Folk-Rock Group ‘Gathering Time’ to Perform at Temple Am Echad

In a creative twist on the Friday night Shabbat Service, the folk-rock harmony trio Gathering Time will perform songs of the spirit and social conscience made popular by iconic folk group Peter, Paul & Mary at Temple Am Echad of Lynbrook on May 10 at 7:30 p.m.

The Long Island-based trio, made up of Stuart Markus, Hillary Foxsong and Gerry McKeveny, is frequently compared in sound to the folk legends who rose to popularity in the folk wave of the early 1960s. They are currently touring in the northeast, and have performed Peter, Paul & Mary's music regularly over the nearly four years they've been together.

“We've played a number of concerts and tribute shows in churches that have folk music series,” Markus said. “We debuted this program here four years ago and it has become one of their most popular annual events.”

Temple Am-Echad's Cantor Jerry Korobow, himself a folk musician for many years, said, “Many of Peter, Paul and Mary's songs had a decidedly spiritual bent to them, even if they did not mention God or a particular religion specifically.” They also played a number of old-time spirituals like “Rock My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham” and “All My Trials.”

Korobow and Markus, the only Jewish member of the trio, worked together with the synagogue's Rabbi Glenn Jacobs to plan which songs will match up with which prayers during the service.

“To make the most of the music, this service, we'll be a bit lighter on the formal prayers and liturgy,” Korobow said.

In place of the rabbi's sermon, Gathering Time will play a mini-set of other songs that also feature a spiritual, socially conscious bent.

“Music can be a form of worship, even for the non-religious,” Korobow said. “It's a way to open the heart, and the spirit, to the most important human values.”

People of all faiths are invited to the service, and to bring an instrument for the guided open sing immediately after, about 8:30 p.m. There is no admission charge. Temple Am-Echad is located at 1 Saperstein Plaza, immediately north of the Lynbrook LIRR station. Call (516) 593-4004 for additional information.