Zoroastrianism is one of the world's oldest organized faiths, dating back to the 6th century BCE in Iran.  Join us as we welcome Kaemerz Dotiawala, one of the founding members of the Zoroastrian Assocation of Houston.  He will give us an overview of Zoroastrianism, including:

• Some context of the world just before the advent of Zoroastrianism
• Asho Zarathushtra's unique view of the world and concept of God
• A person's relationship to God
• Religious festivals and initiation ceremony of a Zarathushi child (similar to a Bar Mitzvah)
• Concepts of eschatology and Heaven and Hell

Sunday, January 29 | Freedman Levit Sanctuary | 11:00am

Open to the Community

More about our guest, Kaemerz Dotiawala:

Kaemerz P. Dotiwala is the President of Mazda Yasni Zarathushti Dar-E-Meher Funds, a not-for-profit organization established to construct the first consecrated Dar-E-Meher (Temple) in the Western World.

Kaemerz has been a resident of Houston Texas since 1975 and is one of the founding members of the Zoroastrian Association of Houston. He has served on its Executive Committee for many years. Kaemerz has been instrumental in founding the Zoroastrian Association of Houston Youth Group and is a teacher of Zarathushti Sunday school to students from middle to High School. He has served on the Zoroastrian Association of Houston's Building Fund Committee from 1988-1991. and chaired its Fund Raising and Finance Committee. Kaemerz was a Founding participant of FEZANA, the first ZAH representative to The Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America (FEZANA). Kaemerz was the first Chairperson of FEZANA’S Zarathushti, Unity and Welfare Committee. This committee was instrumental in resettling Zarathushti refugees from Iran in North America.

Kaemerz is active in interfaith activities. He has appeared on radio talk shows, delivered lectures at the Second North American Gatha Conference, The Foundation for Contemporary Theology and various other scholarly and multi faith gatherings.

Kaemerz is President of Q Environmental, Inc. a company committed to Sustainable Environmental Solutions through Recycling and cutting edge Green Technology. Kaemerz has worked for the Protocol Office of the City of Houston, where he was responsible for programming the visits of guests of the government of The United States of the rank of ambassador and above.

Kaemerz married Havovi Mody in Houston in 1986. They have two daughters Aryehneesh who is a Fourth Year Surgical Resident at Louisiana State University Shreve Port and Naasha who is a Graphic artist for Gannet News.

Kaemerz firmly believes that the Zarathushti religion is a grass-roots religion with a unique view of the world which encourages tolerance and seeks unity in diversity rather than in uniformity.

USHTA AHAM-MAI KUM-MAI USHTA KAM-MAI CHEET.

(HAPPINESS TO HIM WHO GIVES HAPPINESS TO OTHERS).