that it is hard to pick just one, but I do have a yearly favorite and that would have to be the Annual Project. Towards the end of each pathshala year, I assign an annual project in which I divide all the students into groups and allow them to pick any topic that was covered throughout the year. They then present their topic to the class and all the parents. Seeing the students get 8 extremely creative and enthusiastic of the material makes this my favorite and most memorable event. Q: How would you describe your teaching style? A: I would describe my teaching style as easy-going, but effective. I start the class off with Sunday Morning Bloopers ; this is usually a joke or a puzzle. We have a few laughs and then start the curriculum. I like to tell stories about the topics allowing them to really comprehend the essence of Jainism. I want them to truly understand the philosophy that underlies each lesson so that they will be able to implement in their daily life. My goal is to not only to teach Jainism as a religion, but to teach it as a way of life. Q: What advice do you have for parents that are looking to pass on our Jain values to their kids? A: My best advice would be to teach by example. Children tend to follow in their parents footsteps. We have such an amazing swadhyay for adults. I would urge all the parents to attend these classes. The more the parents learn, the more they can in turn teach their children. We are never too old to learn religion. It is the only thing that stays with you till the end. Q: What role should parents play in the JCYC Curriculum? A: I strongly believe that it is not possible to achieve, what we want to achieve, without the help and guidance of the parents. During Back to pathshala I always remind the parents to ask their children questions after class. What did you learn? What was your favorite part? Asking them questions helps them remember what they learned. Also, getting involved in homework and assignments these are all small things that make a BIG difference. We only get 1 hour every two weeks to teach the students. The parents are with them everyday. The more involved the parents get, the more the students will learn. I know how much each parent loves their child, now together; let s teach them to love Jainism!
JCYC Committee Selection Process - By Biren Mehta Each year a new JCYC committee comes into office. They are the leaders of the largest Jain Pathshala program in North America. Have you ever wondered how they are chosen? Getting selected to be on committee is quite a process. First the candidates have to turn in their application, where they answer questions about themselves and write what they want to do if they are selected to be on the committee. After the applications have been reviewed, the interview process begins. All of the applicants are interviewed on one day. This day is filled with a variety of emotions, from anxiety all the way to confidence. Each interviewing applicant, some as young as 12, are individually evaluated by a panel of six, including the two co-presidents, a Pathshala teacher, two alumni and a member of the Executive Committee. The panel has about ten minutes to learn about the applicant through a series of simple questions, including an out of the box question. Through this interview, the panel gets a glimpse of the applicant s personality and commitment. The questions can be very intriguing such as If you were a superhero, what would be your superpower? and If you were a piece of jewelry, what would you be? The purpose is to judge how the applicant thinks and to assess how well the person would fit on committee. After all the interviews are completed, the selection process begins. From 5 pm to 8 pm the same day, every applicant receives a call. This is the moment that they have all waited for. This call tells the applicant if he/she has made it to the JCYC committee or not. Warm congratulations to the newly appointed 2014-2015 JCYC Committee!!! The interviews for the 2014-2015 committee took place on May 18th. After an 8 hour interviewing session covering nearly 50 applicants, it was time to begin the selection process. After much discussion, the committee roster was agreed upon. This year, a team of 29 kids was selected, making this the largest committee ever! Co-Presidents: Co-Vice Presidents: Secretary: Director of Activities: Public Relations: Publications: Director of Media/Technology: Historian: Members at large: Rushabh Doshi and Sanam Chekuri Falguni Gala and Shivani Jain Alisha Mehta and Dhristi Shah Rishabh Shah and Chirag Doshi Namita Shah, Anika Shah and Vinit Parekh Riya Shah and Simran Doshi Sapan Doshi and Mihir Shah Nilay Shah and Mohit Shah Rini Jain, Mohit Shah, Shikher Shah, Manav Gandhi, Vatsal Jain, Mihir Shah, Vriti Cheddha, Alay Modi, Siddhi Chordia, Mitali Shah, Aagam Vadecha, Charmi Kothari, Neal Dudekhar 9
