Meet the Hazzan

Hazzan Henrique Ozur Bass

301-299-7087 ext. 1 ⋅ hozurbass@harshalom.org

Hazzan Henrique Ozur Bass has served as Hazzan at Congregation Har Shalom since 1996.

He was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. At his Bar Mitzvah service, his Rabbi invited him to lead High Holy Days services the following year, which he continued to do through his graduation from college.

After completing a degree in Telecommunications Engineering from the Instituto Militar de Engenharia, Hazzan Ozur Bass worked for two years as an engineer for IBM and Petrobras. In 1989, he left his native Brazil to fulfill his childhood dream of becoming a Hazzan, enrolling in the Cantors Institute of the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. As part of his six years of training, he spent a year in Israel at the Masorti Rabbinical School in Jerusalem. Hazzan Ozur Bass also led services in congregations throughout Israel, Brazil and the United States. During the course of his studies, he received many awards for his musical and cantorial abilities, and graduated in 1995.

While studying at the Jewish Theological Seminary, Hazzan Ozur Bass met and married Rabbi Janet Ozur Bass. They have three phenomenal children, Avichai, Kalman and Beyla.

Hazzan Ozur Bass is grateful to Har Shalom for encouraging him to participate in professional growth and community involvement throughout his tenure. He has served on the Cantors Assembly Executive Board, graduated from the Institute of Jewish Spirituality, participated in Keshet’s National Training Institute for Jewish Professionals on LGBTQ Inclusion, and is currently studying Clinical Pastoral Education.