Jai Jinendra!

It feels like yesterday when we had our first board call, 17 smiling faces ready to embrace a wild journey together. This past year, we pushed change forward, and we worked to grow YJA in a way that lasts for years to come.

We are deeply proud of our board, our family. Since our first meeting last October in New Jersey, we wanted to set one tone: take A.C.T.I.O.N. YJA runs on people who see something worth improving and decide to do something about it. Each board member’s journey was their own to shape, and we asked everyone to carry their initiatives as one unit, in support of the organization we love.

In New Jersey, we set our goals for the year: leveraging technology, making education more accessible, and building systems that don’t depend on any single board. We asked every board member what YJA should start, stop and continue, sorted the ideas by effort and impact, and gave each one a passionate and driven owner. Our board calls throughout the year were split between building friendships and checking on progress, because we believed the strength of the team would drive the work as much as the plan. Alongside this, we onboarded 29 more members to join our board in forming the 46-person Convention Committee, including our fellow Convention Co-Chairs, Aarvi Shah and Suryaraj Jain, and began planning the unforgettable weekend we would all work toward.

The community showed up and came together. We opened in November with 48 National Dinners that drew nearly 700 registrations across North America, visited sanghs across the nation, and in February and March our regions sold out seven winter retreats from Canada to the Southeast. Across year-round events, we welcomed 970 individuals, with an additional 353 waitlist sign-ups. Half of them were new to YJA and 302 came back for more than one event.

Many ideas from that first meeting became real. We revamped the YJA convention website, launched Sutra Sundays, and started sending sangh newsletters. We held TeamYJA all-hand calls and created Starter Packs so every role passes down its learning. Each one reflects what this board did best: seeing a need and acting on it.

Beyond the year-round work, we also looked outward. We strengthened our relationships with the external stakeholders that support us every day. We attended the Jain Leadership Forum in San Francisco where we raised $100,000 to help make the Convention possible and launched new initiatives, including Plated, a way to make Jain and plant-based cooking a little easier.

Sustainability also meant widening the circle of people who invest in YJA. We now have nearly 20 lifetime donors, and their generosity went toward specific needs, from technology and marketing software to subsidizing retreats so more youth could attend. To care for those relationships, we built a donor CRM, started donor newsletters, and put long-term finance planning in place. This built on foundations earlier boards laid, including the Lifetime Supporter program, the Investment Advisory Committee, and leveraging Project Teams to lead initiatives across YJA. None of this is flashy, but it makes next year’s board faster and stronger than ours.

Then came July. When registration for the 2026 YJA Convention opened in March, it sold out in seven minutes. A waitlist of 999 sign-ups followed, and we expanded capacity to welcome more than 1,150 registrants to New Brunswick, a 26% increase from 2024. 53% of participants were attending their first YJA Convention — lots of new faces! We housed attendees across two hotels for the first time, hosted our first all-convention offsite at the State Theatre New Jersey, and launched a brand new Convention website and mobile app. When a record heatwave and severe storms hit over July 4th weekend, our team came together and handled each challenge while preserving programming and the overall attendee experience. The moment that makes it worth it is watching strangers become friends over four days.

The momentum didn’t stop there. Over the summer our regions hosted retreats, our Seva Retreat welcomed 24 attendees in Colorado at the Luvin Arms Animal Sanctuary, and 22 youth joined our Spiritual Shibir at Siddhachalam. These flagship events are pivotal to YJA’s values, spreading seva and spirituality throughout the community. We wrapped up the year with elections and transition to pass the torch to the 2026–2027 executive board.

To our 17-person Executive Board, thank you. You took ownership, said yes to the hard things, and made this year what it was. To TeamYJA and the Convention Committee: you are the engine behind everything and the support system we need to bring ideas to life. To the Board of Trustees, mentors, alumni, adult volunteers, donors, sanghs, JAINA, YJP, and parents: thank you for your trust and for believing in this community.

To the next board: you got this. Take ownership of your initiative and lean on each other, because change doesn’t happen alone. Leave YJA better than you found it, and then trust the next group to take it further. We can’t wait to watch and cheer you on!

With #yjalove and gratitude,
Aaryan Shah and Vanshika Shah
2025–2026 YJA Co-Chairs

Letter from the 2025–26 YJA Co-Chairs was originally published in Young Minds on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

By Riya Parekh | YJA Director of Community Relations 2025–26

Like with many other decisions in my life, my mom initially nudged me to join. I had stayed in and out of touch with YJA over the years, mostly as an infrequent attendee. That changed, however, as I deepened my involvement serving as the YJA Director of Community Relations.

Little did I know the breadth of community that existed beyond my hometown. I have been privileged to grow up in a large, thriving Jain sangh in the Bay Area, through which I found a meaningful connection to Jainism. The deraser gave me a village of friends and a set of values that I cherish. So naturally, I never felt the need to look for community elsewhere.

Yet in getting older, I have grown more distant from the places and people I was raised near. Perhaps this is inevitable, but there now exists a greater disconnect between my life and the community that once shaped it. I gradually noticed this gap over time, but to my surprise, it began to dissipate after joining YJA.

Another Touchpoint

As many of the original influences, including my pathshala teachers, parents, and sangh, have started to fade out of my adult life, I have quietly lost touch with many of the Jain principles and practices that once felt so deeply ingrained in me. No longer do I visit deraser every Sunday, participate in all the cultural programs, learn new sutras (prayers), or frequently interact with the uncles and aunties I grew up around.

It didn’t happen overnight, but I felt this distance slowly emerge.

I realized that it is not so simple to stay tethered to my beliefs. On my own, it would take me considerable effort to do so, but alongside others, it becomes far easier. I felt a stronger connection to Jainism when I was younger, not because I believed more deeply, but because I was closer to the deraser and its community.

In my eyes, Jainism is not an individual religion. Yes, there is an emphasis on shedding your karma and achieving self-liberation for your soul. But it is a religion practiced in community.

Our sadhus and sadhvis (ascetics) live and congregate in groups, our shravaks and shravikas (laypeople) form sanghs, our children attend pathshala (religious school) together, and our rituals like puja and pratikraman are practiced in unison with each other.

After Bhagwan attains keval gyan (enlightenment), knowledge is imparted to the rest of the community. A group of gandhars (disciples) is formed, rather than appointing a sole successor, to carry forward Jainism. Collective learning and effort have always been present, and arguably at the center of our religion in order to practice and preserve it.

It may be true that spiritual purity is an individual pursuit; however, it is clear to me that spiritual progress cannot be made without each other. That is why it is so important to find and build community, for without which it becomes easy to fall out of touch with our values and practices.

This year, I found friends across the country, met sangh members that remind me of the village I grew up in, and engaged in conversations that meaningfully challenged my thinking around the future of Jainism. All of these experiences not only brought me much joy through friendship and thoughtful conversation, but have helped bridge the gap between myself and my values.

I found that I automatically became more connected to my faith through YJA. Each person I meet becomes another touchpoint to Jainism, giving me another friend, conversation, or experience that helps me hold onto the values and traditions I care deeply about.

Perhaps then, the simplest and most joyful path to remain connected to our own belief systems is through each other. YJA has given me a community of people to lean on and make effort with, as we grow older and more distant from our original circumstances and commitments.

Community is in the Effort

Each person I worked with this year undoubtedly gave so much effort. I saw firsthand how much work went into organizing local events, campaigns, regional retreats, and the largest Convention yet. There were many moments of exhaustion, burnout, conflict, and all the typical stressors that come with months of planning and pushing the boundaries of what is possible with finite resources and time.

But to say that it was also one of the most joyful experiences ever would be an understatement.

I look back on my term with deep fondness, despite the stressful moments, because of the immeasurable joy and satisfaction I experienced as a direct result of the community I formed along the way.

At the start, I knew very few, if any, of the people that I would be working with. I was worried that I would feel out of place or disconnected in this new group. And there was certainly a learning curve and an adjustment period working in a new organization.

But in getting the opportunity to build community through my role, I ultimately found more community than I ever imagined. More than learning how to create a newsletter or how to effectively organize workstreams, I learned about the importance of making effort for community. Effort, even if small or imperfect, is a necessary first step in putting ourselves out there and closing the distance that exists between us.

This was evident in the calls where the work ended but we continued talking, the times where we showed up early and left late to help each other, and the moments we pitched in on projects and tasks outside our committees. These were proof of the generous care and effort everyone poured, even when they didn’t need to.

I have since grown a strong appreciation for the space created during every YJA call, event, game night, dinner, and session. There is a unique kind of community that exists here, which is not simply a product of creative ideas, detailed planning, or perfect execution. It is rooted in something deeper: the willingness to give more effort, towards this organization and to each other, has infused YJA with a special kind of warmth.

It is very palpable.