મ ષ ય પ ત તય અ તતતવક ય થત તય ચ ય નપ મતધય રપય લ ય તતર ત ય ય ય થત તય ચ ય ત ર ય મતત ય નતરત રતય વત મતજર,ય પજમતજર,ય ભઅક મતજરય ય ષતતમય થ તતમતજરમતધય થ ક ય થ વય ય ચ રભય તતય ભઅક મતજર ધય તરધઅ ય ર તત ય ખ પ ય ય પતય ત ર યલ ય "ઘણ ઘણ પ ક ર કક ત ક ઢ ન છ ક ક ત એકસ ર ન, ક ત કણ રએ કરસ ક કણત ક ત ક કસ કછ ક ત એક ન ર યયયયશર મ ક ર ત - એત ત 201 ય ય ય 10 ય મતપ યમપમમતજર ય તર યત ય મત ય તવ ત ય તમતત તય ત ત યથત પમતધયભઅક ય ય તય ધ યમ ત ધયથત યલ,યય ધય ય ધ ત મયમ ષતતપપ ય ખ ય ત યભઅક મતજર ય ત ત તય તષ યથધમ મતધયતપર યત તતમતધય ધયલ યય ક ક ર ય ય તય તત યયત તતમતધય ત યલ,ય મતધય ત મત ક તયમ ષત ય ય તખ તયય ખ યલ ય 1 ય મત મતય તયન ય મ ય'ભઅક 'યત યલ ય--યશ ય ત યભઅક યચ વયયય 2 ય મત મતય ન ધ ત,ય ત ર,ય ત નષતયનત વય કતય ત ય ય તર ય મય ય'ભઅક 'યલ ય--યશ યથતતરકર થર યય ય મ-ભઅક ય ત તય મ ત ય ત ય રપત ય ય રપત યથતરય લતય પય તજયત તતમતધય ત યલ ય ત ય ય મરવયભઅક ય ન ઘયર ર ર ધયતત પયઅ યલ ય યથત ત-ભક ય ય થત ત તય ધકમતધયભઅક મતજર પય મતમ તપ તયમતજમય તન યજ ક ય તપયત યયનત યલ યય શ યત તતક ય ય ત ત યરતભપ પય ભતયકત યલ ય મતધ તય ખ ય ય મતપ યલ ય 1 યથ વ તય2 ય ધતત પય તનય3 યથત પ- ષતધતતયમતજરય4 યથતરયચ રભ તયય ય ભઅક મતજર ય કતકર 1 પ યથમ યભક યત તતયમતત તતય પ?ય યઅ યત યયથત યય ય ય પ યર ત ય યયલ ય 1 યભક યત તતય પ?ય 2 ય મત મત,યથ ય યર ય મર તયનત પયત તતય પ?યય 1ર 2 ય ક મત મત,યથ ય છત ર? યર ય મતધય તતવતય પ,ય મર તયનત પયત યભઅક યત ત ય પ ય તતય પ?યય યભક ક કણ : 1 ય તત :ય ય ત તન તય તત ત ય ય ખ તય લ યયભ - ભ,ય ત -,ય ત - ણ ય ન ય ત ય પય ષત પ ય ભ ય તડય ય ડયયત ય ય પયત તતમતધય ત યલ ય ય મન મતધયઅત તયત ય પય ન યત તતમતધય ત યલ ય 2 ય સત એ ત:ય તધય વય તતકર થ ધય પ ય તધયથ તત યમતધય મ યક યનત ય ક ય તતકરય તર ય તધ વ તયમ વતતત યરપ ત યતપ ય પય તત ય મતય ત તય ન તયત યયત તતધય ય તતકર થ ધયયલ ય ય લમ પ તય તષ પ ય 3 યશ કસ ક એ એ ત ર:યથત યમ ત થ પય-- જત,યમતધથત ત,ય ત,યત શ ત,ય નતત,ય પ યય ય -- પય મક ય તજયત ય ય સ વ પ ય ત તજ ય મતત યથત તયનત તય પ ત ય તવ તયત ત યલ ય 4 યય ક કત ત મત ર:ય ત મ તયતત યમતધયઉ થત ય ય યતમત ય જ ધયરમપયલ ય તકર ત,યતધ તય યભઅક તમય ન ય - By Pravinbhai Mehta મન તય ત મ તયતત યમતધય મ પ યઉ થત તરતય પડત યલ ય 5 યપ રક :ય મર ષષત પયત યત યભક તયર ય થર તય વતત ય યલ યયય 6 ક ક :ય જ તયથમ ય તકયય યમપ મત ત ય તતડતત પય યભક ય ધ યત તરય ય યલ ય
2. એક ત, દ ધ પરએ શ પ છત હ? આત ક, ક ણ ક ક ર કતર? શ ટછ કતર? પયઉર ય યલ યત ય પ યયભમતત, થ ય યર ય મર તય નત પ ય ભઅક ત ત ય ત ય ભઅક ધય પ ય પ ત તય ઘ ર ય મરવય ય અ ક ય ત તત ધય લ ય તત પય ત ય તતય મરવય મતધય યભમતત તય નર યથ યક યનત લ શ એક ત ત સતરએ: થતરય પપક ય ન પરય તતય મત મત તય ધ પપ મધ ય પરયજત, પરય ધ યતક ત થ ધય ખ યલ તતય ધ ય પ તય તતમ ય તતયત તમય મત મત યભઅક ય તત તયયભક પ ય મય ય પ યલ ય તતય મય નતધ યભતત ય તર યક રતય મત મત, મ તય નર ક યભક મતધય ધ યનતધ, ન વ,ઉ નમ, તવ ભતતપ યઊ મ યય મ મ યભ તતક યભક ધયતત રયન શય થ યકત યલ ય વરપત તય તકયત તતયલ? " મ ય તમ, ત તત ય, થઅ ત ધ ત, થ ધ ય, ધ જત, ધ ન ય યવ રપલ તતનતયલપ યય--- શ મ મ ય ત ધમય- મપમમતવત-ય નમત તષ 56 શર ત સતરએ:ય મ તય મય મતમર નર ય ષવય ભક ય ત તય ત ય લ ય ય થ ય પય તભઅક ય તર ય ત ય મથતમત તત ય ત ર ય ત યય પત પ ય મ ત વપમતધક ત પમતધક ય મ તયથતરય તપય યત પતય યતત થમ ય મ ત તયત ય પ ય તતય મતત ત - ત ય ય મય મત યમપમ ત યશ યથ તય ત તયભક પ ય મયન પ, મય તય ય મય યલ યમતત ય તત ઉરમય ય થ તત, ભઅક,, થ તત યથતરય ય યત તતય ય મ ધયન પય પયત ધય ય પતયય મ ન ધયતત પયલ ત યન ય પયથ યત, ય મય ત ય થ, ય પયય તવ ય મ પ, મન મતયમ યથમત થ. શ ય મર તક તતમ ય ત ય-યશ ય ધ દ ધ પરએ શ પ :ય મર તય તયનમપમતધય તય ય ખ યનમયલ ય તધયથત ય તયલ ય તધ તશ ય મરયલ યઉ તધ ય ત તગ, મમત, ત, થધ પષ, થ વ ત, થ, થધ મ, ત, તમ, બ રય પમય ય પ ય ત ય ધભ ન ય ક ય મ ર યયથ તત યથ નત પય ન ય તન ષયત ય યત ર યલ મતન યય અ ત ત, યય તયયનત, મયથ ય પમય ન, તધય ત યચ તવ ---- શ ય મ થર નત ય મતકત 13 ક ક ત તધ પ ક ધ ત મયમ ષતતપપક ય ત ત તધયભઅક તય ખ ય તય તત યનત મતધયત તયલ શતપયતય ર યઘ ત, તધ યથ ત યધ ત, ર તયથમ તય ત ત, ત તયભઅક ય મતપ ય તય તત યભઅક ય તષ ય ત ત પતય કતય તથ યત યર ધ ન યય તયનમયલ થ ષ તયથમતમમ પય શ યથમ થત ય તતતય-9-8-- શ યઅ ત થ તથ (શદ ય શર આત તકન તક ક " ક ક ર ર આક ધ આધ કછ) 11
Learning Through Stories - By Sushilaben Shah, દ ત, દ.,,, ગ,, ત ત,?,,, સ. સ ત સ સ. સ સ, સ,, ત સ? સ.,,.?,,. સ સ સ., ત સ,. 12
સ,. પ?,, હ. ત મ ઠ શ? શ? સ મ ત, સ મ ત. જ, સ પ પ પ સ પ. સ ખ પ ત, સ,. સ હ,. પ દ ખ, સ,, ખ પ મ દ સ, ત સ. હ સ, પ,,,. ત શ?,,, મ શ 13
Thursday Swadhyay Summary - By Girishbhai Shah " ન ' ' ન સ ય ન ન ગ ગ પ ' ' પ ન ન ય ય ' ', ' ' ' ' ન ન ",,,, ન ', ' ' ' ગ ર : ર ય ન ય ય ય,, ન ' ', ય, ગ ન ન ' પ,,, ય ' ' '. સ ન સ ;,, ગ? ;, પ 14
A Cup of Tea and a Loaf of Bread - By Rupa Shah One evening, my father came home from work and asked my mom to make a huge pot of tea. He went to the market and bought some loaves of bread. I was then maybe 10 years old. After dinner, my parents, my brother, and I went to the Dadar station. A lot of people had their homes by the curbside of the station. Their so-called homes were just the temporary r e s i d e n c e s. Anytime the police Homeless people in India. could come and they would have to run to find another home. One old blanket and one bag full of clothes or miscellaneous small items were their household furniture. There were rows of old blankets, and on top of the blankets were the thin, fragile bodies of people. My father went to first one, tapped his shoulder gently, and gave him a cup of tea and bread. Though I was young, I could see a sudden change of emotions on that person s face, from despair to satisfaction. That picture was captured and stayed in my subconscious. My father went to all of them one by one and gave tea and bread. One night around 1 a.m. someone knocked at the door. My father answered. Sitaram, the worker from the sweet shop just underneath our building, was at the door. He used to make sweets