FEZANA in focus
The 23 committees under the banner of the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America work in sync and harmony
Among the committees geared to the youth is the Scholarship Committee. According to chair, Dolly Dastoor, "The most sought after resources were from the Scholarship fund.” Due to the high demand, only one third of the applicants were granted scholarships totaling US $35,000 in 2016. All present agreed that former recipients should be encouraged to replenish the funds. Zoroastrian Youth of North America (ZYNA) that started in August 2016 (www.zyna.org), is focused on rolling out a mentorship program for high school students applying to universities. Co-chairs, Vahbiz Karanjia, Fareeza Doctor Mistree and Dianna Vania are planning a Young Professionals Retreat (ages 25-45) in September 2017 which will include leadership speakers, a team-building, city-wide scavenger hunt, a net-working happy hour and a dinner reception. Zarathushti Youth Without Borders, chair Behram Pastakia referred to Garshasb Soroosh who, with his two classmates, will send a microbiology experiment they devised to the international Space Station next spring to test how weightlessness of space affects microbe gene expressions. The Good Life Program (www.zagny.org/goodlife) endeavors to publish The Good Life book, now in its fourth edition, as a succinct and readable "Introduction to the Religion of Zarathustra” for children between the ages of 12-18 years. UN-NGO (United Nations – nongovernmental organization) Committee’s representation is led by Afreed Mistry, again a voice of the next generation within FEZANA, under the guidance of Committee chair Pastakia to bring in youth participation at these UN events. This year four youths will participate in the "Preservation of the Oceans” conference on June 4, 2017 at the UN Headquarters.
FEZANA annual general meeting; top: Homi Gandhi
The North American Mobeds Council continues its stellar work in providing consistency and guidance across the mobed community.
Work is also in progress on creating a "home” for FEZANA in Chicago. Zenobia Damania, the FEZANA administrator based in their offices in Chicago, has been working tirelessly for many years to ensure structure and stability to a vast organization.
The FEZANA calendar for the coming years has scheduled the Z Games, as they have come to be known, this September in Redondo Beach, Southern California (www.zsc@fezana.org). July 2019 will see the Seventh World Zoroastrian Youth Congress hosted in Southern California by the California Zoroastrian Center. Sponsorships were invited: Platinum US $ 15,000, Gold US$ 10,000 and Silver US $ 5,000. To get involved, email them at 7wzyc.czc@gmail.com or join at www.facebook.com/groups/7WZYC. Aderbad Tamboli, president of Zoroastrian Association of Houston (ZAH) and Kayo Sidhwa, Congress Co-Chairs were pleased to invite all Zarathushtis back to Houston for the 18th North American Zoroastrian Congress in 2020. Astad Clubwala, president of the Zoroastrian Association of Greater New York, made a presentation to hold the 12th World Zoroastrian Congress in New York in July 2022 which was endorsed by member associations for review by the Global Working Group in October 2017.
The future viability of FEZANA necessitated a financial review. The Finance Sub-Committee, created at the last AGM in Detroit, led by Clubwala, with six member association representatives and Ratan Mistry, chair, Funds and Finance Committee, was mandated to study and recommend a structure that ensures long-term financial stability for FEZANA. Their bold and forward looking recommendations, including revised annual dues from member associations, that were unanimously adopted, ensure that FEZANA is now well positioned for the future.
On behalf of the Infrastructure Committee, Rohinton Rivetna said, "ZAH is the role model for all associations as it was launching its Atash Kadeh.” Just prior to the FEZANA AGM, ZAH received the building permit for their Atash Kadeh, generously being funded by Feroze and Shernaz Bhandara, originally from Karachi, Pakistan now residing in Houston.
Each day of the FEZANA 30th anniversary celebrations in Houston began with a prayer. It was heart-warming to hear our Ashem Vohu and other prayers recited by mobeds present or a verse from the Gathas, by Ervad (Dr) Jehan Bagli with its translation, resonate through the Purvez Rustomji Room. The morning began with sev and mithoo dahi, tea sessions had batasas and dar-ni-pori. Lunches and dinners were well planned from the Texas Barbeque to our traditional cuisine. ZAH did not miss a beat!
Entertainment each night and amazing, continuous gracious hospitality from start to finish by ZAH was the icing on the 30th anniversary celebrations.
Every member association plans activities which are now considered necessary. Religious education classes for its young and not so young, summer youth camps where children make life-long friendships, charitable activities to ensure that the spirit of our religion is understood in terms of service to mankind and philanthropy, jashans, celebrations each year for Nowruz in March, Parsi New Year in August, muktad prayers and observations of gahanbars, Jashne Sadeh, Mehergan and Tirgan in partnership with local Iranian associations are becoming common to ensure that all the Zarathushti traditions are revered and continue.
Behroze Clubwala
FEZANA president’s vision
FEZANA has achieved a great deal in its 30-year history and we cherish the opportunity to carry on this glorious work. FEZANA’s goals include showcasing FEZANA globally and increasing awareness of its work in North America; fostering hamazori (unity) between various Zarathushti groups; advancing religious education, cultural awareness and interfaith dialog; and ensuring economic stability through fundraising and prudent investment. We repeatedly talk about bringing our next generation to leadership roles. This is not going to happen overnight. We have to invite them, co-opt them, engage them at higher levels in meetings, conferences, and world leadership events.
We should be able to respond to their questions, thoughts, etc. We talk positively about equality of women here in North America but when they return from their family visits or participation in Return to Roots program from India, they see two different worlds with two different standards. My fellow Zarathushtis, let us articulate clearly that the North American Zarathushti diaspora treats all men and women equally; that the Bombay High Court decisions of Justices Davar and Beaman do not apply to the North American Zarathushti community; and the future decisions of the Supreme Court of India in Goolrookh Gupta’s case or any other future cases are not going to bind our North American Zarathushti community.
As a new diaspora, we are building our own institutions, we are defining our own identities, and we are creating our own programs to lead a group of Zarathushtis on this North American continent with the same values for which our Zarathushti faith has stood for over three millenniums. We want our community members, especially our children and grandchildren, to be proud of their Zarathushti identity. This identity is vital in motivating our future generations not only to adhere to the beliefs, traditions, and rituals of our great religion and culture, but also to energize them to participate and lead our communities into the future. To achieve this, it is of vital importance that our children be equipped with enough knowledge about our history, religion, and culture, so that they can confidently converse with their peers from other cultures and faith when they need to uphold their own separate identity.
FEZANA comprises of member associations and corresponding groups. And member associations and corresponding groups have live Zarathushti individuals as their members. However, we notice that the Zarathushti population compiled in 2014 by Roshan Rivetna consists of more than twice the number of individuals comprising the FEZANA family. There is something wrong here. I encourage member associations to take active steps to correct this situation by inviting those individuals who reside in your area but either they are unaware of our institutional organizations or they have not been sufficiently encouraged to join your associations. This is a big gap, but also a source of revenue for member associations. Homi Gandhi