With your support, GCLEA has been serving the Southern New Jersey/Philadelphia region since 2010.
Through an array of educational programs, worship services, and social outreach initiatives, we have been helping people of all ages and ethnicities connect to their faith and community in a meaningful way.
​
And based on your support and feedback, we continue to improve how we serve you.
​
Check out some of the feedback below.
​
"Well organized. Devoted, hard-working, and very peaceful place to be."
​
"Most welcoming, holistic masjid community I've ever had the fortune to be a part of. May Allah bless the Imam, organizers, and volunteers."
​
"It is an amazing place of worship."
​
"I love this place!"
​
"Perfect."
​
"Masha Allah! Great to have GCLEA!"
​
With your help, 2023 has been a great year for GCLEA!
​
Because of your support we were able to continue offering the following programs and services you have grown to love and appreciate.
​
Informative and Inspirational Friday Sermons
Holiday Celebrations
Islam4Kidz Sunday School
Adult Study Circle
Arabic For Adults
Green Muslims & Muslims for Justice Initiatives
New Muslim Cohort
Online Islamic Studies Certificate Courses
Community Volunteer Programs
Community Picnic
Hosted the Muslim Homeschoolers of NJ
Provided Emergency Financial Relief
Spiritual Counseling
Khutbah Training
Boys to Men Workshops and Retreats
Kids' Tarbiyyah Program
Officiated over a dozen weddings
​
​
In 2024 we are not only looking to continue improving our programs but want to expand in the areas of,
Community Outreach,
Muslim Advocacy,
and Security.
​
It has been a privilege to serve you both online and in person.
​
We are looking forward to what the future holds for our community.
​
To continue serving you and your family, GCLEA's 2024 annual budget is set at $375,000.
With modest overhead expenses, 80% of that budget will go directly into programs and services.
​
To help meet our annual budget, along with support memberships and program fees, we have set our fundraising goals as follows.
​
December 2023 Goal = $65,000
Ramadan 2024 Goal = $145,000
​
Join us today!
Become an integral part of this great community by making a meaningful financial contribution.
​
Reap the rewards of supporting your masjid and give NOW!
​
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said,
"He who builds a mosque for Allah, Allah would build a house for him like it in Paradise" (Muslim).
​
Help us reach our goal so that we can continue serving YOU.
Checks can be mailed to
PO Box 1020
Cherry Hill, NJ 08034
Your financial contributions support positive transformative change!
​
Check out some of GCLEA's amazing personal stories and appeals below.
Love notes to GCLEA from Sidra and Dara
To our fellow members of the GCLEA ummah,
As we enter the second half of Ramadan, we naturally begin to reflect on the meaning and intention behind the act of fasting and all that it entails. My wife, Sidra, and I were newly wed ten days before the holy month began. For us, this month goes beyond taking part in the increased worship and fulfillment of our deen, it has also been an opportunity to reflect on all the blessings that have been bestowed upon us, even the ones that are less obvious which we may take for granted.
Our ceremony was a small one, with only our closest family and friends invited, and also included a livestream for hundreds of guests around the world to take part in our happiness. After our wedding, each and every one of our guests that joined us in person called us to report back on two specific details: the delicious food and our incredible Imam. For those that spoke to us after watching virtually, they too specifically called to ask about our officiant! Our officiant, Imam John, not only bonded our hearts together in blessed matrimony, he stole the hearts of all our guests with his beautiful message, strong delivery, and humor sprinkled in where appropriate. With a mixed Muslim and non-Muslim guestlist, Imam John shared a captivating message that resonated with all our guests and showcased our wonderful deen and beloved Prophet (PBUH).
Planning and executing a wedding during a pandemic has brought on various stressors and precautions. Imam John could not have been more gracious and accommodating in helping us with our wedding. We came to him and he immediately helped us feel more at ease during this intense and stressful time. His comforting demeanor and message of peace and love really warmed all our hearts and set the tone for a beautiful, lifelong marriage, insha Allah. As an existing member of the community and my wife being a new member, we really feel at home with the strong and welcoming Muslim presence that we have found at the GCLEA.
Thank you,
Dara Nikoonezhad and Sidra Rehan
Words of appreciation from Stephanie and Mobeen Salim
As a recent revert to Islam, I’ve frequently struggled with a lack of confidence in my abilities to teach my own young children to be good Muslims who embrace the principles, traditions, and practices of their faith. Facing uncertainty about where to turn for help with this, (even feeling a bit uncomfortable and intimidated among those who grew up well versed in Islam, that my questions would be too basic or simplistic), I stumbled upon the GCLEA website and its many offerings for those identifying as “newer” to the Muslim community, just like me.
I was immediately impressed by the vast array of educational, recreational and faith-building programs offered for people at all stages of their faith, at all stages of their lives.
