Dana Zen Center was founded in the Paris suburb of Montreuil in 1994 byRoshi Catherine Genno Pagès, a lineage holder in the Soto school, to offer regular Zen teaching and meditation in a nonresidential, urban setting. Its members form a community of lay practitioners who seek to honor the integrity of the ancient Zen tradition while integrating the practice into daily, modern life. The Dana practice center is a nonresidential house in an urban setting on the eastern edge of Paris.There are daily meditation sessions and a monthly retreat which is either one weekend or one week long. Introduction classes are held for beginners. During summer holidays a retreat is held in the country side.Catherine Genno Pagès Roshi is the first dharma heir of the American Zen masterDennis Genpo Merzel Roshi, who is heir of the lateTaizan Maezumi Roshi, founder of the Zen Center of Los Angeles. The Dana Zen Center is part of the White Plum Asangha, which was founded by the late Taizan Maezumi Roshi to support and unite all the practice centers and dharma successors in his lineage. Maezumi Roshi (1931-1995) was an early pioneer in the transmission of Japanese Zen Buddhism to the West. He received dharma transmission from Hakujun Kuroda Roshi in 1955. He also received final approval as a teacher (Inka) from both Koryu Osaka Roshi and Hakuun Yasutani Roshi, thus becoming a dharma successor in three lines of Zen.Genno Roshi gave Dharma Transmission toAmy Hollowellin July 2004, toFrank De Waelein July 2005, toCorinne Frottierin July 2009 and toMichel Olthetenin May 2014. She gave Inka to Frank De Waele in october 2015, and to Amy Hollowell in November 2015.