Buddhist Temple in Watsonville Celebrates Centenary

January 27, 2006

Source: The Buddhist Channel/the Santa Cruz Sentinel

http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=2,2254,0,0,1,0

On January 27, 2006 the Santa Cruz Sentinel reported, "To their children and grandchildren, returning to a not-entirely welcoming community after internment during World War II, the Bridge Street temple became 'kind of a home base,' said Norman Uyeda, president of the Watsonville Buddhist Temple. But more recently, Uyeda said, as an older generation passes into memory and younger Japanese-Americans move into a wider and more accepting world, the congregation, known as the sangha, has seen its membership shrink. So as the temple celebrates its centennial year, members will host a series of lectures and celebrations throughout the year aimed at reconnecting younger Japanese-Americans to their heritage and sharing their traditions with the wider community. Tuesday, historian Sandy Lydon will launch the lecture series with a talk about the past, present and future impact of the Japanese-American community on Santa Cruz County."