from early morning to late night and sleep in one room, which was kept by the owner of the sweet shop. That day, Sitaram had a bad stomach ache and he knew my father was in the medical business and may have medicine for him. Someone from my family frowned - how come they are bothering us in the middle of night? My father answered, Whatever little we can do, if it helps someone, then why not? Seeds of helping others were planted in my consciousness. Years went by. I came to the USA. While assimilating into a new culture, keeping our identity and dignity was not easy, but was also not impossible. When I moved to California, someone gave me the contact information of Savitaben and I found out about the Jain Center of Southern California (JCSC). It was 1985 and our community was taking its first steps. The seed that my father had planted came to the surface: I started doing small things for the temple. I TCCOP dinner serving at long Beach Shelter 15
knew it was nothing compared to what others were doing, but my feeling was to contribute, no matter how big or small. Over the years JCSC became part of my extended family. Whenever I needed a friend, I found one at JCSC. Whenever I needed to divert my attention from any negative emotions, JCSC volunteering came to the rescue. In today s hectic lifestyle, to face fierce competition at the workplace, to manage work-life balance, and to raise your child with utmost confidence in an unfamiliar environment takes a toll on you. Volunteering at JCSC gave me selfconfidence and has helped me cope with the roller coaster of trials and tribulations. In 2008, while volunteering during pratishtha cultural program, I saw how the whole community became one giant family. It gave me identity, self-satisfaction, and a sense of belonging, along with cherished memories that I will never forget. I found lifelong friendship. In 2009, during the JAINA Convention, we got a chance to spread the message of ecology through our cultural program, and we all felt that we gave something back to the environment and did justice to the future generation. I learned skills of team building, project management, and conflict resolution through volunteering at JCSC, which also helped in my professional life. The image of that man years ago, whose expression changed from despair to satisfaction, just with a cup of tea, was still in my subconscious, and with that in mind, I volunteered at TCCOP, where I served dinner to homeless people. I felt gratitude for having an opportunity to make a little difference in someone s life. In 2013, the United Health Care System conducted a study to link volunteerism and good health. They found that good health is as much of a journey as it is a destination. Traditionally, our health has been left to the care of our doctors, nurses, and other health professionals who have done so much for us in clinical settings. In recent years, they have started to realize that good health means much more than a set of numbers tracking, height, weight, heart rate, and cholesterol. It starts with the individual. It means taking an integrated approach to wellbeing that includes not only our physical health, but our emotional health, our sense of purpose, our connections to our community, and our overall quality of life. 76% of the people who volunteered said they felt healthier and 94% of the people who volunteered said that it improved their mood. 78% of people said they felt less stressed and felt calm and peaceful. It s not often we find this kind of win-win activity. Doing good is good for us. We can do more. Do better. So what are you waiting for? Let us join hands together and serve our beloved JCSC community. 16
Compassion for the Elderly - By Suren Shah I was born in a Jain family with a very religious mother who took care of my eldest mentally challenged sister; so helping others in need was part of my growing up. Over the years I have done various volunteer activities such as teaching JCYC classes for the past 17 years, preparing free tax return for seniors and low income families, and serving food to the less fortunate at the Long Beach church through TCCOP. When you volunteer for any service and do not expect anything in return, the rewards are amazing. I still get lots of hugs, and smiles from some of my students who are now college graduates. It does not matter what you do; teach young adults, help serve food during our holidays, listen to a senior who has no one to talk to, or help a complete stranger who does not know where to turn to for any help (medical, financial, etc.) When you give time and your ear, it is simply amazing what you receive in return. You cannot buy this with any amount of money. Personally, it teaches me to be considerate, caring, and helps me count my blessing every day. Ever since I retired about 2 years ago, I have been significantly involved with the senior support program at the Council on Aging. It is a charitable organization and is partly funded by grants from state agencies, donations, etc. There are nine specific