I watched alumni excitedly give their time and knowledge at every turn, first-time members readily take on roles and responsibilities far outside their scope, older members extend genuine friendship and support to newer ones, and people bring outstanding passion and care to every initiative. Everywhere I looked, there was an abundance of effort in the work we did.

While I can think of the ways we might have fallen short this year, I think we fell long in the effort we showed. I am continually inspired by all those who give so much of themselves to this community.

I take pride in the exhaustive and detailed planning we did along the way, but it was in our unplanned effort where I felt the most joy and warmth. The gaps and spaces we couldn’t account for were where we stepped in to support one another, allowing us to not only effectively troubleshoot systems, rearrange schedules, and pivot at the last minute, but grow closer together in the process. Perhaps if everything went according to plan this past year, I wouldn’t have left feeling such a strong sense of community.

The In-Between Spaces

Fittingly, the theme of the 2026 YJA Convention was “The Art of the In-Between.” While it elicits many different interpretations, I believe it best describes the kind of space we should strive to build. Not one necessarily through the most rigorous planning, but by remaining flexible and committing to show up for each other.

YJA doesn’t exist in a physical space. There is no one sangh we belong to, region we are home to, or temple we can meet at. Yet, we exist everywhere, most remarkably in the spaces in-between.

We are present in the new bonds formed at retreats, in the group chats that live on after conventions, in the mentorship passed down to future leaders, and in the friendships that will outlast our time in YJA. These unplanned connections that emerge from our continued effort have shaped this intangible community into something real and lasting.

A year ago, I felt a growing absence of connection to parts of my faith and my community. Joining YJA changed this. Somewhere in all the in-between moments and spaces, I found genuine warmth and friendship in our collective effort. It has tethered me more closely to others, and by extension, to my own values.

I am grateful to have served as this year’s Director of Community Relations, through which I had the opportunity to discover this special community, make my own effort for it alongside people I admire, and in turn, unexpectedly find some community for myself.

If anything in this article has offended you or gone against the teachings of Bhagwan Mahavir, we sincerely ask for forgiveness. Michhami Dukkadam!

In getting to build community, I found it. was originally published in Young Minds on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

By Aarvi Shah | 2026 YJA Convention Co-Chair

Whenever someone asked our team what drove us to spend eight months planning a four-day convention on top of our full-time jobs, college studies, and personal commitments, the answer always came back to a single shared truth: we wanted to give back what YJA had given to us.

My YJA journey began in July 2022 at the Dallas convention. Walking into that hotel as a first-time attendee, I felt the familiar anxiety of not knowing many people or where I fit in. By the time Sunday arrived, I walked away with new friends, inspiration from the sessions I attended, and genuine excitement for this community. That experience inspired me to join the 2022 to 2023 YJA Executive Board, where I first worked alongside Vanshika Shah, Aaryan Shah, and Suryaraj Jain.

Four years later, having the privilege to return and serve as Convention Co-Chairs together felt like a full-circle moment. Bound by a shared commitment to give back, a passion for our community, and a strong foundation of friendship, the four of us set out with one primary goal: to create a welcoming, seamless, and unforgettable experience for every single attendee.

“When we were first discussing taking on the convention, we knew the time commitment would be massive on top of our full-time jobs and studies. But YJA gave us our closest friendships and shaped who we are. Coming back together to build this for the next generation was not just a choice, it was a privilege.” — Vanshika Shah, Co-Chair

When registration for the 2026 YJA Convention opened in March, we anticipated high demand, but the response blew us away. In just seven minutes, the convention was completely sold out.

Staring at the rapid influx of registrations, our team spent weeks adjusting logistics to expand capacity so we could welcome as many people off the waitlist as possible. Ultimately, we grew the event to over 1,150 youth registrants and more than 1,300 total people, including volunteers, speakers, and guests. To accommodate a gathering of this size, YJA took a historic step by lodging attendees across two hotel properties simultaneously: one dedicated to the 14 to 17 and 18 to 21 age groups, and the other dedicated to our 22+ age group.

Executing an event of this scale required an extraordinary level of coordination. For eight months, our four co-chairs and 42 committee members essentially ran a second full-time job. Our evenings were filled with hours of calls, endless Slack notifications, contract reviews, vendor negotiations, and constant coordination across dozens of workstreams.

“Managing operations for over a thousand people meant running many parallel workstreams at once. But watching our 46 committee members step up, take ownership, and execute every detail with precision was the most rewarding part of the process.” — Suryaraj Jain, Co-Chair

Although we were spread across the country, all of us flew to the convention hotel site in February and May for three-day on-site planning sessions. Over the course of eight months, we planned every layer of the weekend:

• Hand-selecting every meal and dessert through detailed caterer tastings to ensure fully Jain and vegan meals
• Organizing a comprehensive transportation schedule and security protocol with our external security firm
• Building a brand-new website and YJA Mobile App featuring personalized agendas, live menu reveals, push notifications, and digital safety check-ins
• Developing Keynotes and daytime programming centered around education, spirituality, and personal growth
• Planning games, activities, and designing decor and curating music for Garba and Formal Night

We all flew to New Jersey five days before the convention, spending the pre-convention weekend unpacking thousands of boxes, assembling decorations, packing souvenir bags, purchasing snacks, conducting day-to-day walk-throughs, and crafting thoughtful details for all our guests.

When opening day arrived, watching attendees flow through registration, reunite with friends, check their schedules on the app, receive their souvenirs, and take in the decorated hotel was overwhelmingly rewarding. That evening marked another major milestone: hosting our first all-convention offsite for our Opening Ceremony and Talent Show at the New Jersey State Theater. Coordinating shuttle buses back and forth for over a thousand people was a massive undertaking, but standing on stage together looking out at a packed auditorium made every hour of preparation worthwhile.

What those outside of the attendee group may not know is that during July 4th weekend, a record heatwave hit New Jersey, followed by sudden severe storms and strong winds. Our original dining plan relied heavily on a large outdoor tented space. As weather conditions shifted, our 46-person team quickly mobilized. Through fast decision-making and smooth pivots, we brought dining operations completely indoors for 1,300 attendees without disrupting the schedule or compromising safety.

“When the severe storms hit our tent setup, there was no time for panic. We looked at each other, divided up the responsibilities, and adapted on the fly. Moving 1,300 people indoors without missing programming proved how much trust and resilience we had built over those eight months.” — Aaryan Shah, Co-Chair

What made the convention truly special was the dynamic rhythm of the weekend. During the day, halls were filled with intellectual curiosity, spiritual grounding, and networking. Attendees moved between daytime breakout sessions, interactive hackathons, and wellness workshops.

The evenings of the convention were all about building community. From the high-energy live Garba night and Talent Show to the formal DJ night and late-night social games, seeing attendees who arrived on Thursday as strangers leave on Sunday as close friends, hugging goodbye in the lobby and planning future trips together, was the ultimate indicator of success.

One attendee shared a reflection that captured the spirit of the weekend:

“I went to YJA terrified of showing up alone. Instead, I found a community and left with new perspectives. Thank you, YJA, for reminding me to live with intention, lead with compassion, and always be open to learning.”

Our work was supported immensely by our host community. We extend our sincere gratitude to the Jain Center of New Jersey (JCNJ) and the Jain Center of Cherry Hill for their guidance and hospitality, as well as the speakers, donors, volunteers, and YJA alumni without whom this convention would not have been possible.

On Sunday afternoon, as the final buses departed for the airport and the ballrooms emptied out, a quiet sense of accomplishment settled over our team. Planning an event of this magnitude requires months of behind-the-scenes effort for a four-day experience. You spend eight months preparing for ninety-six hours. Our phone screens flooded the next morning with photos, emotional messages, and social media posts. It was clear that what we built together will last far beyond that single weekend.

To my co-chairs, Vanshika Shah, Aaryan Shah, and Suryaraj Jain: thank you for your constant support, leadership, and partnership throughout this journey. To our talented and driven 42 planning committee members: thank you for your tireless dedication to serving this community. Together, we not only carried forward a long-standing tradition, but elevated what is possible for Young Jains of America.

If anything in this article has offended you or gone against the teachings of Bhagwan Mahavir, we sincerely ask for forgiveness. Michhami Dukkadam!

What It Took to Build the Largest YJA Convention in History was originally published in Young Minds on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

By Vedika Shah and Kavya Zaveri

Of the youth, by the youth, for the youth. The 1993 JAINA Convention started an unimaginable domino effect continuing until this day.

We were just a bunch of 20-something year olds who decided to gather around a table in the back of an empty conference room, eager to find our place within the Jain community. To an outsider, it was just an “adhoc” discussion. But to us, we knew what was missing and what we wanted — our own space, built especially for and by us.

That first discussion at the JAINA Convention was far too short, and our group resolved to later meet in a formal planning session in one month. Thus was the growth of YJA from a concept to a reality.

