The Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America (FEZANA) is an umbrella organization that represents and unites the Zoroastrian associations in North America. Founded in 1987, its primary goals include promoting the study and understanding of the Zoroastrian religion, culture, and history, as well as facilitating communication and collaboration among its member associations. FEZANA also works to support charitable activities and community development projects within the Zoroastrian community and beyond.

History

In 1986, a conference for North American Zoroastrians was held in Chicago to organize the federation. It was registered as a charitable corporation under Illinois law in 1987.

Member associations

FEZANA comprises several member associations across North America. Some of the notable member associations include:

Zoroastrian Association of California (ZAC)

Established in 1974, ZAC is based in Southern California and is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the religious, cultural, and social values of Zoroastrianism.

Zoroastrian Association of Metropolitan Chicago (ZAMC)

Founded in 1975, ZAMC serves the Zoroastrian community in the Chicago metropolitan area, providing religious, cultural, and educational resources for its members. Early Zoroastrians came a students from Asia in the 20th century. In 1983, the first purpose built ''dahrbe mehr'' (worship center) in North America was opened by ZMAC.

Zoroastrian Association of Greater New York (ZAGNY)

Established in 1973, ZAGNY caters to the needs of the Zoroastrian community in the Greater New York area. The association organizes various cultural, social, and religious events for its members.

Zoroastrian Association of Houston (ZAH)

Founded in 1976, ZAH serves the Zoroastrian community in Houston, Texas, and aims to promote religious and cultural understanding among its members and the wider community. In the 1970s Zoroastrians began arriving to Houston. Originally they worshipped in private residences. The Zoroastrian Association of Houston (ZAH) was established in 1976. The Zarathushti Heritage and Cultural Center, in

Southwest Houston Southwest Houston is a region in Houston, Texas, Houston, Texas, United States. The area is considered to be from Texas State Highway 6, south of Westpark Tollway to north of U.S. Route 90. Many Section 8 (housing) complexes are located in South ...

opened in the 1990s. Of the

Zoroastrian Zoroastrianism ( ), also called Mazdayasnā () or Beh-dīn (), is an Iranian religion centred on the Avesta and the teachings of Zarathushtra Spitama, who is more commonly referred to by the Greek translation, Zoroaster ( ). Among the wo ...

groups in Houston, as of 2000, the main ones are Iranians and

Parsis The Parsis or Parsees () are a Zoroastrian ethnic group in the Indian subcontinent. They are descended from Persian refugees who migrated to the Indian subcontinent during and after the Arab-Islamic conquest of Iran in the 7th century, w ...

. As of that year the total number of Iranians in Houston of all religions is, on a 10 to 1 basis, larger than the total Parsi population.Rustomji, p
249
As of 2000 within Houston there were about 12 Zoroastrian priests there. Yezdi Rustomji, author of ''The Zoroastrian Center: An Ancient Faith in Diaspora'', stated that they were "variously divided in matters of

Zarathushtrian Zarathushtra Spitama, more commonly known as Zoroaster or Zarathustra, was an Iranian religious reformer who challenged the tenets of the contemporary Ancient Iranian religion, becoming the spiritual founder of Zoroastrianism. Variously descr ...

orthodoxy."245 Yezdi Rustomji, ''The Zoroastrian Center: An Ancient Faith in Diaspora''
Googlebooks. As of 2000 the ZAH is majority Parsi. Rustomji wrote that because of that and the historic tensions between the Parsi and Iranian groups, the Iranians in Houston did not become full members of the ZAH. Rustomji stated that Iranian Zoroastrians "attend religious functions sporadically and remain tentative about their ability to fully integrate, culturally and religiously, with Parsis." In 1996 the Iranian population had its largest attendance at a ZAH event when it attended ''Jashne-e-Sade'', an event the community created for ZAH. By 2000 some Muslim Iranians who were opposed to fundamentalism in the mosques began attending Zoroastrian events. Rustomji wrote in 2000 that between 2000 and 2005, Iranians were expected to make up a greater proportion of ZAH. there were 650 Zoroastrians in Houston. Around that period they had plans to build a

fire temple A fire temple (; ) is a place of worship for Zoroastrians. In Zoroastrian doctrine, ''atar'' and '' aban'' (fire and water) are agents of ritual purity. Clean, white "ash for the purification ceremonies sregarded as the basis of ritual lif ...

. The fire temple, Bhandara Atash Kadeh in Southwest Houston, opened in 2019.

Zoroastrian Association of British Columbia (ZABC)

Established in 1985, ZABC is based in Vancouver, Canada, and works to foster a sense of community among Zoroastrians in British Columbia.

Activities and programs

FEZANA undertakes various activities and programs to support its objectives, such as: *Scholarships: FEZANA provides scholarships to Zoroastrian students in North America for undergraduate, graduate, and professional studies. *Publications: FEZANA publishes a quarterly journal, "FEZANA Journal," which covers topics related to Zoroastrian religion, culture, history, and contemporary issues. *Interfaith Relations: FEZANA actively engages in interfaith dialogue and activities to promote understanding, tolerance, and cooperation among different religious communities. *Youth Programs: FEZANA organizes youth camps, workshops, and leadership programs to empower the younger generation within the Zoroastrian community. *Charitable and Philanthropic Activities: FEZANA supports various charitable initiatives and community development projects, both within the Zoroastrian community and in the broader society.

Governance and structure

FEZANA is governed by an elected Board of Directors, which comprises the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and four Directors. The Board is responsible for overseeing the organization's activities, setting its strategic direction, and ensuring that it adheres to its mission and objectives. In addition to the Board, FEZANA has several committees and working groups, which focus on specific areas such as education, interfaith relations, public relations, and youth activities. These committees and working groups are composed of volunteers from the Zoroastrian community and work collaboratively to support the organization's initiatives.

Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe The Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe (ZTFE) is a religious, cultural and social organisation for Zoroastrians residing in Europe, particularly the United Kingdom. It was founded on 31 October 1861 by Muncherjee Hormusji Cama and Dadabhai Naoroji ...

Zoroastrianism Zoroastrianism ( ), also called Mazdayasnā () or Beh-dīn (), is an Iranian religions, Iranian religion centred on the Avesta and the teachings of Zoroaster, Zarathushtra Spitama, who is more commonly referred to by the Greek translation, ...

Parsi The Parsis or Parsees () are a Zoroastrian ethnic group in the Indian subcontinent. They are descended from Persian refugees who migrated to the Indian subcontinent during and after the Arab-Islamic conquest of Iran in the 7th century, w ...

Zoroastrianism in the United States This article focuses on Zoroastrianism in the United States. The Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America seeks to connect communities in the United States and Canada. Overview The oldest fire temple in the United States was o ...

References

External links

FEZANA
{{DEFAULTSORT:Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America Religious organizations based in the United States Zoroastrian organizations Organizations established in 1987