programs to support seniors and low income families in Orange County. I work on one of these programs called HICAP (Health Insurance Counseling & Advocacy). This is a no cost public service. I have studied Medicare and low Income programs such as Medi-Cal, Food Stamps, Utility assistance, Rx Extra Help and passed the required exam to be certified by the State of California. During the weekdays, I volunteer at the HICAP call center in Santa Ana where we counsel via phone as well as in person. Some of our Jain families have benefited from this service in the past. Medicare is a quite complex program. Retirees and adults reaching the retirement age have lots of questions and confusion about the program such as: What is Medicare? Who is qualified? What medical benefits are covered? What are the different parts of Medicare? What are my Medicare choices? How can I make changes? Annual enrollment is from Oct 15 to Dec 7. Why are these days important? Who can benefit from the low Income subsidy programs? I want to encourage all the elderly JCSC members to take advantage of this program. I believe our community will benefit and be able to make informed choices. If you need help with any of the programs related to elderly services, please call me on (O) 714-560-0424 or (H) 714-528-7974. 17
Malala A Symbol of Truth, Fearlessness, Humility and Forgiveness - By Sheenika Shah and Sahil Shah When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful. Malala Yousafzai 18 Where many of us here in the United States take for granted the right to go to school, the freedom to drive or walk around, or the right to live in peace, others around the world do not enjoy this freedom. Even further, the safety of women and children is not guaranteed, with schools being bombed and women flogged for disobeying the strict laws. In this seemingly never-ending list of inequalities, Malala Yousafzai, at the young age of 17, has brought inspiration and determination as a role model to not only women, but also to those who defend the right to education for children everywhere. Malala lived in the Swat Valley, an area in Pakistan where the Taliban had taken control and imposed its strict ideology of no music, no visible women, and especially no girls in school. On October 9th, 2012, Malala rode the bus to school just like any other child. However, two men stopped and boarded the bus, demanding Malala Yousafzai to identify herself. And right after that, the men fired shots at Malala and three other girls on the bus. The reason for this violence was simply because she had defied their rules and refused to stay silent on the topic of education for girls. Malala was shot directly in the head and was taken to nearby hospital. She was later moved to a hospital in Birmingham, London, because the hospital in her hometown did not have necessary resources to treat her properly. After extensive surgery, including facial reconstruction, Malala was released from the hospital and she came out to a world that was inspired by her story. Let us pick up our books and our pens. They are our most powerful weapons. One teacher, one book, one pen, can change the world, Malala said, in an impassioned speech to the UN Youth Assembly. Malala publicly spoke out against the Taliban and reasoned that they were afraid of the power of education. In order to achieve peace, education is required, and further wars can be prevented through educating children. During an interview on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Malala resembles a female Gandhi by advocating for a fight through peace, rather than violence. When asked about how she reacted when she found out the Taliban wanted her and her father dead, she said: I used to think that the Talib would come and he would just kill me, but then I said if he comes, what would you do Malala? Then I would reply to myself Malala, just take a shoe and hit him. But then I said, if you hit a Talib with your shoe, then there would be no difference between you and the Talib. You must not treat others that much with cruelty and that much harshly, you must fight others, but through peace and
through dialogue and through education. Then I said I would tell him how important education is and that I even want education for your children as well and I would tell him, that s what I want to tell you, now do what you want. In Malala one can see true manifestation of Jain values such as Truth, Fearlessness, Humility and Forgiveness. Jainism teaches us that we should not only refrain from falsehood, but should always speak the truth. Malala wholeheartedly believes in this principle. She speaks about how her mother and father raised her to always speak candidly, as it would bring peace one day when the truth is exposed. Malala continues to fight for women s education throughout the world. Although the Taliban have threatened her and her family, she remains fearless and doesn t let their death -threats stop her from spreading her story and message across the world. She inspires ordinary people to stand up