Planting the Seed

One Thanksgiving break in 1990, before we conceptualized YJA, we decided to try getting together beyond our own local sanghs and Jain family friends in Texas. Taking the Dallas Jain youth, we piled into a van, packed chutney sandwiches, and headed down to Houston to our first ever “mini conference.”

These meetups quickly turned into an annual tradition, spreading across the South, the nation, and now what YJA knows as our beloved, and frequently sold out, regional retreats. That unmet need for connection beyond our small communities was where Young Jains of America stepped in.

I might have only been 17, but YJA taught me that I have just as much to offer as I do to learn. My older peers seamlessly applied their corporate experience to build out YJA into a real professional organization for all youth, rather than the “old boys club” of JAINA geared towards the older generation.

YJA meant meeting new people for the expressed purpose of being Jain youth in America. Of course, the process was incredibly nerve-wracking just as any worthwhile endeavor is. Who has the audacity to suggest something as out-of-scope as starting a national youth led organization before they’ve even started college?

You don’t just do that, until you do. And we did.

The First YJA Convention

The pressure before the first ever 1994 YJA Convention felt insurmountable. Families were entrusting us with their young kids, and all eyes were on us. It felt as if parents were waiting for the other shoe to drop, to say “I told you so,” and that the “youth can’t do this by themselves.” We just kept telling ourselves it would be the end of YJA if we messed anything up.

With over 1500 mail-in registrations, we knew we had to balance realistic constraints with our excitement. So we took in the first 400, waitlisted the next 400, and returned to sender the remaining 700 paper registration forms.

With such growing demand, security was serious business for us. Building comprehensive groundwork to anticipate every potential problem meant hiring security for each venue entrance, working with adult volunteers throughout the convention site, and even dismissing attendees when necessary.

In addition to mitigating all logistical concerns, we knew we had to put on a good show. Daytime activities included keynotes, panel discussions, and individual small sessions while social programming set up our current fan favorites: icebreakers, rec time, garba, formal, and even an unofficial all-nighter. Alongside the Convention Chair, everyone else chipped in where they could, forming the foundation of the convention committees we now have today, from Registration and Hospitality to Daytime Programming and Adult Volunteers.

It’s undeniable that setting the precedent for each and every aspect of the first ever youth-led convention is no easy task. But when you’re faced with pressure, you get a chance to prove to yourself that no challenge is too difficult.

There is no such thing as being too young, too inexperienced, or too introverted. Passion is what drives you to make an impact, and the rest will fall into place.

Throughout our decision-making process, we were able to anticipate backlash and mitigate potential risks by keeping our mentors engaged. From just a few adults rooting for us to building out YJA’s extensive alumni network, it’s honestly still hard to believe the original board members now have kids running the show. YJA has undoubtedly built the capacity to mature into a solid organization that’s feeding the future of America’s Jains.

That first seed was planted simply to find a place to connect, and YJA has delivered in ways we couldn’t have even dreamed of 30 years ago.

The Call to Serve

The experiences and skills I gained from YJA transformed into a lifelong desire to dedicate myself to the Jain community. When my wife and I moved to DC, we didn’t realize it yet, but being 15 minutes away from the temple was the biggest blessing in disguise. Continuing to give back locally after focusing on the national level felt incredibly full circle. I think there’s beauty in allowing yourself to ebb and flow throughout the various stages of life, evolving with it rather than resisting change.

At the Jain Society of Metropolitan Washington (JSMW), I’ve been able to channel my interest to bring the community together in so many different ways than I did with YJA. Starting with a focus on principles, we began a regular Swadhyay group and started monthly puja, pairing knowledge and practice of Jainism together to further our collective goal of achieving right faith. Being on the ground floor of JSMW’s large, unknown project of building our new temple created opportunities I never would have imagined.

Co-leading a committee in the wholesale rewriting of JSMW’s constitution to establish the structured executive committee and Board of Trustees, like that of YJA’s, was a direct translation of my time at YJA. I later took on the task to start the formation of JSMW’s Jain youth group, writing up the operating guidelines, developing quarterly activities like our beloved Adopt-a-Highway clean ups outside the new temple, empowering new leaders in my roles as partner, mentor, and youth advisor, and seeing those youth group leaders grow into future YJA leaders and now alumni.

All these were elements that led to becoming the first US-born and youngest president of JSMW. Cherishing the work from all my previous experiences, from YJA to early JSMW efforts to presidential work, I realized it isn’t about one phase or the other being more impactful or important. It’s just about figuring out where within a community you feel most connected to give back at a specific time in life and realizing that your skillset will naturally align.

It all starts with simply wanting to be involved. If you step up and show up, you’re setting yourself up for success. If you’re present in the spaces you want to be in, if you’re there, you’ll look. And if you look, you’ll find. Waiting around for things to appear in front of you won’t do anything.

You have to recognize that the first steps, although scary, are usually quite simple. Don’t be afraid to have ideas and talk to others about them because that’s how they get realized. Remind yourself that everything that all of us do, can be done better and there are always going to be gaps to fill.

If we take inspiration from the generations that came before us, like my parents, they did exactly that. The simple desire to create community pushed them to build from five-person pathshala classes in their basements to 500-person Jain societies across the country.

When you serve, you are not only helping those around you achieve happiness, you are giving it back to yourself. Every member of our society and in every generation has a responsibility to continue fostering and growing the Jain community, both individually and collectively.

Looking to the Future

While YJA has grown exponentially, it’s easy to forget that we are in a bubble, and that there are still so many Jains across North America that we’re not reaching. We have to want to create space for everyone, however that may fit in their lives best.

Let people have the flexibility to choose their level of involvement through the many facets of life — school, career, family — without being met with resistance or judgement, but rather opportunities to grow and immerse themselves in our communities. This doesn’t mean Conventions and retreats should exceed capacity, but it means we have to keep creating new avenues for connection for every demographic, at every scale.

It’s not about ever finishing the work. It’s about finding missing pieces and being excited to fill them. It’s not an insult to those who laid the groundwork before you, but rather it’s a testament to our never-ending ambition and continued desire to grow, improve, and bridge gaps.

Every opportunity to move our community forward is not just for the sake of movement, but for the deeper motivation of achieving eternal happiness and coming closer to the faith in our souls. No one is asking you to find the solution to world peace, but I wholeheartedly believe each of us can find that peace within ourselves and the communities we belong to when we serve.

As we celebrate and reflect on 35 years of YJA, thank you to Dr. Pavan Zaveri for sharing his story and experiences with us.

If anything in this article has offended you or gone against the teachings of Bhagwan Mahavir, we sincerely ask for forgiveness. Michhami Dukkadam!

‘Of the youth, by the youth, for the youth’: Pavan Zaveri on how YJA was born was originally published in Young Minds on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

By Rihi Jain

Dr. Justin Henry, an assistant professor in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of South Florida, was interviewed for the purpose of this piece. Dr. Henry earned his PhD in the History of Religions from the University of Chicago and has taught courses on Buddhist and Jain philosophy, Hinduism, The God Debate, Religion and Wealth, and New Religious Movements. His cross-tradition expertise and deep understanding of South Asian religions offer a valuable lens for exploring interfaith learning and dialogue.

“It’s very easy to demonize people on the basis of difference through ignorance when you actually don’t know what those differences really are.” — Dr. Justin Henry

Today’s world feels more connected and divided than ever. Social media, news headlines, and even casual conversations are full of misunderstandings about different religions and cultures.

Minority faiths are often misrepresented or lumped into broader categories without much explanation, like when Jainism is portrayed as a type of Hinduism. This confusion can lead to stereotypes, exclusion, or just plain ignorance. In many ways, navigating these complexities involves asking many fundamental questions: do all faiths, at their core, believe in the same values?

With this interfaith and cross-cultural dialogue, we seek to answer this question through an interdisciplinary lens.

Jainism’s Core Values as Interfaith Catalysts

At the heart of Jain philosophy are the three A’s: Ahimsa (nonviolence), Anekantavad (many-sidedness or non-absolutism), and Aparigraha (non-attachment).

Ahimsa urges us to live with kindness and minimize harm in all we do. Anekantavad teaches us to respect multiple viewpoints and avoid rigid thinking. Aparigraha reminds us not to cling to material possessions or ego. Whether you’re Jain, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, agnostic, or anything in between — these values speak to the kind of world many of us are trying to build: one rooted in empathy, humility, and shared humanity.

This is where Jainism’s idea of religious universalism comes in. Dr. Henry explains that the ethical precepts found in Jainism appear in many of the world’s major religions. Compassion in Christianity, mercy in Islam, humility in Buddhism, and service in Sikhism all reflect similar moral aspirations.

Jainism doesn’t claim exclusive ownership of these values; it offers a framework that resonates across traditions. In this way, Jain principles can act as powerful tools for interfaith dialogue by showing how core values can unite us.

Jainism’s Place in Interfaith Ecosystems

Despite offering some of the most compelling ethical tools for peaceful discourse, Jainism remains underrepresented in many interfaith spaces.