Maybe it was perfect timing, but I happened to discover GCLEA right when Imam John was organizing a group for those in the early stages of their faith journey - the New Muslim Cohort. The group shares a lot of common history and experiences, composed now of interested recent reverts all wanting to learn and grow more, all navigating new challenges and experiences in different aspects of new Muslim life. I immediately joined and have reaped months of benefit, education and support, including participation in really interesting discussions about the parallels of Islam with other faiths like Christianity and Judaism (we’ve also shared many laughs, including about our family experiences).
Sharing these questions and navigating my introduction to Islam supported by this diverse group from all walks of life, with manifold experiences (many of which have been just like mine), has been an incredibly privileged experience, for which I am very grateful.
In one of our early sessions, Imam John Starling reminded me that in order to enrich my children, I needed to enrich myself, compelling my participation in several online courses taught by him including the recent Elementary Hanbali primer. Besides the New Muslim Cohort and the virtual classes, I’ve had the good fortune of watching Sunday School lessons taught by Imam John to the kindergartners, which included my oldest son Mobeen. Experiencing how the fundamental Islamic principles, such as living humbly with a good intention and turning to Allah SWT for all things, is taught to kindergarteners has been a highly impactful experience further preparing me to comfortably share these teachings with my younger children - I’ve also learned some new things myself!
Being welcomed into the GCLEA community, having the opportunity to share these faith-building experiences and these multiple, enriching resources at my fingertips has made me a better Muslim and better able to share the faith with my children, friends, and community.
​
In faith,
Stephanie Deutsch-Salim
An appeal from the Brothers YM - 45 young men strong!
Alhamdulilahi Rabbil Alamin!
We can’t express how grateful we are to Allah SWT for the blessing that is GCLEA.
It is a community that nurtures, enriches, and truly values its youth.
Very seldom do we see communities so willing to give their time and resources to the youth. Our goal with Young Muslims is to facilitate brotherhood, and we are able to achieve that and much more with the help of GCLEA.
The GCLEA community gives us the space and freedom we need to grow in so many ways. Spiritually, through halaqat and reading circles. Academically, by giving us a space to hold free tutoring classes. Professionally, through the mentorship of the community leaders.
What we believe to be most unique, is the example that our leaders set for us while inviting us to take part in the good work done in our local community. Thus, allowing us to grow, from members of the community, into custodians who serve it as well.
​
Supporting GCLEA is supporting the Muslim youth!
​
Jazak Allah khayr,
YM crew
A word of gratitude from a dedicated volunteer, Saad Tariq.
Alhamdulillah, I have known Imam John for about 7-8 years and in that time span, he has become a cherished friend and teacher. Imam John would lecture at my MSA and YM where I was exposed to his effective style of connecting people to the deen.
To get involved with GCLEA and give back, I have been partaking and volunteering with the GCLEA certificate program for the past 5-6 classes which span over the past year.
To have a resource like Imam John offering his services to students FREE of cost is unheard of and I am grateful to him and GCLEA for making this happen.
From learning the basics of the faith to the Prophet's biography, Imam John and GCLEA's certificate program is impacting hundreds if not thousands of people across the world. It has helped me strengthen my faith and allowed me to consistently grow in my religion despite being busy.
Imam John's classes are set up in a way that anyone can partake and take maximum benefit. I am highly appreciative and grateful to Imam John and GCLEA for allowing me and many others this opportunity to have access to traditional knowledge literally free of cost. I recommend you all check out Imam John's classes and programs, May Allah preserve him and GCLEA ameen!
​
Support GCLEA today and you are supporting our tradition.
Jazak Allah khair,
Saad Tariq
Thank you to GCLEA from Muqaddas Ejaz.
Answer Allah's call and be rewarded with Paradise.
And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous. Who spend in His cause during ease and hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the people - and Allah loves the doers of good. (Ali Imran 3:134)
My name is Muqaddas Ejaz. I have been a member of the GCLEA community for the past ten years, alhamdulillah. When I first started to attend GCLEA, I had recently moved to Cherry Hill. I found that the new programs and community events welcomed the young members of the community. I was a college student and was not an active masjid goer. Imam John used to offer weekly Islamic lectures on various topics and I began to attend those lectures between maghrib and isha prayers.
I loved the fact that the sisters also got together on the weekends to help underserved community members by making a delivering food. We also had some fun baking lessons along the way. All of these activities combined with the prayer services made GCLEA a very attractive center to me.
​
The center also welcomed the President and the members of my college staff for a visit to learn more about Islam and tour the mosque. It was a great gesture of the GCLEA team to welcome and host them. Since then, many members of the state, local government, journalists, and interfaith community have visited the mosque with me and the GCLEA leadership under Imam John's guidance have always welcomed them.
​
GCLEA provides a religious and worldly balance for me. I come here often to pray and to feel closer to Allah swt and find that the community events and gatherings make GCLEA a family center where we meet friends and have the opportunity to volunteer and perform community service together.
​
Thank you GCLEA for welcoming and supporting me along my journey.
​
Sincerly,
Muqqads Ejaz