for what they believe in and challenge those who threaten or disown one s own beliefs. I speak not for myself but for those without voice... those who have fought for their rights... their right to live in peace, their right to be treated with dignity, their right to equality of opportunity, their right to be educated, said Malala Yousafzai United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education, Gordon Brown launched a UN petition in Yousafzai s name, using the slogan I am Malala and demanding that all children worldwide be in school by the end of 2015 a petition which helped lead to the ratification of Pakistan s first Right to Education Bill. In the April 29, 2013 issue of Time magazine, Malala was featured on the magazine s front cover and as one of The 100 Most Influential People in the World. Even though Yousafzai was widely favored to win the Nobel Peace Prize, she unfortunately did not receive the honor. But despite the international accolades, Malala remains humble and realistic about her advocacy efforts saying: I think that I still need to work a lot. In my opinion I have not done that much to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Malala s father came into the hospital with an article that had just been published, regarding a poll of the ten most influential people in the world. Malala had come in number six. When her fathered shared this with her, he asked Doesn t this make you happy? To which she replied, No, I don t think human beings should be categorized in such a way. Even though the Talibs tried to kill her, she does not want to retaliate against them. In her speech at the UN, she said I do not even hate the Talib who shot me. Even if there is a gun in my hand and he stands in front of me. I would not shoot him. This is the compassion that I have learnt from Muhammad-the prophet of mercy, Jesus Christ and Lord Buddha. This is the legacy of change that I have inherited from Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and Muhammad Ali Jinnah. This is the philosophy of non-violence that I have learnt from Gandhiji, Bacha Khan and Mother Teresa. And this is the forgiveness that I have learnt from my mother and father. This is what my soul is telling me, be peaceful and love everyone. 19
Reaching the Fountain of Joy within You - By Dilip Parekh Once upon a time in a small village there lived a saint. He was very pious and spent most of his time in meditation. Once a week he would give a sermon under a big oak tree and teach the villagers about religion and spirituality. Most of the people in the village were farmers and lived contentedly and happily. They respected the saint and asked for his advice on many occasions. They tried to put into practice what the saint taught them. One year there was a severe drought and the farmers started losing their crops. The nearby rivers and lakes had dried out. There was no sign of any rainfall in the near future. The villagers asked the saint for help. After listening to their plea, the saint went into a trance. After a few minutes he opened his eyes and told them they could find water in a spot at the bottom of a trash dump outside the village. He said, You will have to dig out the trash and burn it. Keep digging until you reach a big white rock. When you break open that rock, fresh water will gush out. The villagers were excited to hear this. They thanked the saint and rushed towards the trash dump with their shovels, rock picks and any other tools they could find. The trash dump was 15 feet deep and a lot of trash from the neighboring villages had been dumped there for several years. It smelled awful and no one liked to even go near the dump. But now the villagers were desperate. They put on their masks and started taking the trash out. It contained rotten food, papers, broken bottles, plastics and a lot of decomposing household items. With the burning trash, the air was foul and suffocating. Some of the villagers could not tolerate the filthy atmosphere, got sick and left. Others continued to dig and burn. They firmly believed in the saint and focused on the water they were eventually going to find. They actually started rejoicing as more and more of the trash was being burnt to ashes and the trash dump was getting cleaner. Eventually after few days, they reached a big white rock at the bottom of the pit. With a lot of anticipation all the villagers watched as couple of them banged on the rock with their rock picks. A few strokes and a huge fountain of water emerged and drenched them all. The villagers hugged each other and rejoiced. They ran to the saint to tell him the good news and thanked him. The saint congratulated them for their hard work and asked them all to meet him under the oak tree the next day evening. As the sun was setting the next day, the villagers gathered under the tree and awaited the saint s arrival. They were all happily sharing their excitement about the water and dreaming about the future. The saint arrived and everyone applauded. The saint began to speak: I congratulate