At first glance, this might seem like a numbers issue — Jainism is, after all, one of the smallest religions in the world. Yet, other small religious communities, like the Bahá’í faith (a community of over 5 million people, similar to the size of Jain population)1, have carved visible roles in global interfaith work, collaborating with agencies like the United Nations (UN), and being actively involved in advocacy, academics, and more.

This raises deeper questions: Is Jainism’s underrepresentation due to limited institutional outreach? A tradition of inward spiritual focus? Or perhaps a cultural hesitation to “represent” the faith in public forums? Whatever the reason, the absence is striking.

According to Dr. Henry, helping to fill that absence is Dr. Panna Shah, a member of the Jain Society of Tampa Bay and the Brahma Kumaris2, an interfaith group with roots in India and branches worldwide. Dr. Shah has participated in various interfaith events, even meeting Pope Francis, and has proved that Jain voices resonate far beyond temple walls.

“Most people’s reaction to [the] Jain religion upon first learning about it is something very positive,” Dr. Henry notes.

Jains have a unique “ambassador potential” within the South Asian diaspora because of their strong ethical framework and positive public perception, according to Dr. Henry.

He urges that now is the time to explore that potential by inviting Jains of all ages to see interfaith engagement not as a departure from their faith, but instead, as a vibrant expression of it.

An Interfaith Tapestry: Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism

One of the most common misunderstandings is the assumption that Jainism is simply a branch of Hinduism. Jainism, Hinduism, and Buddhism often use the same sacred languages, honor similar festivals, and engage in overlapping cultural practices, so it is easy for outsiders to conflate them.

However, this oversimplification obscures the distinctive philosophical, theological, and scriptural foundations of Jainism. The concept of karma, liberation (moksha), and its deep commitment to asceticism and nonviolence all form a unique system that is rooted in its own ancient texts (Agams), lineage of Tirthankars, and metaphysical cosmology.

Although Jainism emerged in ancient India around the same time as Buddhism and shares many cultural and social spaces with Hinduism, it remains an independent and original tradition.

“Even though Jainism has always been a very small minority religion within India, its impact on Hinduism and Buddhism is outsized,” Dr. Henry explains.

This impact comes not only from Jainism’s rigorous ethical philosophy, but also from its commitment to the idea of renunciation, emphasis on personal responsibility in achieving liberation, and unique articulation of metaphysical principles like Jiv (soul) and Ajiv (non-soul substances).

That said, Dr. Henry also acknowledges the value in drawing connections between Jainism, Hinduism, and Buddhism when introducing Jainism to unfamiliar audiences.

“Out of necessity, just to give people some frame of reference, you do have to say that Jainism is a religion related to Hinduism and Buddhism,” he says.

While this framing can’t replace deep engagement with Jain identity, it can serve as a gateway into more nuanced interfaith discussions to help others understand Jainism’s place in the broader tapestry of South Asian spiritual traditions.

Coexisting Together

This creates a unique opportunity for interfaith dialogue — not only among Jains, Hindus, and Buddhists, but also for those curious about how different belief systems can converge ethically while diverging theologically.

One especially compelling area of dialogue is between Jainism and Buddhism, whose ethical precepts are strikingly similar despite significant metaphysical disagreements. Both traditions emphasize Ahimsa, renunciation, detachment, and self-discipline. Their codes of conduct — the Jain Mahavrats (five great vows) and the Buddhist Pañca Śīla (five precepts) — mirror each other in spirit and practice.

And yet, they come from radically different views of the self. Jainism affirms the existence of an eternal Jiv that accrues karma and seeks liberation, while Buddhism teaches Anatma (no-soul), emphasizing the impermanence and interdependence of all things.

In a world often obsessed with identifying which tradition is “right,” Jainism’s relationship with Buddhism shows that different truths can still lead to common good. Jainism doesn’t demand others to adopt its worldview; it simply invites others to walk the path of nonviolence, humility, and compassion. Coexisting together, rather than insisting on sameness, is perhaps one of Jainism’s greatest contributions to interfaith dialogue, and one that feels increasingly relevant in our polarized world.

A Blueprint for Interfaith Citizenship

Jainism offers a powerful blueprint for interfaith citizenship. Through the three A’s, Jainism teaches us to lead with empathy, seek multiple perspectives, and detach from the ego that fuels conflict.

As Dr. Henry reminds us, when we don’t engage with others’ beliefs, we leave room for harmful assumptions and “fantasies about what [those] differences are.”

True interfaith citizenship demands a deeper effort to understand, respect, and engage with others across lines of faith.

Therefore, interfaith dialogue isn’t optional — it’s our ethical imperative.

—

Sources:
1. news.bahai.org/media-information/statistics
2. www.brahmakumaris.com/

Join the discussion on YJA Reflect to further explore the role of Jainism in interfaith dialogue.

Thank you to Dr. Justin Henry for generously donating his time and expertise towards the creation of this piece! A big thank you to Aanya Jain, Vedika Dangi, and 2024–25 Director of Publications Vidhi Piparia for their time in developing this piece as well!

If anything in this article has offended you or gone against the teachings of Bhagwan Mahavir, we sincerely ask for forgiveness. Michhami Dukkadam!

An Interfaith Tapestry: Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism was originally published in Young Minds on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

By Saahil Udani

Every day during third period in second grade, I followed my classmates to religion class with Sister Ann. It was not the most entertaining class. We would read long parables from the Bible that were difficult for the average second grader to understand and talk about how to be a good person to our family and friends.

On Sundays, I went to Pathshala, the Jain version of Sunday school, to learn about Jainism and its values and rituals. Pathshala helped me strengthen my relationship with my friends, family, and Bhagwan. Jainism taught me to always have compassion for all living beings, from not stepping on an ant to being a strict vegetarian. During Paryushan I strive to eat before sunset to avoid harming living beings, incorporating the spiritual and religious aspect of Jainism and the scientific aspects as to why this is better for our overall health. Before, it was something I subconsciously did, until my religion teacher Sister Ann helped me realize the impact of my actions.

Sister Ann had the class read Bible verses and parables. While she tried to paraphrase most of the passages so that we could better understand, it was challenging to grasp the deeper meaning of the text. To help us understand, Sister Ann spent ample time telling short stories to convey Catholic values and ideas in a simpler way. She talked about the importance of compassion, service, faith, justice, and fairness, which helped me understand how these values affect our everyday actions.

In Jainism, the three crown jewels are Samyak Darshan (right belief), Samyak Gyan (right knowledge), and Samyak Charitra (right conduct). Catholic School taught me that every word holds a consequence, thus we should be careful with how we talk to others. I practice Samyak Darshan by being careful with my words and actions with my family, friends, and animals.

Sister Ann also taught us how our journey towards heaven or hell would be dependent on the way we performed actions. In Jainism, I learned to practice Samyak Gyan, by understanding how my actions accumulate good and bad karma and what it will do for me in my next life.

Lastly, Catholic School instilled a routine of praying; every day before classes started we recited the “Our Father,” ensuring that we pronounced every word correctly. In my life, I practice Samyak Charitra, by reciting the Navkar Mantra every night, saying Jai Jinendra to my grandparents, and simply being respectful.

Many of the values of Jainism are similar to the values of Catholicism. The importance of prayer, faith, family, community, and compassion is the foundation of both religions. Both faiths touch on helping others, giving service, forgiveness, prayer and meditation. However, there are some differences as Catholics believe in the idea of a permanent afterlife in heaven, hell, or purgatory, whereas Jains believe in reincarnation. Regardless of these religious differences, my Catholic school teachers always respected the fact that I practice Jainism and similarly in Pathshala, my Jain friends respected the fact that I went to Catholic school.

I am proud to be one of the approximately 6.5 million followers of the Jain faith worldwide.1 Being a proud Jain, however, does not prevent me from learning about other faiths, but rather allows me to have a deeper appreciation for all faiths. Anekantavada, the idea that the ultimate truth can be understood in multiple ways, is the way I look at faith. I try to understand the world and how to achieve eternal bliss by understanding concepts in my own way. Learning about other world religions helps me understand the unique doctrines and beliefs of Jainism and that makes it so much more beautiful. As I continue to grow my knowledge of Jainism and other religions, I will keep in mind the core tenets of all of them to live out the best version of myself.

Though third period in second grade feels like an eternity ago, religion class with Sister Ann left an indelible impact on me. What I learned in Catholic class and Pathshala has shaped how I live my life today, because at the center of their teachings, both Catholicism and Jainism preach truth, compassion, and service. Who knew that an eight-year old would grow into this sixteen-year old who is equipped with the values of two religions.

—

Sources
1. https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/jain-population-by-country

Visit our discussion thread on YJA Reflect to join the conversation about interfaith learning and identity.

