Frequently Asked Questions

1) What is the Shinjinbukan Foundation or the Shinjinbukan New York Shibu Dōjō?

The Shinjinbukan Foundation is the legal entity under which we operate in order to fulfill our vision and mission. The term Dōjō refers to the training room or location used in Martial Arts. The term Shibu Dōjō means Branch School or Branch Dōjō. Therefore, the proper name of our Dōjō is Shinjinbukan New York Shibu Dōjō, because we are an official branch of the Shinjinbukan School in Okinawa, Japan. However, sometimes we use the term Shinjinbukan New York Dōjō as a shorter name.

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2) Why is Shinjinbukan New York Dōjō a Foundation?

The Shinjinbukan Foundation offers scholarships to students of all ages through its community program: Shōrin Ryū New York. All those interested are required to complete an application and contract to receive a scholarship. The final determination is based on the financial needs of the students and their families.

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3) Who is the instructor at your Dōjō?

The instructor at our Dōjō is Mr. Jimmy Mora, who is also the President and Founder of the Shinjinbukan Foundation. Since 1996, Mr. Mora has volunteered in several community programs teaching Karate without receiving any pay. Currently, Mr. Mora teaches exclusively through the Shinjinbukan Foundation, including our community programs. Since 2007, Mr. Mora has taught an average of 400 hours per year through the Shinjinbukan Foundation. Mr. Mora has also been the main financial supporter of the Shinjinbukan Foundation.

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4) What are the objectives of the Shinjinbukan Foundation?

The vision of the Shinjinbukan Foundation is to preserve and promote the indigenous martial art from Okinawa, known as Ti, which is part of the Ryūkyū culture. To implement our vision, the long-term objective of the Shinjinbukan Foundation is to operate as a cultural center offering a variety of Japanese arts, crafts, language lessons and many more cultural programs with the Shinjinbukan Dōjō at its center or core element. These services will include more web-based learning resources related to the Ryūkyū (Okinawan), Japanese culture and martial arts in general.

Our vision is to preserve the living traditions passed down to us by Onaga Yoshimitsu Sensei, the founder of Shinjinbukan in Okinawa, Japan. These teachings are both science and philosophy, developed for the pursuit of spiritual and human development karate, also known as Shōrin Ryū Karate and Ti. Our Vision is to offer training without the typical limitations of a for-profit martial arts business.

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5) What is the current tax exempt status of the Shinjinbukan Foundation?

The Shinjinbukan Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation registered in the State of New York.

All charitable contributions received by the Shinjinbukan Foundation are tax deductible under section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code. In addition, the Shinjinbukan Foundation is also qualified to receive tax deductible bequests, devises, transfers or gifts under section 2055, 2106, or 2522 of the Internal Revenue Code.

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6) Does the Shinjinbukan Foundation offer scholarships for martial arts students? What is the application process?

The Shinjinbukan Foundation offers scholarships to students of all ages through its community program: Shōrin Ryū New York. All those interested are required to complete an application and contract to receive a scholarship. The final determination is based on the financial needs of the students and their families. The formula used to calculate scholarship is based on three categories: General Demographic, Total Combined Yearly Income and Total Family Members. The scholarship awards are 90%, 80%, and 50% of the cost of the Dōjō fees per each semester or session.

In order to receive an scholarship award, all students are required to sign an agreement with the terms and conditions apply. In case of minors, a parent or legal guardian will be required to sign the agreement. The terms and conditions during the period of the scholarship include:

─ To maintain 80% Dōjō attendance except for reasons of illness or family emergency.

─ To maintain a 3.2 G.P.A. (Grade Point Average) in school.

─ To perform a community service.

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7) Why is the Shinjinbukan Foundation's mailing address different that the location of the Dōjō?

The mailing address is only used to receive our legal correspondence, bank statements or any other relevant administrative mail. The Shinjinbukan Foundation does not conduct any classes, programs or any business activities at Mr. Mora's residence. All programs and services provided by the Shinjinbukan Foundation are conducted at the location we currently rent.

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8) What is the relationship between the Shinjinbukan Foundation in New York and other Shinjinbukan organizations worldwide?

The Shinjinbukan Foundation in New York City collaborates with other Shinjinbukan branches, including the Shinjinbukan Honbu Dōjō (Headquarters) in Okinawa, as well as several Shinjinbukan branches in Latin America and Europe.

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