How To Evolve Temples

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How To Evolve Temples Religious Institutions to
Involve the Participation of The New Generation.
Sudhir Prabhu, M.D. 
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A YOUTH DIALOG
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THE CRUCIAL WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITYDURING CHILDHOOD

• As I have gotten older, I really wish that I
  should have learned a lot more about my culture.

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THE CRUCIAL WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY DURING CHILDHOOD

• For most of the kids the desire to learn more
  about their culture comes with time and that is
  not always what we think as kids. I am sure that
  I complained and argued about going to Sunday
  School when I was younger but I do appreciate
  what I know now, and wish I had learned more when
  I had the time to. A.K.

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Will Need Multifaceted Effort To Impact Status
Quo

• Make parents a part of the process.
• Make youth a part of the process.
• Make priest a part of the process.
• Create innovative ways to attract youth.
• Create uniform basic Dharma education course.
• Use more English. Reduce emphasis on rituals.

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1. Make Parents a Part of the Process
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ROLE OF PARENTS

• Many parents today get caught up in success of
  lifes other adventures often forgetting that
  their children will need a little more guidance
  since we are not growing up in India where things
  would have probably taken care of themselves.
• Ultimately I think it is up to the parents to
  make things work.

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Make Parents a Part of the Process

• It starts with the parents

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Make Parents a Part of the Process

• Programs to
• A. Attract New Families
• B. Engage Existing Families

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Make Parents a Part of the Process

• A Strategic Plan to Involve and Motivate
  Parents
• Some Ideas
• Indian Grocery Stores
• Welcome Wagon
• Greeting Desk or Greeters
• Introduce the New Arrivals
• Publish Their Names
• Coordinated Campaign!
• Be Creative. Get P.R. Help

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Make Parents a Part of the Process

• Parents Advisory Committee
• Parallel Program for Parents.

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2. Make Youth a Part of the
Process
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Make Youth a Part of the Process

• Youth Wing a platform for youth
• Youth Council leadership organizing role.
• Adult liason and guidance.
• Charge theYouth Council with organizing youth
  programs.
• Engage Youth Wing in Temple programs.
• Represent youth in all relevant committees of the
  organization.
• Facilitated mechanism to dialogue with
  organizations leadership (and vice versa).

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3. Make the Priest a Part of the
Process
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Make the Priest a Part of the Process

• Lets not forget the resource we have in the
  Priest in teaching the children/youth.
• Utilize his scholarship and expertise.
• Needs to be an important member on the Education
  Committee
• Enhance his effectiveness as a teacher by
  according due respect for his position and
  learning.

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4. Create Innovative Ways to Attract
Youth
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Create Innovative Ways to Attract Youth

• Temples have evolved as Worship and Community
  Centers.
• Evolve Community Center activities to attract
  youth.
• Outreach service projects.
• Help needy in the larger community.
• Connect with senior members of the Indian
  community.
• Establish local chapters of service organizations
  working in India.
• Have age appropriate Dharma instruction in the
  mix with several other secular and fun
  activities.

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5. Create a Uniform Basic Dharma Curriculum,
For Use Across the Temples in the U.S.
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Create a Uniform Curriculum for use Across
Temples in the U.S.

• Strapped Educational Committees need all the
  help.
• Sampradaya produced educational material.
• Vast number of unaffiliated Temples need help and
  support.
• Follow JAINAS lead.
• Draw upon best ideas in currently available tools
  to create a uniform, age based, well illustrated,
  easy to follow curriculum.
• Immense positive implications of a uniform
  education system across the Temples in the
  country.

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6. More Use of English, Less Emphasis on Rituals
in the Temples
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INABILITY TO UNDERSTAND AND LANGUAGE BARRIER

• I think parts of the pujas at the Temple
  should be done in English. Many times, teens come
  to the temple because their parents make them.
  They feel like its the right thing to do, or to
  socialize. Either way, they sit through the
  proceedings without a clue as to what is going
  on. It would be helpful if the Maharaj explained
  what he is doing and why. B.P.

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INABILITY TO UNDERSTAND AND LANGUAGE BARRIER

• I honestly think that for the most part, the
  problem is the language barrier that exists. If
  you cant understand what is going on, you lose
  interest in what is going on. M.K.
• Need priest to be fluent and understandable in
  English
• Emphasize aspects of religion other than
  rituals.
• Services too ritualistic.

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India Abroad April 2005

• 35 of U.S. born Indian boys and 46 of girls
  marry Non Indian.
• Jewish Experience Only 10 to15 of children of
  interfaith marriages are raised Jewish.

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Some Responses of those Marrying Non Indian

• Religion is not important to me.
• It really does not matter.

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Language Adaptation by the Catholic Church
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Will Need Multifaceted Effort To Impact Status
Quo

• Make parents a part of the process.
• Make youth a part of the process.
• Make priest a part of the process.
• Create innovative ways to attract youth.
• Create uniform basic Dharma education course.
• Use more English. Reduce emphasis on rituals.