Saahil is a high school sophomore at Seton Hall Preparatory School in West Orange, NJ. He is a member of the Franklin Township Jain sangh and attended Pathshala for 10 years. Saahil is editor-in-chief of his high school newspaper and enjoys interviewing and writing about student life. In his free time, he travels with his family, plays varsity tennis, and loves to watch sports.

If anything in this article has offended you or gone against the teachings of Bhagwan Mahavir, we sincerely ask for forgiveness. Michhami Dukkadam!

My Religion Doesn’t Have a Classroom: Being My Best Jain Self as a Catholic School Student was originally published in Young Minds on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

By Priyanna Shah

Vision boards, affirmation videos, and mantras about “manifesting your dreams.” Like many young people today, I grew up watching manifestation culture explode on social media. The core idea that focused intention can shape reality has always felt empowering to me. What’s surprising is how deeply these concepts connect with Jainism.

While it often feels like a modern trend, even National Geographic¹ notes that the idea of manifesting, using focused thought to shape reality, dates back thousands of years across ancient cultures. Perhaps what we’re seeing isn’t a new invention, but an ancient practice being rediscovered in contemporary language.

Jainism doesn’t promise that writing down your wishes will make them appear, but it does offer something remarkably similar: a deep understanding of intention, action, and transformation.

Manifestation culture as it presents on social media like TikTok,² often suggests that the universe responds to our desires, that clarity of thought attracts outcomes. But Jainism operates without a divine intervener. There is no cosmic force rearranging events in your favor. Enlightenment and liberation comes through personal effort and the gradual eradication of karma.

Idols as Vision Boards?

In Jain temples, people bow before idols and make offerings to celestial beings. This might look like prayer for favors, similar to manifestation’s appeals to “the universe.” But Jain philosophy teaches us something different. Celestial beings, like devis, are elevated souls still within the cycle of existence. They don’t create worlds or override karma’s natural law. Yet, they serve a profound purpose: they are focal points for directing our consciousness toward specific qualities and aspirations we hope to cultivate.

Consider Lakshmi Devi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity. When someone prays to her, they’re not simply asking for money to appear. They’re focusing their energy on manifesting abundance, directing their consciousness toward the discipline, wisdom, and right action that create prosperity. Lakshmi Devi becomes a channel through which intention clarifies and energy concentrates around wealth-consciousness.

Or Sarasvati Devi, the goddess of knowledge and learning. One example of this is Chopda Pujan, performed during Diwali, where books and tools of learning are blessed as a way of honoring knowledge itself. Praying to her is about putting energy and manifestation toward right knowledge and conduct. It’s about aligning yourself with the pursuit of wisdom, focusing your mental energy on learning, clarity, and intellectual growth.

Jain philosophy pairs this focused energy with an understanding that celestial beings cannot grant your wish, but represent the qualities you must develop. Lakshmi Devi reflects the abundance that comes from right effort and generosity. Sarasvati Devi embodies the knowledge gained through discipline and study.

These idols function remarkably similar to visualization techniques in modern manifestation. A vision board is a curated collection of images representing your goals, dreams, and desired qualities. You place it somewhere visible so you see it daily, training your mind to stay focused on what you’re working toward.

Similar to idols, the most effective vision boards are not just wish lists, but are powerful reflections of who you desire to become. A photo of a successful business reminds you to cultivate the discipline, creativity, and persistence that success requires. A photo of a successful business reminds you to cultivate the discipline, creativity, and persistence that success requires.

When someone directs their consciousness toward these figures, they’re practicing a sophisticated form of manifestation: using a focal point to channel energy, clarify intention, and align actions toward specific transformation. Transformation begins with directing consciousness towards an ideal and these ideals must be embodied through action.

Manifestation in Karma Theory

Jain philosophy is built on a precise understanding of karma. Every action, word, and thought attracts karmic particles that bind to the soul. These particles determine our future experiences, not as punishment or reward, but as natural consequences.

Here’s where manifestation and karma theory converge. Karma responds to bhav, or the intention behind an action. Two people can perform identical acts, but if their intentions differ, the karmic weight differs too. Jainism offers a parallel perspective that it’s not just what you think, but the quality of that thinking. For example, desire rooted in attachment creates binding karma; however, intention aligned with discipline and detachment creates conditions for liberation.

Your mental state shapes your actions. Your actions shape your circumstances. In both manifestation and prayer, you don’t simply attract what you want; you become capable of sustaining it.

The Jain concept of purusharth, or personal effort, is perhaps the clearest bridge between these traditions. Purusharth doesn’t mean forcing outcomes. It means consistent refinement of character, knowledge, and behavior. Vision boards and idols might clarify goals, but Jainism and effective manifestation ask: Are you cultivating the discipline those goals require? Are your daily actions aligned with your stated intentions?

One of Jainism’s core principles, Aparigraha, means non-attachment or non-possessiveness. This concept is a reminder that Aparigraha doesn’t mean not having goals. It means not clinging to specific outcomes. It means pursuing what matters while remaining equanimous about how it unfolds.

In manifestation language, this is often expressed as “set the intention, then let go and trust the process.” In Jain terms, it is pursuing your path with equanimity, regardless of how karma will unfold.

A Mirror for Reflection

When you look at the Tirthankars represented in Jain temples, you’re looking at beings who achieved perfect knowledge and perfect conduct. They didn’t manifest wealth or relationships. They manifested themselves, fully realized versions of what consciousness can become.

This might be the deepest connection: both manifestation and Jainism are ultimately about becoming, not acquiring. The question shifts from “What do I want the universe to give me?” to “What quality am I cultivating within myself? Which aspect of consciousness am I developing?” From “How do I attract wealth?” to “How do I embody the discipline and wisdom that Lakshmi Devi represents?”

Jain celestial beings can serve as mirrors and as channels. They reflect the soul’s potential while providing concentrated points for directing transformative energy. When someone practices manifestation with this understanding, it becomes about cultivation through focused intention, the same principles that Jainism is based on.

This exploration hasn’t made me choose between manifestation and Jainism. Instead, it has shown me how they complement each other. Modern manifestation gives accessible language and practices for focusing intention. Jain philosophy provides depth, ethical grounding, and an understanding of how consciousness, karma, and transformation actually work.

Perhaps manifestation was never about bending reality to your will. It has always been about refining your consciousness until your actions naturally create what you need.

Maybe the universe doesn’t respond to your vision board, but you respond to clarity. Your actions, shaped by that clarity and grounded in discipline, create your reality.

The celestial beings we pray to, the Tirthankars and Devis standing in temples, aren’t there to grant wishes. They’re focal points showing what the soul can become when intention meets transformation and when focused energy meets disciplined action.

That might be the most powerful form of manifestation there is.

—

Sources:

1. Dadds, Kimberley. “The Ancient Origins of ’Manifesting’-and Why It’s Making a Comeback.” National Geographic, 2025, www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/the-ancient-origins-of-manifesting.
2. Robbins, Mel. “Make Your Day.” The Mel Robbins Podcast, TikTok, 2025, www.tiktok.com/@empoweru44/video/7457157147521076511?_r=1&_t=ZP-96HzD29GrRm.

If anything in this article has offended you or gone against the teachings of Bhagwan Mahavir, we sincerely ask for forgiveness. Michhami Dukkadam!

Manifestation in Jainism was originally published in Young Minds on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

By Rihi Jain

Disclaimer: This article contains mature themes and sensitive material intended for readers 18 and older. Reader discretion is advised. This piece is based on personal reflections and experiences. All names and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy and safety of the individual(s) referenced. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of YJA.

Narrow lanes, steep staircases, single-room brothels, and lives unfolding in full view. Sonagachi, a neighborhood in Kolkata, India, is often described as Asia’s largest red-light district.¹ It is not some far-away concept, but a real place rich with its stories and people.

Studying abroad in Sonagachi, I met women navigating survival, coercion, agency, stigma, and resilience all at once. The complexity of their human experience made me question the explanations for suffering and hardship I had long taken for granted.

Like many others, as a child I heard a familiar, even comforting, explanation for worldly suffering and misfortune. “It’s simply the result of our past karma.” This explanation followed me through moments of discomfort because karma offered a tidy framework by tying our past actions to our present consequences. It was spiritually satisfying, easy to accept, and difficult to challenge.

While the framework of karma has philosophical grounding, it can sometimes be applied without context. Moral rules that are emphasized without lived reality can unilaterally and unintentionally shift blame onto individuals, leading one to ignore the influence of systemic factors such as poverty, trafficking, caste, lack of education, and social marginalization. Such forces often operate beyond any person’s control. Without considering these broader systemic factors, a narrow view of karma can risk reinforcing harm rather than compassion.

The result was a quiet but powerful judgment: this suffering is entirely of their own doing.

I never dug into this explanation deeply, until I found myself studying abroad in Sonagachi, interacting with sex workers. The framework of karma I believed in slowly began to collapse under the weight of the lived realities I saw.

