Bat Yam Temple of the Islands invites you to its annual fundraiser concert on Sunday, March 7. The afternoon musical event, which will be live-streamed for virtual viewing, stars Cantor Murray Simon of Sanibel’s Bat Yam Temple of the Islands, Reverend Dr. John Danner of Sanibel Congregational United Church of Christ, and a husband-and-wife team, Doni Zasloff and Eric Lindberg.  Zasloff and Lindberg started Nefesh Mountain Bluegrass band.

Nefesh means “soul” and the Nefesh Mountain Bluegrass Band is a favorite of both Jewish and non-Jewish fans who enjoy the mashup of Jewish liturgy with bluegrass melodies. Bluegrass music is a genre of American roots music that developed in the 1940s in the Appalachian region of the United States. The name Earl Scruggs is synonymous with Bluegrass music. He was known for an energetic and innovative three-finger picking style on the banjo.

Bluegrass was born from many strands of American life, mostly describing day-to-day life on the farms and in the hills. It is now performed and enjoyed around the world. Zasloff talks about how Nefesh Mountain Bluegrass band represents diversity in bluegrass. Theirs is a contemporary bluegrass band that spreads the message of the joy and the magic of American roots music. Their repertoire often includes songs by Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie.

The group (Zasloff and Lindberg, Alan Grubner on violin, and Tim Kiah on bass and vocals) has been active since 2014 and has toured the USA, Canada, Israel, England, and Australia. They perform at concert halls, festivals, workshops, schools, camps, and synagogues. They have been featured in Rolling Stone, BBC World News, Billboard, and Bluegrass Today among others.

Bat Yam’s annual fundraiser concert, has, in previous years, enjoyed sold-out performances. Attendance for this year’s concert is on a first-come-first-served registration basis. The concert is FREE to the public, but donations are encouraged and welcomed. Additional benefits are available for sponsors of the concert.

SUNDAY MARCH 7 at 4 p.m. promises to be a special afternoon. Rabbi Stephen Fuchs and members of the congregation are looking forward to welcoming you. The virtual performance venue is likely to be packed, so make sure you score a ticket. You can register by sending an email with the subject heading “concert” to [email protected].