Concert celebrates Flathead Valley Jewish community

Glacier Jewish Community/B'nai Shalom is celebrating its eighth year and the retirement of founding Rabbi Francine Roston with a performance by bluegrass-Americana-roots band Nefesh Mountain Aug. 10.

“In the last eight years, Rabbi Francine built a strong Jewish community in the valley reuniting two Jewish communities which engages all Jews equally, educates people of all ages, and honors that each person connects with Judaism in their own way,” Sally Ericsson, chair of the Glacier Jewish Community steering committee. “She developed strong ties with Flathead Valley religious and community leaders to build bridges and resilience.”

Since the ’80s the valley’s Jewish residents created ways to socialize and worship together. In 2015, the Glacier Jewish Community was founded as a “welcoming, egalitarian synagogue without walls that brings people together to share joyful, inspiring Jewish life and Jewish traditions,” according to a press release. Members gather in private households, community centers, the Glacier Unitarian Universalist Fellowship building, coffee shops and breweries around the valley.

Over the years, the congregation has grown to include more than 200 households.

“We enjoy watching how Rabbi Francine invites people of all levels of religiosity — or not — to celebrate together and try to repair the brokenness in the world,” said Rabbi Allen Secher, who led the Jewish community in the past.

Tickets are on sale now to see the New York-based band at the O’Shaughnessy Cultural Arts Center in Whitefish. Tickets may be purchased at https://www.zeffy.com and at the door. Baked goods and beer will be available for purchase from sponsoring businesses Bonelli’s Bistro in Kalispell and Blackstar Brewery in Whitefish.

Hailed as one of the “formative boundary-pushing groups in roots music,” according to the band’s bio, the founders — husband and wife team Eric Lindberg and Doni Zasloff — have created a sound that bridges elements of American folk and Appalachian bluegrass with Celtic folk and Eastern European melodies.

“Nefesh Mountain is the perfect musical group for our congregation to bring to the valley because their music bridges multiple styles of music and many communities — just as our congregation unites Jewish folks around the valley and works to build strong relationships with our non-Jewish neighbors,” Roston said.

“We all can appreciate the need for music that helps us celebrate life, supports us through the difficult times and expresses our joy and gratitude for the gift of life,” she added.

Joining the Glacier Jewish Community in hosting Nefesh Mountain are co-sponsors Glacier Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Whitefish and Mountain View Mennonite Church along with Jewish congregations around the state including Temple Emanu-El and the Montana Jewish Project in Helena.

For more information, visit http://glacierjc.org.