you on your tenacity and hard work. I thank you for your faith in me. You have done whatever was necessary for you to clean the filthy trash dump to get to the clean water. Now you must do the same in order to advance in your spiritual journeys. We are all filled with the trash of passions such as anger, ego, deceit, greed, aversions and attachments. But remember, at the bottom of all this, there is a pure soul that is peaceful, powerful and a fountain of joy. Don t look outside for happiness and peace. Go within. Take out that trash of anger, ego, deceit and greed. As you start digging, it will smell awful. As you start introspecting, you will be surprised and sometimes ashamed to know that you have so many faults and that there is so much filth in you. But as you start taking action to cleanse yourself with Jaap and Tap, start paying attention to your own attitudes and wrong beliefs, start changing your attitude and behavior, you will start burning that filth. Believe in Bhagwan s teachings; believe in your pure Self. And with determination, continue to introspect, reduce your passions and remove your faults. And with Bhagwan s grace, one day you will experience the everlasting peace and bliss that is within you. As the saint completed his sermon, everyone could feel the love and compassion in his advice. As they returned home, their minds were full of resolve to find the fountain of joy within themselves, and their hearts were full of renewed hope for their spiritual well-being. 20
RECIPE Chocolate Chip Muffins By Reena Shah Ingredients 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 2 tablespoons best quality cocoa powder 3/4 cup superfine sugar 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling 1 cup milk 1/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil ¼ cup applesauce + a pinch of baking soda 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Directions Special equipment: Muffin tin with paper muffin cases, cookie scoop Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, sugar, and 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips into a large bowl. Pour all the liquid ingredients into a measuring jug. Mix the dry and wet ingredients together, remembering that a lumpy batter makes the best muffins. Use cookie scooper to spoon into the prepared muffin cases. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips on top and then bake for 20 minutes or until the muffins are brown, risen and springy. 21
Spotlight: The Incredible JCSC Audio/Video Team When you can view Live picture from the temple or listen to a dignitary lecture via phone or over the Internet in the comfort of your home, when the stage in the Main Hall is lit perfectly and you enjoy watching the cultural performances, when your bhakti song can be heard well by others in the temple, there is a team of dedicated volunteers that works behind the scenes to make all that happen flawlessly. Jayanaben Shah recently caught up with Narendrabhai Maniar to bring you an inside look at our incredible Audio/Video team. When was the A/V team created? The A/V team was formally started in year 2000 with a few volunteers, however these services were also provided in the old building by a volunteer team of Dineshbhai Shah, Jaswant Mehta and a few others. How long have you been doing this seva? When we were planning to build the cultural complex, I was asked to join the building committee to define Audio/Video requirements and design/implement A/V System. A consultant, Mr. Steve Prado, worked with our A/V committee and he is our go to guy even today. I was supposed to stay on team thru design and construction phase and then turn over to the next team for its operation. As of today I am still very actively involved in the A/V team. But it is not just me; all together many team members have put in countless hours of volunteer service. What are the various services offered by the A/V team? In 2000, the vision was to any and all audio/video signal from any part of the complex and relay it to any other part of the complex including furtuer phases. Hence the Audio Video designed and implemented to meet that requirement. In 14 years, our requirements have changed and the technology has improved a lot as well. Cultural 22 Hall is now used not only for lectures but elaborate cultural shows, professional fund raising programs, etc. Whether it is a gathering of 50 people for IPad classes or Mahavir Jayanti program with attendees of 1000+, the A/V team is always called upon to help. The services the A/V team provides besides the regular audio and video duties are: managing the microphone and speaker requirements for various programs in entire facility, lighting on stage, projection on stage and TV or big screen in any room, photography, videography, archiving of all data, network management, live streaming of Jin Darshan and programs from Cultural Hall and Aradhana Hall including regular swadhyay and even performing similar duties for private events. A/V room at the Jain Center of Southern California.