Sex Work and Karma Theory

Sex work is rarely discussed openly in Jain spaces, and the word “prostitution” carries layers of stigma, criminality, and shame. Jain ethics traditionally prohibit sex work because it violates the Mahavrat (great vow) of Brahmacharya (celibacy),² which is associated with karmic attachment and potential violence.³

But walking through Sonagachi, sitting in brothel rooms, and listening to women like Priyanka Di tell their stories, that narrative felt dishonest. Priyanka Di entered sex work at fifteen, not because of moral failure, but because her family was starving. She was offered a job without knowing what it entailed. Years later, she spoke with clarity and strength about the choices she made to survive, the relationships she left when they became abusive, and the daughter she raised with care and distance. Reducing her life to “past-life karma” felt not just inaccurate, but cruel.

As a child, karma was explained to me as a cosmic accounting system that promised suffering as consequence and comfort as reward. But Jain philosophy does not actually frame karma so narrowly. It teaches us that karma is shaped by meaningful intention (bhav), not just action.⁴

If intention matters, then indifference towards suffering is not neutral. Our silence is not empty. Explaining away suffering without engaging with it may preserve our comfort, but it distances us from true responsibility and accountability.

Sonagachi revealed to me that harm is rarely individual — it is also structural. Structural harm refers to violence produced by underlying systems that marginalize and deprive people of their needs or rights.⁵ Systems that facilitate trafficking, social exclusion, and legal invisibility unfairly trap people in cycles they did not design. Nowhere was this clearer than in the contradictions of the Indian laws themselves.

The Legal Paradox

Solicitation refers to the act of requesting or offering sexual services, whereas sex work is a broader, customer-centered term that recognizes the consensual exchange of sexual services for compensation, without inherently implying criminality. In India, solicitation is illegal, yet sex work itself is legal.⁶ This legal paradox creates a space where exploitation thrives without accountability. Police may arrest Johns (male customers), but this does little to address the real sources of harm. Madams (heads of brothels), intermediaries, and higher political powers still continue to profit from the industry without facing legal consequences.

When Johns are arrested, many simply bribe their way out of a case to avoid their families finding out. Even if they walk free, they rarely return to Sonagachi for business, leaving women with lost income and no protection. The burden of enforcement falls almost entirely on sex workers, not on the structures that exploit them.

The contradictions extend beyond policing. Children are not allowed to live with or be financially supported by their mothers past the age of 18, and landlords are legally barred from renting rooms to sex workers. In poverty-ridden neighborhoods, this forces impossible choices. Young children often sleep underneath the bed while their mothers work above them, not by neglect, but by circumstance.

Education, too, becomes a privilege rather than a right. Although the government mandates that every child be educated, sex workers are legally prevented from paying for their children’s schooling with their earnings. Parental responsibility is demanded, but the opportunity of fulfilling it is denied.⁶

In Sonagachi, poverty and legal barriers limit choice long before morality even enters the conversation. Seen through this lens, suffering cannot only be explained as individual moral failure. It is the outcome of systems that criminalize survival while claiming to uphold dignity. To explain this suffering as “karma” without acknowledging these structures is not spiritual clarity; it is moral avoidance.

A Deeper Dive into Karma Theory

Jain ethics remind us that karma accumulates through patterns: repeated actions, normalized behaviors, tolerated injustices. When injustice becomes routine and suffering is explained away instead of confronted, harm becomes a collective doing by all of us. Looking away is no longer karmically neutral.

This is where Karuna (compassion) becomes essential. Compassion does not require agreement, approval, or simplification. It asks us to see people fully. In Sonagachi, the sex workers were not symbols of moral failure. They were reflections of social failure, of economic systems, legal contradictions, and cultural hypocrisies. The systems that should have protected them instead benefited off their marginalization.

Jainism, at its core, is not necessarily about spiritual explanation, but rather ethical engagement. Aparigraha (non-possessiveness) challenges not only attachment to material comfort, but attachment to moral superiority. Ahimsa (non-violence) is not passive; it demands that we examine the harm we enable by remaining detached and comfortable in those moral superiorities. Anekantavada (multiplicity of viewpoints) reminds us that no single story is sufficient. Together, these principles shift us from judgment to accountability.

As a child, I asked, “Why are they suffering like this?” My experiences in Sonagachi taught me that this was the wrong question. A better one might be: What conditions made this their reality, and what is my responsibility within it?

Karma is not a shield from discomfort. It is an invitation to act with awareness, humility, and compassion. Seeing suffering clearly is the first step toward reducing it.

—

Sources:

1. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2010, March). My life in the “red lights” of Sonagachi. https://www.unodc.org/southasia/frontpage/2010/March/red-lights-of-sonagachi.html
2. There are 5 Mahavrats taken by ascetics. These include Ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (truth), Achaurya/Asteya (non-stealing), Brahmacharya (celibacy/chastity), and Aparigraha (non-attachment/non-possessiveness).
3. Sanghavi, S. (1988). Essence of Jainism (R. S. Betai, Trans.). L. D. Indology, Ahmedabad. Retrieved from https://jainqq.org/explore/001537/147
4. Shah, P. K. (2011). Jain karma philosophy: Punya (meritorious) and pap (sinful) karma. JAINA Education Committee. Retrieved from https://jainqq.org/explore/200000/1
5. Burton, C. W., Gilpin, C. E., & Draughon Moret, J. (2021). Structural violence: A concept analysis to inform nursing science and practice. Nursing Forum, 56(2), 382–388. https://doi.org/10.1111/nuf.12535
6. https://share.google/vkoTE95I2XS7dn7EX

If anything in this article has offended you or gone against the teachings of Bhagwan Mahavir, we sincerely ask for forgiveness. Michhami Dukkadam!

The Stories We Choose to See was originally published in Young Minds on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Jai Jinendra! This past year has been nothing short of extraordinary for the YJA community.

When we sat down last fall, we began with one hope: to spark a fire in our board members, a belief that anything is possible when guided by purpose and clarity. That spark grew into a force of passion, creativity, and momentum, propelling us to reimagine not just what YJA could do but what Jain youth could achieve together.

We anchored our year in a simple vision with a big promise: Sangh, Seva, Spirituality, and Sustainability. These 4 S’s became our blueprint to building a thriving Jain youth organization, and encompass what we stand for: Sangh is about connecting youth and creating community; Seva is putting compassion in action; Spirituality is living our values every day; Sustainability is building systems that ensure YJA thrives not just now, but for generations. These pillars became the heartbeat of every initiative, every event, and every decision. With them, we didn’t just create opportunities; we redefined what’s possible.

SANGH transformed from local temple groups to building a vibrant, connected youth community across North America. This year, we scaled retreat attendance by 20%, welcomed 350+ youth at National Dinners, and hosted 14 sold-out retreats across North America, including the first-ever retreat in Canada. We launched YJA Run Club to promote fitness and well-being, held a three-day YJA Track at the JAINA Convention in Chicago for 550+ attendees, grew our Instagram family from 5K to 31K followers globally, connected youth through Humans of YJA stories, and built an online Reddit community through YJA Reflect.

We introduced a College Application Mentorship Program and Roommate Matching Program, connected youth through a virtual chess competition, an interregional game night, and saw community members host an unprecedented number of local events. Across the country, connection became a lived experience — everywhere we went, Jain youth felt seen, valued, and part of something bigger than themselves.

SEVA moved beyond the idea of volunteering. It became service with soul. We launched the first-ever Seva Retreat in Washington, D.C., with 19 attendees cleaning several pounds of trash at a local park and cutting crates of produce at the DC Central kitchen, mobilized youth through seva at regional retreats — from restoring bird habitats to packing hygiene kits — and at JAINA, hosted local events like Strikes for Seva, and turned compassion into tangible action. Partnering with incredible community organizations taught us that even the smallest acts have far-reaching impacts.

SPIRITUALITY became a driving force at the heart of everything we do. From the first-ever YJA Summer Shibir, a spiritual retreat hosted at Siddhachalam, to sharing Tirth Yatra journeys online, and from launching YJA Talks sessions across the nation to releasing the latest edition of Younger Minds for our pre-YJA aged audience, we made Jain education accessible, engaging, and meaningful for today’s generation. We also proudly represented youth in milestone moments for our community, including the first-ever World Navkar Mantra Day in Times Square, NYC, the JSMW Pratistha and JCNC’s 25th anniversary ceremonies, the Diksha celebration of YJA member Rishi Zaveri in Shahpur, India, and the Shilyanas of a new Bahubali Tirth at Siddhachalam. Through each of these experiences, we were reminded that spirituality is not a memorized lesson, but a way of life to be embraced.

