Rabbi Matthew and Lee Liebenberg

Short Biography

Rabbi Matthew and Lee Liebenberg have been the senior rabbinical couple at Claremont Wynberg Shul since August 2001. Rabbi Liebenberg, the middle of three children, was born and raised in Johannesburg where he attended King David School in Victory Park.

He matriculated in 1991 with full academic colours and very soon thereafter joined the Yeshivah Gedolah of Johannesburg under the inspired leadership of Rabbi Azriel Chaim Goldfein, of blessed memory, a scion of the famed Telz Yeshiva in Cleveland, Ohio. Rabbi Liebenberg studied in the Yeshivah for seven and a half years and received semichah (rabbinical ordination) from Rabbi Goldfein in 1999.

Rabbi Liebenberg studied law and commerce part time through the University of South Africa (UNISA) and served for three years as the 'camp rabbi' for the Betar movement. In August 1999 Rabbi Liebenberg and his wife Lee, whom he married in December 1998, were chosen to be the rabbinical couple at the United Orthodox Hebrew Congregation (Schoonder Street shul) in Cape Town, a position they held for two years until the pulpit at Claremont became available.

For the past two and a half years, Rabbi Liebenberg has been the chairman of the Rabbinical Association of the Western Cape, an umbrella body and support group that includes all Orthodox rabbis in the Peninsula. Rabbi Liebenberg enjoys learning and teaching Torah to audiences of all ages and levels, he loves writing and is particularly passionate about the subject of derech eretz (proper behaviour, as defined by the sages of the Talmud). In his spare time (which is very little!) he enjoys reading science fiction and fantasy novels, swimming and spending time with his family.

Rebbitzen Lee Liebenberg (nee Grodsinsky) was also born and raised in Johannesburg. She attended King David School in Linksfield, where she matriculated as a prefect. Rebbitzen Liebenberg spent her first year out of school on the Bnei Akiva Midreshet Torah v'Avodah (MTA) programme in Israel, where she studied at Orot in Elkana.

She served as a madrichah (counsellor) for many years at Bnei Akiva and was heavily involved in the planning and organisation of various programmes and events. During this time, Rebbitzen Liebenberg was instrumental in setting up learning programmes in the new Bnei Akiva Beit Midrash in Glenhazel. Rebbitzen Liebenberg has a BA in psychology and communication from UNISA and worked for many years as a bookkeeper and financial manager at various businesses, including Africa Spice and the Cape Town Jewish Museum. Rebbetzin Liebenberg is the educational director of Jewish Marriage Education (JME) in Cape Town.

This is a worldwide organisation that is responsible for instructing brides and grooms in the laws and philosophies of taharat hamishpachah (family purity) prior to their wedding. She enjoys teaching, especially on a one- to-one basis, and is involved in many different aspects of the shul, including the Ladies Guild and organising learning programmes such as Jewish Emphasis Week (JEW) and Womens Learning Week (WLW). In her spare time, Rebbitzen Liebenberg likes to read, work in her garden, cook and keep in touch with her many friends and family members around the world.

Rabbi and Rebbetzin Liebenberg are the proud parents of Chani Merryl and Naomi Chaya Sarah.