People as far away as India, can enjoy the activities happening in the Jain Centerwhich are so much appreciated that we have received specific donations of as much as $1000 just for webcasting fund. How much effort is it to provide various services? For each program, the A/V team spends 1 to 2 hours before to setup and 1 to 2 hours after the event. We are the first ones to arrive and the last ones to leave. We need all types of volunteers who can dedicate the time on a regular basis to help out in whatever capacity thay can. Having more trained volunteers will be wonderful to continue providing unparallel service. Who are the people in the A/V team? The current A/V team is headed by Dinesh Shah and includes long time members like Salil Dangi (who deserves a special recognition for being our resident technical expert in all areas including networking, live darshan and web streaming since conceptualization), Rahul Parikh (who is our resident expert in audio) Nikhil Dhami, Kamal Mehta, Sapan Doshi (who started when he was only 12), Sahil Sanghvi, Andy Shah, Nimish Shah and Rohit Shah. We also get much needed help in the phone bridge and web streaming of regular swadhyay from Yogesh Shah and other attendees. Others who have either helped or continue to help on as needed basis include Vinita Dangi, Dhiraj Dedhia, Shailesh Desai, Ashwin Doshi, Mihir Gandhi, Narendra Jain, Surekha Jain, Rakesh Kothari, Ramesh Kothari, Jigger Mehta, Rajen Mehta, Tirth Modi, Malay Shah, Harshad Maniar and Lalit Vora.. (Our sincere apology if we missed anyone). More on this interview to be continued in the next issue Reflections on Volunteering by Jayanaben If you are technically inclined and can give your time frequently during the year, you should consider becoming a volunteer for the A/V team. They will be happy to have you as a team member. If you do not have the time for meetings and organizing & planning around the events, you can still help as an event volunteer. Our Jain Center is run by a team of volunteers. Whether it is a daily religious ritual or serving dinner, whether it is a cultural event or a Pathshala day, a lot of work gets done before and after any event takes place. Have you ever wondered how the chairs are always available upstairs in the temple when needed and not there when not needed? Sometimes I wonder where do the volunteers get the energy to keep going! I asked some of them what makes them give up their weekend with family. The answer was simple. The Jain Center is a second home for us and the people we work with are a family. There is a joy and satisfaction in volunteering at Jain Center. We all should try to join at least one team for a year to experience that joy, it might change our perspective. At least we will have more respect for those who are putting in countless hours. Even if each one of us places our own shoes in a cubby (one cubby per family) that will be a great start! 23 Jainism is of a very high order. Its important teachings are based upon science. The more the scientific knowledge advances the more that Jain teachings will be proven. - L. P. Tessetori, Italy
Paryushan 2014 Celebration at JCSC By Dr. Mahendra Shah & Jayana Shah Jain Center Of Southern California (JCSC) celebrated 2014 Paryushana Maha Parva in a very colorful way with wonderful decorations, daily different Aangi, youth programs including Snatra puja, Aartis, 24 Tirthankars Aangi, Gahuli and games; spiritual awareness through various discourses, Pujas, Pratikramans, musical bhakti, record tapasyas, cultural program with wonderful drama,18 Abhishek pujan of private idols, yoga session by Shri Arun Tivari, etc. There was a lot of enthusiasm and harmony among the 2000+ members who attended major events of Mahavir Janma Vanchan and Swapna Darshan celebration on Sunday, August 24. Pandit Champakbhai Mehta delivered daily spiritually uplifting discourses in Gujarati. Shri Harshadbhai Maniar inspired many young Jains with lectures in English and Shri Roopchandji Maharaj gave sermons in Hindi. Community local singer groups provided melodious musical bhakti bhavana every day. JCSC is honored to have a record number of tapasvis this year. 45 Upavas Shri Ashokbhai Savla 16 Upavas 3 people 11 Upavas 4 people 10 Upavas 1 person 8 Upavas 48 people The young inspiring tapasvis included kids between the ages of 5 to 16. For JCSC members, it was a unique opportunity to celebrate Tap Anumodna of all tapasvis with Manglik, Bhakti, Parna, and a procession with Palkhi, The highlight of the Paryushan at JCSC this year was our past president Ashokbhai Savla s 45 