Our Honorees Linda and Rick Burney

Rick and Linda Burney have been members of Temple Israel for almost 34 years. They both hail from the Northeast and met at the University of Rochester in 1977. After graduation, Linda and Rick moved to Southern California, where Linda’s family had moved two years prior. They were married in 1981 and within a few years Rick’s family joined them on the West Coast.

Rick worked as an Electrical Engineer and Program Manager at Hughes Aircraft (later Raytheon) for almost 35 years before retiring at the end of 2013. Linda was a Genetics Counselor and GC Manager at UC Irvine, Harbor-UCLA, Genzyme Genetics and Integrated Genetics before retiring in 2019.

Linda joined the Temple Board around the same time her second daughter was born in 1991. She was Temple President from 1995-1997 and has served on many TI committees. She was instrumental in restructuring the Human Resources Committee a few years ago and currently is the chair of the Safety and Security Committee. Rick served on the Temple Israel Board from 2014-2021 and remains active on the Foundation Board and the Temple’s Budget Committee. He developed the Temple’s Financial Sustainability Plan and currently chairs the Strategic Planning Committee. Both of them have served on various committees at the JCC and Federation and were very involved with Jewish Family and Children’s Service, where Rick remains on the Board as Treasurer and Past President. Linda recently joined the Jewish Long Beach Board.

When they are not busy with their volunteer responsibilities, Rick and Linda enjoy spending time together hiking, cooking and traveling. Rick also is an avid guitar player and Linda recently has taken up watercolor painting.

And last, but certainly not least, they love being with their friends and family. Rick and Linda have two wonderful adult children, Sarah and Melissa, who attended Torah Center, became B’not Mitzvah, and were confirmed at Temple Israel. They are grateful that their daughters, as well as much of their extended family, live in Southern California; spending time with them brings them much joy.

Temple Israel Family,

We are humbled by the honor of being recognized for our contributions to Temple Israel. Words cannot express how much the Temple community has given to us and enriched our lives. A great deal has changed here since we joined 34 years ago. Yet the commitment to the teachings of Torah, and the expressions of ruach (spirit), ahavah (love), avodah (commitment to service), and gemilut chassadim (deeds of loving kindness) remain constant. And the friendships made are a true blessing which will be with us always. With gratitude,

Linda & Rick