Parsi Press 1 Youth Connections: Shireen Ghandhi and Yezdi Kharas: Young Class (Ages 5-7) Bepsi Sanjana: Middle Class (Ages 8-12) Shernaz Minwalla: Old Class (Ages 12-18) Saibjee, Letter from the Editors We hope you all enjoyed the first issue of the Parsi Press, and are very thankful for all of your support and good wishes. This would not be possible without the hard work from the children of the upper class. Our mission here at the Parsi Press is to inform the community of the youth classes and events, along with new ideas. We hope you all have a healthy, happy, and prosperous New Year. The editors of the Parsi Press, Sabrina Bilimoria and Jasmine Sholapurwalla. Parizad Chinoy: Gujrati Class (Ages 5-12) Diana Bilimoria: Gujrati Class (Ages 12-18)
Parsi Press 2 The Classes Small Steps By: Avvan Sanjana For the month of November, the youngest class, taught by Mrs. Shireen Ghandhi and Mr. Yezdi Kharas, started talking about Jashan, a celebration in which you give thanks. They also started their own Zarathustra Comic Book, and did a project with Mrs. Doris Mehta, in which they made their own little divos for their room. During the Gujrati class, they reviewed numbers one through ten and were then introduced to parts of the face. For the December class, they started learning about the Ses, the importance of having a Ses in your house, and more specifically, what items go on a Ses. They were then given a picture of a Ses, and asked to color it. After that lesson, they continued with their Zarathustra Comic Book. They were then given a small quiz on Gujrati numbers one through ten. Next, they started learning the explanations and understandings of some of our prayers, including Ashem Vohu and Yatha Vairyo. For the Gujrati lesson that day, they went over the parts of the face, and then they were given a piece a paper in which they had to draw a face and write out all the parts. As a project, they made their own flower garlands out of paper leaves and foam flowers. The kids also got some more words to put in their homemade dictionaries. Some of the words that they recently put in include Ahura Mazda, Dughdhowa, Jashan, Prophet, Pourushasp, Religion, Ses, and Zarathustra. Each month they get three dictionary words, in which they have to define the word or write a sentence with the word. These may be small steps now, but they will soon get bigger and bigger! Masti in the Middle Class In November, the students in the middle class, taught by Mrs. Bepsi Sanjana, learned about the story of Zarathustra and received a vocabulary list. In the December class, students learned about the Parsi calendar months, Fasli, Kadmi, and Shenshai. In addition to that, they got a Fasli calendar. In the past month students really enjoyed learning about the other calendars. This is a great learning experience, says a student. At the end of every class, students get the pleasure of learning some Guajarati. During these classes, Mrs. Parizad Chinoy taught them sentences like Are you hungry. They also reviewed all of the Guajarati they have learned so far.
Parsi Press 23 The Classes The Upper Class By Armaity Minwalla and Darayus Sanjana In the November class, the older children in Mrs. Shernaz Minwalla s class had a discussion about the meaning behind symbols of Zoroastrianism. While there are many symbols, everyone unanimously agreed that fire was one of the most significant symbols. Fire symbolizes health and warmth, as well as many other things. Then, the class discussed other symbols, like the Faravahar. Later, they discussed the importance of educating people about our religion in response to a very serious topic: our decreasing population. With the Zoroastrian community lessening in numbers rapidly, it is up to this generation to make sure that non-zoroastrians know who we are. In order to do this, the class talked about how to educate people and wrote a few sentences which describe this religion. Another way the classes are going to educate people is by making a documentary. In preparation for this huge project, Mrs. Shernaz Minwalla taught us some new technological skills, and showed us some videos on YouTube, which we will base our documentary on. The videos talked about our history, our people, and our future. This class is filled with thinkers, as well as debaters and friends. Guest teacher, Mrs. Diana Bilimoria, taught the December class. The class started by a review on the three main Zoroastrian calendars: Shenshai, Fasli and Kadmi. They learned that the Shenshai calendar was the first calendar to be made and every 120 years they would add a month to the calendar, in order to not fall behind, and be coordinated with the solar year. However, they only remembered to do this once so they were still behind. The class also learned that in 1746, a group of priests said the Iranian calendar was better, so the Kadmi calendar was born. Next, the group of students learned that in 1906 a group of Zoroastrians made a calendar that added an extra day to the calendar every four years. This calendar is most frequently used by Zoroastrians, as it is in sync with the regular Gregorian calendar. The class also talked about Pateti, and its importance. As we started our Gujarati lesson, Avvan Sanjana was wondering how to combine sentences in Gujarati. Therefore, Gujarati teacher Mrs. Diana Bilimoria taught the class basic words to start sentences, such as he, she, you and I. The class had a wonderful time learning all this new information.