upavas (Dodhamasitap). Ashokbhai has dedicated this year s tapasya to his mother Devkaben. He had shared his desire to do this tapasya with her prior to her passing away last year. Earlier this year, Ashokbhai got blessings from Shri Rakeshbhai Jhaveri to do 45 upavas. With cooperation and encouragement from his wife Harshanaben and his children Gautam and Paras, Ashokbhai was able to work till 31st day of upavas and was able to complete his tapasya in a peaceful manner. Ashokbhai comes from a very religious family background. He started doing tapasya at a tender age of 18. He got inspired by Arunodayji Maharaj Sahib s pravachan during 1977 chomasu and the same year he did 16 upavas during those 4 months. 24
Since 1986, every year Ashokbhai has done 8 upavas or more during Paryushan. His son Gautam did athai to support him. This is his 6th athai also. Until this year Ashokbhai has done 2 Maas Khaman (30 days upavas), 2 Varshitap, 2 Siddhitap, 2 Shreniktap, 1 Shrenitap. This year it was his 7th Aymbil Holi. In 2010, he did Shreni tap and Siddhi tap which included 120 upavas and 36 byasanas. JCSC is very honored to have such an ardent Tapasvi as a role model. Many of our members got encouragement to do Athai and more upavas during Paryushan this year. We wish him good health and wish him all the success on his spiritual journey. JCSC also celebrated Das Lakshana mahaparv with daily Pakshalji, Bhavpujas, Aarti, and Mangaldivo. Dr Rameshbhai Parekh, a spiritual scholar, gave discourses via phone bridge and in person. On Sunday, September 7th, everybody celebrated with Abhisheks, Shanti Dhara, various pujas, ekasana, swamivatsalya. Chaudus pratikraman was held on September 8th. 2014 Paryshana Tapasvi List Name # of Upvas Name # of Upvas Name # of Upvas Ashok Savla 45 Dhara Badani 16 Malini Vora 16 Nita Deepak Shah 16 Ila Mehta 11 Khushboo Shah 11 Kiritbhai Shah 11 Vijay Chheda 11 Saurabh Shah 10 Anand Shah 8 Anchal Udani 8 Anika Shah 8 Ankur Savani 8 Anshu Jain 8 Ashwin Shah 8 Bharti Doshi 8 Bharti Shah 8 Bhavin Modi 8 Chandrika Shah 8 Chiranj Modi 8 Deepali Vora 8 Deven Shah 8 Dhaval Jogani 8 Dr. Virendra Desai 8 Falguni Gala 8 Gaurav Shah 8 Gautam Savla 8 Hetal Doshi 8 Jagruti Shah 8 Kaushal Shah 8 Ketan Doshi 8 Ketan Parekh 8 Kinna Gandhi Shah 8 Kirit C. Shah 8 Kusum Savla 8 Maluni Shah 8 Mansi Modi 8 Nayan Ramesh Shah 8 Nihal Shah 8 Nishit Choksi 8 Palak Savani 8 Payal Shah 8 Pragnesh Vadecha 8 Priya Soni 8 Rajeev Sanghvi 8 Rajendra Mehta 8 Rekha Mehta 8 Riya Sanghvi 8 Sachin Shah 8 Sachin M Shah 8 Sapan Doshi 8 Savita Mehta 8 Tirth Modi 8 Vaishali Jain 8 Vimarsh Karbhari 8 Vipul Udani 8 Vishal Shah 8 25
First Tirthankar Mandir of Eastern Europe, Siddhayatan: Estonia 9 500 years ago the Samanic and Jain traditions flourished in Estonia (Europe) then eventually became lost over time. After 9500 years, the Tirthankaras message of non-violence are alive again in Estonia through Enlightened Master Dr. Acharya Shree Yogeesh. On Tuesday, August 12th, many people gathered to inaugurate the first Tirthankar Mandir of Eastern Europe, Siddhayatan: Estonia. 66 Estonian men and women took the 7 vows of the Jain Tradition and became shravaks and shravikas - dedicating their lives to living by the highest principle of non-violence. It was a historical event. Siddhayatan: Estonia center is 2200 sq ft and located in Tallinn, the heart and capital of Estonia. It is the first center of its kind in Europe. A dedicated and inspired student of Acharya Shree Yogeesh first came in touch with the Tirthankars teachings by learning at Siddhayatan Tirth (near Dallas) last December. When he returned home to Europe, he started a vegetarian, vegan and raw food restaurant, BLISS House, and promised to introduce the ancient teachings to the Estonian people. During a very successful 3-day seminar last weekend, attended by over 200 Estonians, he was inspired to help Acharya Shree Yogeesh spread the message of nonviolence. He decided to donate the large space for Siddhayatan: Estonia. About the Founder Dr. Acharya Shree Yogeesh is the founder of the first Hindu-Jain Tirth in North America: Siddhayatan Tirth (Dallas, Texas); Yogeesh Ashram (Los Angeles, California); Yogeesh Ashram International (New Delhi, India); Acharya Yogeesh Higher Seconday School (Haryana, India); and now Siddhayatan Estonia (Tallinn, Estonia, Europe). His mission is to spread the lost teachings of the Tirthankaras and ancient Samanic Tradition. Acharya Shree has an international following with over 12,300 YouTube subscribers, 4.8 million video views, and over 4,200 likes on FaceBook. 26