Linda Rich is a hazzan (also called cantor) who in 1978 became the first female cantor to sing in a Conservative synagogue (specifically Temple Beth Zion in Los Angeles), although she was not ordained. [1] [2] The 1984 Olympics were held in Los Angeles, and Rich was chosen as their official cantor; she also sang at the "1984 World Chassidic Festival" in Haifa, Jerusalem, and Tel Aviv. [3] An album titled "World Chassidic Festival" was later released, containing among other songs her recording of "Barcheynu Avinu." [3] Rich is a fifth-generation cantor from an Orthodox Jewish family. [1] She majored in music at San Francisco State University, and received scholarships to study acting at the American Conservatory Theatre (ACT) and musical theatre at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. [3]