▁ill ▁health ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁named ▁Chief ▁Rab bi ▁Emer it us . ▁No ▁new ▁appointment ▁was ▁made ▁to ▁fill ▁his ▁position . ▁ ▁The ▁institution ▁of ▁Chief ▁Rab bi ▁was ▁rare ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁existed ▁only ▁in ▁a ▁few ▁U . S . ▁cities ; ▁St . ▁Louis ▁was ▁the ▁last ▁city ▁in ▁which ▁a ▁chief ▁ra bbi ▁led ▁the ▁Orth odox ▁Jewish ▁community , ▁and ▁Riv kin ▁was ▁thus ▁the ▁last ▁chief ▁ra bbi ▁of ▁a ▁city ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁Family ▁After ▁their ▁marriage ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 4 , ▁Pa ula ▁( P ep i ) ▁Riv kin ▁became ▁a ▁clin ical ▁psych ologist . ▁She ▁was ▁an ▁advoc ate ▁for ▁women ▁and ▁a ▁co - found er ▁of ▁the ▁Jewish ▁Council ▁Again st ▁Family ▁Vi ol ence . ▁She ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁community ▁leader , ▁serving ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁board ▁of ▁direct ors ▁of ▁the ▁Jewish ▁Federation ▁of ▁St . ▁Louis , ▁the ▁board ▁and ▁advis ory ▁committee ▁of ▁the ▁St . ▁Louis ▁Jewish ▁Light , ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁driving ▁force ▁behind ▁the ▁renov ation ▁of ▁the ▁community ▁m ik ve h . ▁The ▁couple ▁was ▁married ▁for ▁ 5 6 ▁years , ▁until ▁Pa ula ▁died ▁January ▁ 7 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁aged ▁ 7 8 . ▁ ▁Their ▁son , ▁Rab bi ▁Ben z ion ▁Riv kin , ▁was ▁the ▁ 4 1 st ▁in ▁a ▁continuous ▁line ▁of ▁rabb is ▁in ▁the ▁Riv kin