NEW LEADERS:
Please note that effective April 1, 2001 some of the member associations have new leaders. The changes are:
Zoroastrian Association of Quebec:
Mr. Ness Lakdawala: 760-466-2616: e-mail: ness@dectron.com
Phiroz Austin: Secretary: 514-989-9819: e-mail: phiroz.Austin@royalbank.com
Zoroastrian Association of Pennsylvania and New Jersey:
Mrs. Arnavaz Sukhia: 856-751-7233: e-mail: dsukhia@voicenet.com
Zoroastrian Association of Arizona:
Mr. Percy Hilloo: 480-449-3298: e-mail: bawa_ji@hotmail.com
Please note: Percy’s address is: bawa underscore ji@hotmail.com
I welcome them and wish that they would contribute to the welfare of the community, as their predecessors have done. Ness needs no introduction. Those of you who attend the annual general meeting are well aware of Ness’ ability to present centrist position and work towards consensus, compromise, and convergence. As Ness travels frequently you are requested to copy Firoze Austin on all FEZANA related correspondence
Arnavaz has been very active in ZAPANJ affairs for a long time. Professionally, she is Director of Printing and Mailing Services at Drexel University. Her husband Dinyar is a realtor. Son Karl is a junior at University of Maryland, majoring in political Science and Government.
Dr. Jamshid Goshtasbi became the President of ZAMWI during March 2000. His telephone number and e-mail address is noted in March 2001 newsletter. Jamshid’s personal detail now available is noted as follows:
Dr. Jamshid Goshtasbi was born in Kerman, Iran. Received M.Sc. in Nuclear Engineering from Tehran University. Received an M.Sc in Electrical Engineering and PhD in Electrical Engineering respectively from Penn State University and SUNY, Binghamton, NY. Currently, he is a faculty member at the Department of Electrical Engineering at Howard University in Washington D.C. Jamshid is happily married to Shahrzad Yazdani. They have one-year daughter named Yasna.
2001 AGM
The Annual General Meeting of FEZANA, as you have been informed earlier, will be held at California Zarathushti Center in Los Angles, CA, on 26th and 27th May.
The Center is located on Hazard Avenue; Cross Street is Magnolia, in the City of Westminster.
A workshop on Religious Education is planned on Sunday. Lovji Cama and Rustom Kevala will jointly conduct the workshop.
Accommodation:
Comfort Inn & Suites, 16301 Beach Blvd., Huntington Beach CA.
Telephone # 800-714-4040. Rate: $75.90 including tax.
APRIL 28TH. MEETING:
The meeting with WZO representatives is now scheduled in New York on April 28th, 2001.
The primary purpose is to:
This would be an opportunity to discuss face to face any qualms you may have. Messers Rumi Sethna, Rustom Dubash and Dinshaw Tamboli will attend the meeting. These gentlemen are very eager to listen to what our members have to say. If you cannot make in person I will arrange for conference call with you and WZO leadership, if you so desire.
My responsibility is to facilitate the dialogue and enable you to reach a just and reasonable solution on this very vital matter. More information will be forthcoming, soon. Please try to arrive in NYC by Friday, April 27th, 2001, and plan to leave only on Sunday late afternoon.
Just a thought:
EARTHQUAKE – GUJARAT:
We have received a report from the secretaries of Ahmedabad Parsi Panchayet. Noted below is summary:
- At least $75, 000 (Rs. 36.33 lacs) is needed to repair affected properties.
- A Zarathushti lady in Bhuj politely declined any assistance, though her property was damaged.
- Rustom Baug a 30 year old property housing 18 families is badly damaged. Estimated Cost $6,500
- Vakil Charity Blocks: a seven building complex has varying degrees of damage. Some tenants will require relocation. Estimate of damage about $35,000.
- Parsi Dharmshala: requires major repairs. Estimate: not available.
- There are about ten individuals who need varying degree of assistance.
The Contributions received from our member associations have been sent to Ahmedabad Parsi Panchayet. We will keep you posted.
Ervad Poruz Khambatta and Ervad Mehernosh Bhadha:
A twelve-year-old Ervad Mehernosh Bhadha, from Karachi, Pakistan, thrilled those who attended the opening and closing ceremony of WZC2000. The clarity of his diction and oratory were very impressive. Ervad Mehernosh Bhadha became an ordained Zarathushti priest at the age of twelve.
You also remember the words of Ervad Shapur Pavri that "We don’t have armies, we don’t have empire, we don’t even have a country, but the glorious religion of the prophet Zarathushtra has survived for fifteen hundred years in spite of religious persecution. Why? Because of the esteemed Zarathushti priests who kept the religion alive". Ervad Bhadha was the first person from Karachi to be ordained as a priest during the last 42 years.
I am happy to announce that a young Zoroastrian from New Jersey was ordained as "Navar" at a young age of nine in Mumbai at Patel Agiary in Mazagaon. Ervad Poruz Khambatta started serving his community right away by participating in a Jashan ceremony, recently. at Arbab Rustom Guiv Darbe Meher in New York. Ervad Khambatta deserves our support. Please call him @ 201-493-0436 and give him encouragement to serve the community for a long long time.
WZCC – WORLD ZOROASTRIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE:
The World Zoroastrian Chamber of Commerce was a landmark legacy project of 7th World Zoroastrian Congress Committee (WZCC). It saw the light of the day because of Herculean efforts of Homi Davier, Rohinton Rivetna, Sarosh Collector and Ervad Kobad Zarolia. To the best of my knowledge it will be registered as Section 501 organization.
If you look around us, we notice that we are not as aggressive in helping Zarathushti businesses (my personal opinion, based on my experience, and I could be wrong). Successful Koreans businessmen pledge a certain percentage of their profit to "business startup fund". The "Patels" of Swaminaryan persuasions, Aga Khanis, Ismailis do help their community members to start a new business from the funds they donate with a specific purpose to start the business. As a result the entrepreneurs have easy access to the capital at a lower cost and it has a multiplier effect. Let us learn from our brother communities and help our enterprising Zarathushtis to start their own business, which will one day help other Zarathushtis.
What can be done:
• You can generously contribute to WZCC.
• You can start regional chapters.
• You can become the member of the regional associations.
The Chamber, more importantly, needs your financial and sweat-equity contributions, now. WZCC is registered as a "not-for-profit" organization, hence the contributions are tax deductible. The resources of our community are not limitless. Every worthwhile project competes for limited funds. Most of the time same individuals are approached to make contributions.
This is time for those who were fortunate enough to get richer through stock market of yester years to make donations to WZCC. This is the first Chamber of Commerce for Zarathushtis.
WZCC charter specifies that:
Please contact:
• Homi Davier: 713.339.2223
• Rohinton Rivetna: 630.325.5383
• Sarosh Collector: 713.528.2771
• Kobad Zarolia: 416.542.9885
• website: www.wzcc.org
