"My vision and hope is to have a vibrant community that is inclusive to all generations. Through this newsletter we hope to share our many endeavors that we plan on embarking. Your thoughts and participation as we navigate this journey are very welcome,” wrote Cyrus Jamula, president of the Zoroastrian Society of Washington State (ZSWS) in the association newsletter launched in August 2021. Christened Zo’ciety, he gave credit to seven-year-old Zia Gheewala’s creativity for coming up with this name for their quarterly.
"We launched a newsletter because it was one of the tools that we could use to connect with our Zoroastrian community which is spread across the Washington state. It has also been an effective medium of communication during the pandemic and allows us to connect virtually and continue to foster a sense of community,” stated Jamula when responding to questions from Parsiana.
Besides the message from the president, and a prominent photo of the ZSWS members at their annual picnic, the first issue carried a report on their online Sunday School by Anhaita Jamula. "One year into our online journey, our classes have become a homage to Sundays – families congregate around their computers for the 11 a.m. slot to meet their friends who they otherwise can’t meet in person. For many of us this was and continues to be our one and only time socializing with our friends and community… The highlight of the classes are the children (aged four years to 14)! Their resilience, energy and attendance at each of these classes have been a continuous source of inspiration for the teachers. None of this would have been possible without Armaity Ghyara and Adil Gheewala who were the initial masterminds,” she wrote.
Announcements for future events, an introduction to gahanbar prayers, a plea for membership data and donations, FEZANA (Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America) news and a recipe for aléti paléti (a dish made from diced offal) constituted the other items in the newsletter. The English section of Zo’ciety is edited by ZSWS secretaries Rushnaz Sidhwa Buhariwala and Nazneen Damkewala and the Farsi section by vice president Cyrus Khubcher. The other office bearers of ZSWS include treasurer Fred Bhesania and member-at-large in charge of directory, Goli Ghlami.
According to Jamula’s estimate there are "nearly 300 Zoroastrians in Washington State comprising nearly 50 families from India and Iran. We have a few individual members who are young adults who’ve moved here from different parts of the world and North America to kickstart their careers.” The majority of the members fall in the 18-60 age group. Most families have two children aged between seven and 15 years and some grandparents aged over 60. They also have a "significant population of children who are under the age of five.”