The Hindu Samaj Temple and Community Center has formed a new, ecumenical SAHARA Outreach Committee  for the sole purpose of serving the broader community by lending a helping hand. The committee will be staffed by members of the Hindu Samaj and other residents of Bergen County. Volunteers are welcome. 

“In Hindi, SAHARA means support,” said Shailja Rastogi, chair of the committee. “I am honored to be working with an ecumenical team of volunteers who believe in the importance of serving the broader community by extending their hands to the needy, no matter what their race, color, or creed.”   

SAHARA’s first support project is dedicated to the Mahwah Marine Moms and North Jersey Military Moms. “We want to recognize the sacrifice of our military men and women in defending the freedoms we all enjoy. We also want to show our appreciation for the sacrifices that their families have endured,” said Dinesh Khosla, member of the committee. To honor and thank them, SAHARA has organized a benefit performance by local dance troupes, celebrating the area’s cultural diversity. The Spring Dance Spectacular will be on Sunday, April 1, at 3 p.m. at the community hall of the Hindu Samaj, 247 W. Ramapo Avenue, Mahwah.  

The Committee plans to sponsor a different fundraiser every year. “We hope SAHARA will one day become a model of service, bridging barriers and bringing different cultures together to lend a helping hand and make a difference,” said Rastogi. 

The Hindu Samaj Temple and Community Center opened in November 2008.  Today it has a membership of approximately 2,000 families and provides religious, cultural, and social services to the Hindu community in New Jersey and the surrounding area. The ecumenical SAHARA Outreach Committee is staffed by members of the Hindu Samaj and other residents of Bergen County, with the sole purpose of serving the broader community. Once a year, SAHARA will sponsor a fundraising event to lend a helping hand and make a difference in the community. 

For information about the SAHARA Outreach Committee or to volunteer, please call 201-674-6665, or visit www.hindusamajmandir.org.