The Islamic Society of Central Jersey (ISCJ) Expansion Project is a sign of the gradual evolution of the nucleus of the Islamic community that was founded in 1970 by a few Muslim students from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. This small Islamic community was guided by a vision to preserve and perpetuate the Islamic heritage and uphold ethical and intellectual standards. The pursuit of this vision and the gradual increase in the Muslim community are among the main factors that transformed our Islamic community from the small nucleus of the early 1970’s to what it is now.
ISCJ is a diversified community comprising of Muslims of many nationalities and their American-born offspring. This includes recent immigrant professionals and business people form all over the globe. The diversity of our community attracted American Muslims. Ideally situated between Princeton University in the south and Rutgers University in the north, ISCJ services the continuously flowing community from the greater central Jersey.
Currently our community is represented by an integrated institution that offers more than just a place of worship. We offer EDUCATION, SOCIAL SERVICES, RELIGIOUS SERVICES, and COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
To meet the growing demand for our services, ISCJ Board has been carefully developing the engineering plans for a community expansion project. This expansion necessitated the acquisition of additional adjacent properties that was financed by members' donations. The Expansion Project is anticipated to transform ISCJ into an integrated Islamic institution that will be viewed as a symbol for Muslim unity, strength, and stature in North America. This institution will be the source of inspiration for current and future generations of the immediate and surrounding Muslim communities.
Muslims Against Hunger Project is a volunteers run grass root effort to educate the Muslim community and the community-at-large about the problems of Hunger, Poverty, and Homelessness in our backyard. We all need to get involved in local programs like this, as we know charity starts from home.
Currently we are running broad range of interrelated programs to alleviate hunger and homlesness including Soup Kitchen projects in Morristown and Hackensack, New Jersey and also in Long Island, New York. We plan to help start Soup Kitchen projects around the US and Canada by organizing and training Muslim volunteers in how to start and run soup kitchen and homeless shelter support projects. Recently we have also started an effort to save a Homeless Drop-in Center know as Our Place Inc. (www.ourplacemorristown.org) from closing due to financial and management issues.
Our projects are not only helping to feed the hungry, but are also creating a silent dialogue and helping to get diverse groups of individuals together to work for a common cause. In doing so, we begin to learn from one another and grow in our understanding of one another.
