▁ 1 9 8 0 s , ▁he ▁decided ▁to ▁allow ▁a ▁Jewish ▁woman ▁to ▁under go ▁in ▁vit ro ▁fert il ization ▁and ▁this ▁decision ▁subsequently ▁influenced ▁others ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁of ▁Jewish ▁medical ▁eth ics . ▁ ▁Chief ▁Rab bi ▁of ▁St . ▁Louis ▁ ▁The ▁Va ad ▁H oe ir ▁( community ▁council ) ▁of ▁St . ▁Louis ▁invited ▁Riv kin ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁St . ▁Louis ▁as ▁Chief ▁Rab bi , ▁following ▁the ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁of ▁the ▁previous ▁chief ▁ra bbi , ▁Rab bi ▁Men ach em ▁E ichen stein , ▁who ▁had ▁served ▁in ▁that ▁position ▁since ▁ 1 9 4 1 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁Riv kin ▁succeeded ▁E ichen stein ▁as ▁Chief ▁Rab bi . ▁ ▁For ▁the ▁next ▁ 2 2 ▁years , ▁Riv kin ▁pres ided ▁as ▁Chief ▁Rab bi ▁over ▁the ▁St . ▁Louis ▁Rab bin ical ▁Court ▁and ▁led ▁the ▁Va ad ▁H oe ir ▁of ▁St . ▁Louis , ▁a ▁council ▁that ▁super vis es ▁fac ets ▁of ▁Jewish ▁observ ance ▁r anging ▁from ▁k os her ▁practice ▁to ▁education ▁to ▁religious ▁divor ce . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁final ▁ar b iter ▁of ▁all ▁cases ▁of ▁Jewish ▁law ▁of ▁the ▁Rab bin ical ▁Court , ▁and ▁both ▁his ▁scholar ship ▁and ▁care ▁for ▁others ▁were ▁noted ▁as ▁hall marks ▁of ▁his ▁term ▁of ▁office . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁Riv kin ▁retired ▁as ▁Chief ▁Rab bi ▁due ▁to