Parsi Press 24 The Classes The Classes and Events Ringing in the New Year By: Avvan Sanjana The 2009 New Years Eve party was held at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Troy, starting at eight o clock. Soon after, our community came in ready to celebrate the New Year, which was approaching in a few hours. At first, hot appetizers were served, and shortly after that, the kid s dinner, which consisted of hamburgers and fries, was ready. After the children ate their meal, the adult food came out. Each dish included chicken with cheese on top, asparagus, scalloped potatoes, and salmon. After dinner was done, dessert was served, which included the choice of blueberry or strawberry cheesecake. With dinner and dessert done it was time to get on the dance floor! The music, which was provided by the Buglis and Ghandhis, included old songs, new songs, and Hindi music. Finally, it was time to count down the last ten seconds of 2009. Everyone made their way to the dance floor with their glasses of champagne or sparkling cider, and counted down the last ten seconds of the 2009. When the clock struck twelve, it was 2010! Everyone hugged and wished each other a Happy New Year. This fabulous New Years Eve party would not have been possible without the help of the Social-Sub Committee. Here at the Parsi Press, we wish everyone a very happy 2010, and health, joy, happiness and love to be around you all!
Parsi Press 25 Did The You Classes Know? The Magi In the religion of Christianity, the three wise men play a major role. While many people know their story, they are not familiar with the Magi's connection to the Zoroastrian faith. Many scholars believe the three Magi were three Zoroastrian priests, who heard a prophecy of Zarathustra s, which states when a bright beacon was seen in the night sky, a savior would be born. On a mountain in Siestan, they kept an annual two-week watch every winter. Soon, their patience was rewarded. Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of a fire temple in southeastern Iran, which they believe was the watchtower of the Magi. Then at last, when the planets Jupiter and Saturn were seen in conjunction, and looked like one bright star, the Magi knew the time had come. They each chose a gift that they would present to the savior. The first of the three said that he would offer gold and if the baby accepted he was indeed a true king. The second said that he would offer frankincense and if the infant accepted he was indeed a true god. And the third said that he would offer myrrh and if the newborn accepted he was a true sage. After many days of traveling they reached the home of baby Jesus. Jesus accepted all three gifts and was declared a king, a god, and a sage all at once. The gifts, especially the gold, helped Jesus' family survive many hardships later on. To this day, there are many debates about the true names of the three Magi. The most familiar triad is that of Balthasar, Melchior and Gaspar from the 6th century document Latina Barbari. Another famous work, from Syria, says that the Magi were kings: Hormizdah of Persia, Izgarad of Sabha, and Perozadh of Sheba. This story clearly shows that Zoroastrians were the first people to recognize the divinity of Christ. Now you know the truth behind the wise men: who they were, where they came from and why they came looking for baby Jesus. Unfortunately, not many people know the true tale behind the three Magi. So next Christmas, be sure to share this story with your friends and family. Source: Fezana-Fall 2004
Parsi Press 26 Did The You Classes Know? The Importance of Being Together It is very important that our community comes together as a group for education, celebrations, and activities. The religion classes that we have are very significant to everybody, especially the teachers. We asked Mrs. Shernaz Minwalla, the teacher of the upper class, why she thinks these classes are so important to our community. She said, Since information about Zoroastrianism is scarcely found in school textbooks, these classes offer opportunities for our children to learn about our history and culture at ageappropriate levels. It shows that the education that is being given is very valuable. Our religious celebrations, such as Navjotes, weddings, Ghambars, Sari Ceremonies etc., are equally important to the community. Mrs. Bepsi Sanjana, the teacher of the middle class, says, As a community it is important to preserve our heritage, and our culture. It gives us a distinct identity. If we don t have these celebrations our religion will die out because of the small population of Zoroastrians. Many Zoroastrians will say the same. The children s favorite activity in our community is called Games Day. I asked Armaity Minwalla, one of the students in the upper class, why it is so important to have Games Day. Games Day is just one of many events that bring the Parsi community of Michigan together. Children of all ages, and even some adults, take part in some traditional and some not-so-traditional childhood pastimes. This event shows that we understand the importance of coming together outside of a classroom setting. It teaches us skills that cannot be learned in textbooks, such as teamwork, sportsmanship, and the ability to have fun. Most people would agree. This shows that it is important to learn about culture, to have these wonderful, traditional celebrations, and especially to have fun and exciting activities for the children in order to bring a community together.