Recently, our resident minister's home was burglarized while she was out of the house for just a short period. Rev. Osa was not physically harmed, but the intrusion into her home left her emotionally shaken and scarred. The burglars ransacked her house and stole personal valuables and a significant amount of cash. She was saving the cash to give to her daughter, who is in Japan for university this September for one year. Much of this was the money she got as donations for her services as a reverend throughout the years (Orei). As a single mother and our minister, earning a modest living, this represents a significant loss for her and her family.

Temple members immediately came to support her in making improvements to the locks and openings that might have provided access to the house. Additional security measures are being examined to improve the overall security of the entire temple premises to deter any recurrences.

Improvements in security measures are things that the temple board can and will address, but we are asking the support of the larger community with regard to making our reverend’s personal losses whole again. Our Jodo Shinshu Buddhist temple is rich in history, but not rich in finances.

I hope you will join me in trying to raise what was stolen. Thank you for your generosity.

In gassho,

Arthur Yamashita

President, Berkeley Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple