Jain Digest Editor’s Note

Editor’s Note

Om Shri Veetragay Namah

Jai Jinendra,

On behalf of Jain Digest Editorial Staff, I wish you a very Happy New Year! May the year 2021 bring you good health, peace and prosperity.

Thanks to all those who complimented us for the October 2020 issue of Jain Digest which contained comprehensive coverage of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Prakash Mody from Toronto wrote to his friends, “Please read this COVID19 special issue. This is the contribution of JAINISM to the WORLD. Jains and Others will learn how much Jainism is scientific and complete!” Thanks, Prakashbhai! We also thank all those who participated in telling us about their experience in facing the various challenges of the Pandemic.

In November, we also published a 140 page Special Edition of Jain Digest dedicated to Jain Education in Universities and the Pathshalas in Jain Centers in North America. We are humbled by the wonderful, heart-warming comments we have received, including one from Professor Atul K. Shah from UK. Prof. Shah has spent many years publishing the renowned Jain Spirit magazine. He wrote to his friends and colleagues “Hot of the press, I attach the latest issue of this excellent magazine…It is packed with information on a huge revolution happening in front of our very eyes, led by the Jain diaspora, but also excellently supported by Jain scholars and academics who are transforming the landscape of non-violent education. It reflects a RENAISSANCE in Jain Education globally.” He also gave us detailed feedback appreciating our efforts. Thanks, Atulbhai, your support and encouragement means a lot to us.

The goal of this special edition was to inform you all about the remarkable progress our community has made in promoting Jain Education in the academia and to let you know about many dedicated professors that are doing research and teaching Jainism to the students in the Western society. You can view or download the PDF at

https://www.jaina.org/mpage/Jain_Education_in_ North_America

With the February 2021 issue, we go back to our format of grouping the articles in various sections such as Compassion, Devotion, etc. In this issue, we have added a new section titled “Community Corner”. Late last year we had asked you to tell us about your favorite Jain temple. Your responses are depicted in this section.

In addition, we bring you 18 articles on varied topics that we feel all of you will find inspiring and educational. I am happy to let you know that 8 new authors have contributed to the magazine in this issue by writing specially for Jain Digest – Dr. Chris Miller, Shrenik Shah, Noopur Jain, Mrs. Mohini Jain, Dr. Reshma Shah, Dhairya Shah, Mannan Mehta and one author who wanted to stay anonymous. Other authors whose articles have been published elsewhere have graciously allowed us to include their articles are: Dr. Parveen Jain, Nipun Mehta, Dr. Robert Puff and Rishi Zaveri. My thanks also to those who contribute regularly – Dr. Nitin Shah, Dr. Sulekh Jain, Anop Vora, Ramesh Khandhar and Reena Shah for their articles. Thanks also to Srikumar Menon for allowing us to use the content from www.nirgranth.in

My sincere thanks to our editorial team for their efforts in approaching some of the new authors, searching for new content and working on putting together your responses about the favorite Jain Temple. Thanks to Jayanaben Shah for creating a new look for the magazine and designing the cover page. I am also pleased to inform you that Dr. Parveen Jain from San Jose, CA has joined our editorial team as an advisor. We look forward to his valuable contribution to our efforts.

Hope you enjoy reading all articles in this issue. We would like to encourage all of you to send us your comments about the articles in this magazine. And write to us if you would like to join our editorial team or write an article for our next issue which will be published in June 2021.

You can write to us at

jaindigestpublication@gmail.com

Stay safe. Stay healthy.

In Seva, Dilip Parekh