When Rabbi Lia Bass sees the Hebrew written word, she sees all of its potential for creativity and viewing life through unique perspectives.
“The structure of the Hebrew language, but also thousands of years of creativity and Jewish grappling with the text, with sources and with this infinite potential for creation, informs how I work,” Bass said.
Five years ago, the Arlington resident set out to bring Judaism to the people when, where and how they want it. She is the founder and spiritual leader of the Jewish Institute for Lifelong Learning & Innovation, where she teaches, facilitates lifecycle events, does outreach and performs the “nitty-gritty” tasks of running a nonprofit.
“I noticed a need in the Northern Virginia community,” Bass said, citing a study that found that NoVa had the highest Jewish population in the DMV, but that many weren’t affiliated with a synagogue. “I felt there was something I could do that would be productive, which is to serve them.”
JILLI’s mission is to enrich people’s lives through lifelong learning and experiences, using tailored Jewish educational opportunities.
Bass’ favorite aspect of her role is that she doesn’t work with one specific demographic, between working with interfaith couples, LGBTQ+ individuals and their families, people of color, unique family configurations and new and older community members seeking a “Jewish home,” according to JILLI’s website.
“I work with many ages and people who have different needs and who are in different stages of life, and I love that,” Bass told Washington Jewish Week. “I love the ability to serve God and the Jewish people in a way that is never boring.”
Bass has long set her sights on becoming a rabbi: “I came to all these things because of my love for the Hebrew language, mostly. I have a deep respect and love for Hebrew; everything developed from that.”
Born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Bass attended a Jewish day school and took part in almost any Jewish activity that her mother could find, from playing sports at the local JCC to participating in a Zionist youth movement.
“I did everything that I possibly could in terms of my Jewish upbringing,” Bass said.
After high school, she traveled to Israel for a year to teach Hebrew as a second language before returning to Rio. As a college student, Bass pursued psychology and guidance counseling, while remaining active in the Jewish community by teaching Hebrew at a Jewish day school and at a synagogue, which was “really the place she felt the best.” She also served as president of the Jewish University Council in Rio.
“One day, I went to my rabbi and said, ‘I think that if I put everything together, it comes out rabbi, so I think that’s what I want to do,’” Bass said. “He said, ‘OK, I was just waiting for you to say something.’”
A few years later, Bass became the first Latin American woman to be ordained as a rabbi by the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. She was also Northern Virginia’s first female Conservative rabbi — she served Congregation Etz Hayim in Arlington from 2001 to 2020 — and is the first woman from Brazil to be ordained as a rabbi.
“Being from Brazil helps me see a lot of different patterns,” she said. “It feels like I bring a different lens to how the community is established, and I look for things in different places.”
But, ultimately, these “firsts” don’t mean much to Bass.
“I really enjoy being a rabbi and I really enjoy what I do — I think it’s an amazing experience to be able to do all the things that I do,” she said. “Being a woman is integral to who I am, but I don’t think that being the first female rabbi from anywhere makes a lot of difference to me personally.”
Bass sometimes endured challenges that came with being a minority in a predominantly male field. At times, she believes she was passed up for job opportunities or interviews due to her gender. But that didn’t dampen her spirit.
“I had set the goal of becoming a rabbi, and that was what pointed the way for me,” Bass said.
For now, the rabbi takes pride in the fact that JILLI has been going strong since 2020, and continues to grow.
“[I hope to] continue in the trajectory that I am right now with being able to do many lifecycle events for people: weddings, baby namings, funerals, and because I’ve been growing and adding students, I can continue doing what I’m doing,” Bass said.
