▁few ▁cities ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁that ▁has ▁ever ▁had ▁a ▁chief ▁ra bbi . ▁He ▁held ▁the ▁post ▁of ▁Chief ▁Rab bi ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁until ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁and ▁was ▁Chief ▁Rab bi ▁Emer it us ▁until ▁his ▁death ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁chief ▁judge ▁on ▁the ▁Beth ▁Din ▁of ▁the ▁Rab bin ical ▁Council ▁of ▁America , ▁and ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁Va ad ▁H oe ir ▁of ▁St . ▁Louis , ▁the ▁gover ning ▁body ▁of ▁the ▁St . ▁Louis ▁Orth odox ▁Jewish ▁community . ▁He ▁was ▁an ▁expert ▁in ▁Jewish ▁law , ▁especially ▁family ▁and ▁divor ce ▁law , ▁and ▁was ▁consult ed ▁by ▁rabb is ▁and ▁rabb in ical ▁courts ▁around ▁the ▁world . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁education ▁Sh ol om ▁Riv kin ▁was ▁born ▁June ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 9 2 6 , ▁at ▁Had ass ah ▁Hospital ▁in ▁Jerusalem . ▁His ▁father ▁was ▁Rab bi ▁Mos he ▁Ber ▁Riv kin , ▁a ▁prot ég é ▁and ▁bel oved ▁ch as id ▁ ▁of ▁Rab bi ▁Sh ol om ▁D ov ber ▁Schne ers ohn ▁( also ▁known ▁as ▁“ the ▁R ash ab ” ), ▁the ▁fifth ▁Reb be ▁( sp irit ual ▁leader ) ▁of ▁the ▁Ch abad ▁Lub av itch ▁Has id ic ▁movement . ▁His ▁mother ▁was ▁Nach a ▁Riv kin ▁( née ▁He ber ) ▁of ▁K alis z , ▁Poland . ▁Rab bi ▁Mos he ▁Ber ▁and