This is part two of a five-part podcast miniseries by The CJN, called Won’t You Be My Rabbi? To hear all five right now, visit thecjn.ca/be-my-rabbi.
Rabbi Matthew Leibl may not be the best representative for Conservative Judaism. But the Winnipeg-based former sports journalist has a fascinating story nonetheless, and he’s perfectly poised to discuss the shifting face of Conservative Judaism, and how it’s in danger of being squeezed out by stricter Orthodoxy on one side, and more spiritually ambiguous practice on the other.
With no dog in the fight, the former senior rabbi at Congregation Shaarey Zedek, who left in April 2021, reflects back on his years behind the pulpit and tries to help comedian Laura Leibow understand the tenets of Conservative Judaism and where it fits into the broader religious spectrum.
