Jewish Institute for Lifelong Learning and Innovation

Rabbi Lia Bass believes that Judaism is a soulful way to respond to the joys and sorrows of our lives. Rabbi Bass enjoys teaching people how to infuse every day of their lives with the power of the tradition. She is a compassionate listener that believes in the power of rituals to help people connect with the tradition, God, and the community, responding to the needs and the desire of interfaith couples, LGBTQ folks, different family configurations, and new and older people in their search for a Jewish home.

Rabbi Lia Bass, born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is the first woman from Latin America to be ordained as a Rabbi by the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. She is a bold and innovative Jewish leader who believes that Judaism is a spiritual way to respond to the joys and sorrows of being human. She holds degrees in Guidance Counseling, Education, and Teacher of Hebrew as a Second Language. Rabbi Bass has served Jewish communities of congregations in Northern Virginia, White Plains, NY, and Hoboken, NJ. She has also served as a Fellow at the Center for Learning and Leadership (NY) and as a Rabbi-in-Residence and teacher of Talmud in Bergen County, New Jersey. Rabbi Bass is passionate about teaching people of all ages and backgrounds how to engage with Judaism as a pathway to living a meaningful and productive life. She knows that Judaism today encounters challenges that are unique to the present moment. To enable the community to engage fully with our tradition, Rabbi Bass employs different points of entry, using creativity as a starting point to personal and communal growth. She is an enthusiastic teacher of Judaism and Hebrew to adults and children alike, a compassionate listener, and believes in harnessing the power of rituals to help people connect with the tradition, God, and the community. She has created a safe space for all segments of the community, responding to the needs and desires of interfaith couples, LGBTQ individuals and families, people of color, unique family configurations, and new and older people in their search for a Jewish home. She has also worked with congregations of different faiths on social action issues, and learned that infusing our actions in the world with the teachings of Judaism makes us more effective, joyful, and grounded. Rabbi Bass is a prolific fiber artist, creating works of art through knitting, crocheting, quilting, and painting in silk that are lovingly expressive of Jewish life. She enjoys watching professional sports