SUSTAINABILITY drove us to act in the present to prepare YJA for the future. We laid the groundwork for long-term success by launching a new Director of Operations role, reshaping existing roles into Director of Marketing and Director of Community Relations, creating an Investment Advisory Committee and Operations Advisory Committee, launching the Lifetime Supporter program, modernizing the YJA Elections process, and reimagining how to make Executive Board years sustainable during Convention years. We aimed higher than ever before, and built a foundation for YJA to not only thrive today but to grow, adapt, and lead the way for generations of Jain youth still to come.

Every step of the way, we watched board members grow, not just in what they were capable of, but in the kinds of leaders they believed they could become. They took ownership, made bold decisions, and launched first-of-their-kind initiatives and events that will shape YJA for years. Most importantly, they led with heart. Together, we proved that YJA is a movement of young people rooted in Jain values, daring to dream big in a modern world. As we look ahead, we could not be more excited that the next chapter of this movement will unfold at the 2026 YJA Convention in New Jersey, an event that will bring the YJA vision to life on a national stage yet again.

We are endlessly grateful to our Executive Board and Team YJA - comprised of 250+ volunteer youth acting behind the scenes as Committee Members, Local Representatives, and Project Team members. To our mentors, Board of Trustees, alumni, donors, sanghs, JAINA, and parents, you made this year possible. Thank you for your support, always.

As our term comes to a close, we leave with one hope: that the spark of energy we created this year transpires in the hands, hearts, and souls of youth leaders. That future generations see themselves as builders of something meaningful, legendary, inspiring, and bold. That, year after year, we continue to prove that for Jain youth, the possibilities are truly endless.

With #yjalove and gratitude,
Harshita Jain and Mahima Shah
2024–2025 YJA Co-Chairs

Letter from the 2024–2025 YJA Co-Chairs was originally published in Young Minds on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

In this second and final episode, Mumukshu Rishi Zaveri (now P.P. Rushi HemVijayji Maharaj Saheb) talks about how young Jains can build spiritual consistency, practice Jainism authentically abroad, and strengthen global community ties. Listen to the episode here or read the full transcript below.

Vidhi Piparia: So, this next segment is going to be about how young Jains across the world — and across America and the United Kingdom — can cultivate their relationships with Jainism away from the motherland, where Jainism was originally cultivated.

My first question to you, Rishi, is about how even if we, as young Jains, may not understand every aspect of Jain philosophy — how can we continue to progress spiritually and practice Jainism in our day-to-day lives?

Rishi Zaveri: Good question, because I also don’t understand everything about Jainism, and I would be lying — I think most people would be lying — [if] they said that they did. So, I personally don’t think spirituality and [the] understanding of Jainism are as tightly linked.

I think what’s more linked is understanding the intention behind those things. So [if] I only understand, let’s say, very little, what is the intention [of that little understanding]? What am I supposed to gain from that [understanding]? How do I apply that in my day-to-day life? That is spirituality.

Spirituality isn’t [just] sitting and meditating, or doing some sort of rituals all the time. Real spirituality is saying “this is what Jainism is intending.” Jainism is saying that we need to minimize our impact on the environment — okay, what do I do to do that? Jainism is saying [to] minimize the impact on my own health, on my own mental peace — okay, [now] what are the things I should be doing to do that? I think that is spirituality.

So even if I don’t understand everything, the little that I understand — what is it trying to say? Does that little bit that I understand, does that at least make sense? Do I have some sort of practical way of applying that? And if so, start from there.

A Sadhu’s¹ life — at least for me — [means] the first 10 to 15 years is just studying 15 hours a day. Why? Because I know I have so much more to learn. If I were to say, “Okay, I’m a Sadhu now, the highest post a human can have. Now I understand everything and I’m good,” that would be the exact opposite of what I’m supposed to be doing.

So, don’t worry about how much you understand, [or] don’t understand. You might find — definitely, you will find — contradictions or hypocrisies. Those things clear over time through experience, not always just through words and logic, [but] sometimes it take[s] experience to bring answers [to] those. More than that, whatever I understand — whatever I experience — let me go as deep as I can into that, and then from there your path broadens automatically.

Vidhi Piparia: Could you maybe — to ground this a little bit more — give us an example of a teaching, or a principle that you initially had known the idea of, or grew up knowing the idea of, or learning about it in Pathshala², and then took to actually practicing it and experiencing it to understand what it really meant?

Rishi Zaveri: I’ll take a couple if I have some time.

The first thing was maybe around rituals, like puja³. That was something my parents forced me to do every weekend — until I got to college and I didn’t have to do it anymore. Surprisingly to me, at least at that point, [was that] once I found my guru and started spending time with him, he never really forced me to do puja.

But there came a time when, as I studied, I understood: I know who Bhagwan⁴ was, or who Prabhu⁵ was, I know his teachings somewhat, I know the benefits of those teachings. Once I had built that connection with him through his teachings, I was like, “Oh, puja is my way of connecting with him more. Puja is my way of actually showing that gratitude or actually using him as a mirror — this is who he is and I am the same as him.”

That was what puja [was] then, as I understood it. Now when I do puja, I know exactly what I’m doing, I know why I’m doing it — I have that connection. And it took that time because before, I was like — what is this ritual, really, how is it helping? But now [when] I do puja, I see those daily results — to the point that if I don’t do puja that day, I can feel that something was missing because I understand now what I’m supposed to be gaining from it.

The second example [is] Pratikraman⁶. Most of us only do Pratikraman once a year during Samvatsari⁷, and that was the same for me for a long time. But now I understand why is it necessary to repent for the things we’ve done wrong. What are the sutras that I’m saying, what [do they] actually mean, why are they important?

When I started understanding and growing my understanding of those things, now it [started to] make sense. Now I understand why it is so long, or why are we doing these super long Kausaggs⁸ where we are just standing in place for 30 minutes [and] we have no idea what’s going on? All of those things started to make sense. And it took time to build up that understanding. I only understood Pratikraman from a high level. Then I got deeper and deeper, and now I understand it word to word — what does each word mean. But it takes that time.

Nishi Shah: Thank you, Rishi. That’s really helpful, [especially] the Pratikraman part, which I do every year but am [still] learning more and more in-depth.

The next question is: what are a few small, realistic niyams, or spiritual goals, that young Jains can take on today that will help them stay grounded in our Jain values?

Rishi Zaveri: So, broadly, what is the point of a Niyam⁹, first of all? Really, Niyams are something that bring consistency into our life.

We might do [various Jain practices], right? Many times, when I speak to people and especially youth, they’ll say, “Oh, when I do Pratikraman, on Samvatsari, I like it. I feel that change.” Or, “When I go to the temple maybe once a month for some function, I do feel that peace.”

When we do many of these rituals or practices, but when they’re one-off, we’re still feeling the benefits of it. What Niyams help us do is bring consistency. And for consistency, we don’t want to do anything that’s super heavy — otherwise it’s really hard to bring consistency. We want to do small things. What I say, when it comes to Niyams, is it’s something we have to do. You have two options: something that you really like and you want to go deeper into, or something that is a little bit outside of your comfort zone. But both things, I think, are valid Niyams. For example, someone says, “Well, I don’t really like sitting still. If I sit still, my mind wanders. But, I want to bring that ability to bring my mind a little bit more to focus.” So then a small niyam like that is counting 108 Navkars¹⁰ — one mala every day, or maybe four times a week, or something like that. It has to be consistent and somewhat frequent. If it’s like once a week, that maybe doesn’t always help.

There are some people who I know because they’re very engaged in the community and they’re always running around and doing things like that. Something for them could be like a Samayik. What’s the point of a Samayik? It’s to bring you into the present, because [if[ you’re so focused on external things, you’re always running; your own mind is always in like ten different places. Samayik is that place where you bring that peace and you bring that oneness.

For many, it doesn’t have to be [focused on sutras] — even if you don’t know the sutras¹¹, at least these 48 minutes I’m sitting here, I’m focused on just one particular thing. I’m not thinking about anything [but] at least I’m not bringing those kinds of catalysts, right? So you can stay away from your phone, from your laptop, from any other sort of distractions.

For some, it could be learning or reading. I love reading. Like I said, learning is always the first step to changing your life. So, it could be, “Let me read some Jain books, no more than 10 or 15 minutes a day. If I understand Gujarati and Hindi, maybe I can listen to some sort of sermon or pravachan of a Maharaj Saheb¹².”

All of these things should be something that is not so heavy that after two weeks you’re like, “Okay, this is really exhausting to do.” But, you also don’t want something that’s very infrequent as well, because the frequency creates the consistency, which brings deeper understanding, a deeper attachment, and it builds that kind of habit — because you want to make these things habitual.

Vidhi Piparia: So we’ve talked a little bit about what young Jains can do individually to promote and progress their own spirituality, and I think we want to transition a little bit more into what young Jains can do to progress their community as a whole. And so, Rishi, I know a big part of your journey to Diksha¹³ has involved sharing your message widely and connecting with Jain organizations around the world, and from those interactions you’ve seen the diversity [in], along with the strengths of, these various Jain communities.

