If you’re the type of sports fan who wants to root for the most Jewish team in any given postseason, the Edmonton Oilers deserve consideration for your pick this NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. The Oilers may not be looking great against the Los Angeles Kings so far, having been blown out 6-2 on Wednesday night to fall 0-2 in the series, but they’re still sporting not just one, but two Torontonian Jewish players in Zach Hyman and Jake Walman.
For a stronger Canadian showing, though, you might look to the Winnipeg Jets. Not a lot of Jewish on-ice representation there, but it’s the hometown team of former sports radio host and new Jewish podcaster Matthew Leibl. Leibl is one of the three new voices of Not in Heaven, The CJN’s podcast discussing the future of Jewish communal life, which launched this week.
He joins the Menschwarmers to chat about working as a sports journalist in Winnipeg during the Jets’ return, what the team meant to his community, why he left the life of sports radio, and why he once embarked on a 77-day roadtrip across North America to visit every major league ballpark in a single season.
Hear Leibl’s stories and what else is new in the world of Jewish sports on this latest episode of Menschwarmers, The CJN’s Jewish sports podcast.
Credits
- Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver
- Producer: Michael Fraiman
- Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chÄ“Ä“Z Ï€ (main theme, “Organ Grinder Swing“)
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