Thumbing through the huge bound volumes of back issues of the Jewish Light for the 1980s, I came upon Page One of the June 30, 1982 edition, which featured a story headline, “Rabbi Sholom Rivkin is Elected New Chief Orthodox Rabbi.”

The Orthodox Jewish community of St. Louis and its Rabbinical Council of local rabbis and Vaad Hoeir (City Council), the administrative entity for all matters relating to Jewish dietary laws and the supervision of the mikveh (ritual bath) facilities, was unique among American Jewish communities by having a formal position of Chief (Orthodox) Rabbi.

It is common practice for European nations and major cities to have Chief Rabbis, but the practice has been rare in North America. Toronto and Atlanta in addition to St. Louis have had that position in their local Jewish communities.

The Chief Orthodox Rabbi was the highest religious leader of the Orthodox Jewish community and was the president of the St. Louis Rabbinical Council. Rabbi Rivkin, who was named to the position in 1982, was only the third rabbi to have served as Chief Rabbi of St. Louis. His predecessors were Rabbi Hyim Fischel Epstein, who served from 1934-1942 (and is namesake of the H. F. Epstein Hebrew Academy) and Rabbi Menachem Zvi Eichenstein, who served the four decades from 1942 until his death in 1981.

Rabbi Sholom Rivkin and Rebbetzin Paula Rivkin were highly esteemed not only in the Orthodox Jewish community but throughout the entire Jewish community, building upon the legacy established by their predecessors.

“I am deeply honored to have been elected the successor to the esteemed and beloved Rabbi Menachem Zvi Eichenstein, of blessed memory,” Rabbi Rivkin said when I interviewed him at the time of his appointment. “I hope to built upon the excellent foundation of vitality which characterized his unique brand of community leadership.”

At the time, I described Rabbi Rivkin as “a warm and engaging man with a ready smile and sense of humor,” who noted that he hoped to build on Rabbi Eichenstein’s leadership in creating a united Orthodox Jewish community as well as building cooperation with the entire Jewish community on issues of vital concern was a constant theme.

“[Rabbi Eichenstein] truly exemplified K’lal Yisrael—the unity of the Jewish people—and I hope to maintain and develop these principles,” Rabbi Rivkin said at the time.

Indeed Rabbi Rivkin and Rebbetzin Rivkin did build upon these foundations. Sadly, Rabbi Rivkin was forced to retire due to an aggressive case of Parkinson’s disease, and became Chief Rabbi Emeritus of the community. I was personally honored that the last official Jewish event that Rabbi Rivkin was able to attend was my retirement dinner at the end of 2004. Rebbetzin Rivkin, who had a strong following in her own right, was also tragically stricken by pancreatic cancer, and died at age of 78 on Jan. 7, 2011.

Rabbi Rivkin passed away at the age of 85, just after Shabbat on Oct. 1, 2011.  Rabbi and Rebbetzin Rivkin had been partners in spiritual and community leadership throughout their 56 years of marriage. Their memories continue to be for a blessing for the entire Jewish community, which they served with such devotion and loyalty throughout their lives.

After Rabbi Rivkin’s passing, the rabbinic leadership of the Orthodox Jewish community passed to two distinguished rabbis, who were given the title Rav Achrai: Rabbi Yosef Landa, Director of Chabad of St. Louis, and Rabbi Menachem Greenblatt of Agudas Israel of St. Louis.  The leadership of the Vaad Hoeir, of which Perry Mendelson is president and Rabbi Zvi Zuravin is executive director, decided on a shared rabbinic leadership rather than naming a new Chief Orthodox Rabbi of St. Louis.

Thus was the history of a unique St. Louis Jewish institution: the Chief Orthodox Rabbi, a position held with great distinction by Rabbi Epstein, Rabbi Eichenstein and Rabbi Rivkin. Their names and their record of service continue to inspire admiration to this very day.