As leaders within our own Jain organizations, how can we work to bridge these communities so that we’re not just growing individually, but also learning from each other and collaborating in ways that uplift the global Jain community as a whole?

Rishi Zaveri: That’s a great question. It’s something that I think about a lot. So, what I’ve realized — especially traveling to the UK and other parts of the world, and with the US obviously having so many sanghs¹⁴, and especially spending time with YJA, as well — is that I’ve seen there is this actual, real, great interest in spirituality amongst the youth. I think as youth, especially with the way the world is now, we are looking for something that helps us make sense of the world and make sense of our place in it. Everyone has this inclination towards spirituality. I think what we’ve been missing, many times, is that link — what spirituality actually means for me in my day-to-day life and in my practical life, in a way that we understand it. I think Jainism has done a good job — Jainism in the sense of our community and our elders — [at] giving us the right vocabulary and that kind of high-level understanding.

I think what we’re now missing is: “How do I bring that spirituality into my day-to-day decisions; into my decision-making? How does it actually make me better at the things that I am? If I am a student, how does it make me better as a student? If I am an employee, how does it make me a better employee?” For any role that we play in this life, how does spirituality — how does Jainism — actually enhance that? I think it’s that messaging which we really want to continue to spread. Many people will say, “I’m really into charity work. Well, is that Jain? Can I still be spiritual and do all this, or do I have to just leave everything to be spiritual? ” I think that’s maybe the way we’ve described spirituality in the past, but I think that’s the wrong message.

[The right message] is: how can my spirituality actually also make me a better philanthropist? How does it actually make me better at the things that I like to do and the things that I’m passionate about? I know YJA and YJUK have already done a lot of good work in that direction. I think it’s just that over time we want to bring our sanghs — their focus and their direction in this — to be aligned. We want to bring, even in India, [even] the Jain leaders in India — Sadhus, Sadhvis, Acharya Bhagwans¹⁵ — we want to bring them to also have that similar messaging.

And so there’s a lot of work to be done, but I think this is the time. It’s the right time to do it.

Nishi Shah: Thanks, Rishi. That’s very insightful; definitely some great takeaway points here. Many us know you played a really key role in bringing the Jain Alert Group to the USA — could you start by telling our audience a bit about what the group is, and how its principles and practices can be applied to our respective organizations to help young Jains both in America and the UK grow spiritually?

Rishi Zaveri: Absolutely. The Jain Alert group was first founded in India about 45 years ago by my guru’s guru, or my Dada Guru, Acharya [Shri] HemRatna Suri Maharaj Saheb.

The reason he founded it [was because] at that time, there had been a big market crash. A lot of Jains, and especially Jain Youth, lost a lot of money at that time in India. So, they were suffering with a lot of depression and anxieties and all sorts of things, and many youth were actually committing suicide at that time. And so, Gurudev¹⁶ realized that this shouldn’t happen. As a Jain community, we should be able to support [these youth] and we should be able to give these youth a good direction in life even when they have to face certain challenges like these [which] happen pretty commonly.

Now we started right after COVID, or during COVID, in the US. The main work that we do currently is any Jain Youth who travel, right? They come [or] move from India to the US or to the UK or Australia, or maybe, let’s say, somebody from the UK shifts to the US or somebody from Australia shifts to the UK.

Jain youth — we’re always looking for community: people who can help us, who understand our background, who understand the kind of the things that we’re looking for. But, sometimes either we don’t do enough research or we just don’t know where to find that. Jain Alert Group provides that resource — we hold their hand, we connect with them, we keep them in the fold. But, we don’t want us to stop there. Jain Alert Group also tries to help enhance them spiritually. We also know that when I am working or when I’m kind of just figuring out [on] how to settle in a new country, if someone is to come and just say, “Hey, you should also start doing all these religious practices or these spiritual practices,” I’m not going to have the time or mental space to do any of that. So, we help them. The reason that we help them professionally and academically is so that when they do get settled — the faster they get settled — the faster they get more time, energy, and space to actually then work spiritually or on themselves.

We also try to show how even the little bit of spirituality that you already have can help you become a better student or a better employee or get a better job, even. We’ve had a lot of success stories with that as well. Our next goal really is what we talked about right in the previous question: now, how do we kind of get these youth, [of] so many different backgrounds and so many different experiences, all on the right spiritual path? That is especially gonna be a very, very big part of what Jain Alert Group does for many years to come.

Vidhi Piparia: Yeah, I think the focus of shared messaging — and that shared messaging being around spirituality — is definitely very inspiring. It’s something that we have had many conversations about in the past.

What does Jain branding kind of look like? And that Jain branding, catering to so many different experiences, people, individuals, and organizations, is hard to come to one consensus on. So having something so stable like spirituality that guides everyone’s experiences, [and making that] the focal point, is something I’m a fan of.

Lovely. Rishi, thank you so much for sharing your time with us today, especially on such a special day like your last day in the States before you leave for India.

To everyone listening to this podcast, if you have the chance and can make it out to witness Rishi’s Diksha, it’s happening on June 8th in Shahpur, India, right outside of Mumbai, and it’s an incredible opportunity to see Jain values come to life.

For more details, feel free to reach out to us.

Nishi Shah: Before we wrap up for tonight, we just want to take a moment to acknowledge how special this episode really is. This marks the very first collaboration between Young Jains of America (YJA) and Young Jains of the United Kingdom (YJUK), and it really wouldn’t have happened without you, Rishi.

So thank you very much again. His journey and vision have brought our two communities together across continents, reminding us that Jain values truly transcend borders. We hope this sets the stage for many more global conversations, connections, and collaborations in the future.

Thank you again, Rishi, for being that bridge. To everyone listening, thank you for being part of this shared moment. Jai Jinendra, and we’ll see you next time.

Rishi Zaveri: Thank you. I want to add one thing. I’m very glad to see this collaboration, and like you said, I hope it grows from here on.

I [also] do want all the youth — or anybody watching this — to know that at any point in the future, if you have any questions or need any guidance, even after my Diksha, I will be more than happy to be there to answer questions or [help in] whatever way I can, to the best of my ability.

And so, this is not the final time. I do hope that this can be the beginning of this connection; of this conversation. At any point, through YJA or YJUK, I’m sure people will be connected with me or know where I am or what I’m doing. So, if anyone is in India at any time and wants to spend some time [with me], I highly, highly encourage it — and it’ll be good to hear somebody speak in my accent ,as well.

Vidhi Piparia: Wonderful. Thank you so much, Rishi.

Rishi Zaveri: Thank you, guys.

Vidhi Piparia: And that brings us to the end of this special two-part series with Mumukshu Rishi Zaveri. From personal reflections to global connections, this conversation reminded us that Jain values can guide us wherever we are in the world, and whatever path we’re on. Thank you again, Rishi, for sharing your journey with us, and to everyone listening, we hope this sparks something meaningful in you too. Let’s keep these conversations going and until next time, Jai Jinendra!

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Glossary

¹Sadhu / Sadhu Bhagwan — a Jain monk who has taken the vow of Diksha. The addendum of “Bhagwan” indicates respect in this context

²Pathshala — religious classes, for adults or youth

³Puja — an act of worship that involves specific rituals

⁴Bhagwan — a reference to one who has conquered their inner passions and whose soul has escaped the cycle of birth and death, i.e., Siddha Bhagwan. Day-to-day, Bhagwan is often used in reference to the 24 Tirthankars, who were the 24 spiritual teachers who re-established the four-fold Jain Sangh during their lifetimes before attained liberation

⁵Prabhu — a term used in reference to the 24 Tirthankars

⁶Pratikraman — a ritual that focuses on the 6 Avashyaks, or essentials activities, to help promote self-reflection

⁷Samvatsari — the annual day of forgiveness that concludes the eight-day festival of Paryushan

⁸Kausaggs — religious practice that involves turning focus inwards, towards the soul

⁹Niyam — a vow, or practice of restraint

¹⁰Navkars — short for Navkar Mantra, a prayer that salutes five types of supreme beings

¹¹Sutras — scriptures

¹²Maharaj Saheb — a Jain ascetic who has taken the vow of Diksha.

¹³Diksha — vow of asceticism in which one takes the Panch Mahavrat, or five great vows, and gives up their world life and attachments (material, relational, etc.) in favor of pursuing spiritual progress

¹⁴Sanghs — Jain communities

¹⁵Acharya Bhagwans — one of the Panch Parmesthi (five supreme beings) and a spiritual head of the Jain congregation

¹⁶Gurudev — in this case, a reference to Rishi’s Dada Guru, Yuva Hriday Samrath Acharya Shri HemRatna Suri MS; generally a respectful and devotional term for one’s guru

A Conversation with Mumukshu Rishi Zaveri | Part 2 was originally published in Young Minds on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.